The Cordova daily times., 1923-02-20
ANOTHER CANAL CONSIDERED TO RELIEVEPANAMA Increased Traffic Gives Rise to Possibility of
 Second Ditch SIZE OF SHIPS IS FACTOR Governor Harding and Secretary Weeks See
 Condition
SIZE OF SHIPS IS FACTOR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. - Unpre, cedented increases in traffic through the Panama Canal are causing Admin istration officials to think seriously ] of the possible necessity for a second trans-oceanic canal over the Nicara- qua route.
 ] During the month of November, 1922, for example, 1,426,S60 cargo tons of shipping were transmitted through | the canal, which compares with 466,- 773 cargo tons in the same month of 1914, the first year the canal was opened. The total amount of tolls col lected in November, 1922, was $1,264,- 43O, as compared with $374,91O in the same month of 1914
 For the last five months the canal business has shown a steady increase. Traffic Growing "A steady growth of the traffic through the Panama Canal to double, triple and quadruple it's present vol ume can be confidently predicted, but there may well be years when for temporary causes growth is arrest ed and there is even a slight decline,' Governor Harding, of the Canal Zone, has stated in an official report to Sec retary Of War Weeks just made pub lie.
 Secretary Weeks himself has been studying traffic through the canal and is fully alive to possibilities. "It is but the part of wisdom," Sec retary Weeks declared, "to give some though to suggestions that another canal may be necessary"
 The present maximum capacity of the Panama Canal, Weeks said, is about 40 ships a day, when the canal is being operated on a 24-hour basis. The average during the month of No vember was about 10 days, including Sundays. In considering possible ne- cessity for a second waterway. how ever, account must be taken of the length of time necessary to construct transoceanic canal, even after pub lie sentiment is prepared and money appropriated.
 Exactly 3S5 years elapsed from the time the first plan for a Panama Canal was drawn, in 1929, by Alvaro de Saavedra, companion of Balboa in the discovery of the Pacific, and the passage of the first ship through the canal in 1914.
 Size Is Limited
 sells. The super-dreadnought planned for the American Navy were to have been 105 feet in width The locks of the Panama Canal are no feet wide, and it was believed that the great warships of the North Carolina class were the largest which in safety could be taken through the canal. This diff ficulty, however, apparently has been obviated by the Washington Arms Conference agreements, which limit the warships of the future to 35,000 tons.
 With respect to merchant ships there is no such limitation. Some of the great Atlantic liners would have difficulty in getting through the canal, due to their length. The locks of the Panama Canal are 1000 feet in length, and canal officials say they would not like to undertake the transit of a yes sel longer than 900 feet. The liner Majestic is 956 feet long and 100 feet wide, while the Berengaria and the Olympic are respectively S9S and SS3 feet in length.
 Still another consideration is the depth of the canal The minimum depth of 43 feet is regarded sufficient for normal conditions; but in case Of naval engagement, in which some oi our larger warships were so damaged that they were lower in the water than ordinary, it might be impossible to get them through the canal, naval Of ficers say.
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