The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-16
canal DEFENSE
INADEQUATE,
CLAIM
Authorities Find Route 10
Undergunned and Under
manned for War.
BY JAMES L. KMGALLEN,
International News Service.

COLON, Panama, Feb. 16.-The
Panama Canal, vital link in Amer
ica's system OF national defense, II,
in the opinion Of army and navy
authorities, undepgunned, under.
manned, and its auxiliary aCceS.
series are insufficient.
The 5-5-3 ratio, fro which the
United States put up a fight at
the conference table, is in effect
threatened and the activity of ollr
o-billion-dollar navy decreased
as q consequence, it il contended
by these authorities.
To really be q first-clasS nea
power the United States must
have, they point out, Q navy that
can at all times operate as q strictly
offensive weapon. Therefore, It u
prime requisite that the forcaa
assigned to the defense Of the
canal be able to carry out this
defense task without assistance
from the navy.
The forty-eight mile defile running
across the isthmus, from one ocean
to the other, is an important link
in our defense system, as It makes
it possible for the Atlantic and
Pacific fleets to form a 1uncture
whenever such a contingency arises.
Fleet Would Be Split.
Failure on Americas part to
properly defend the canal, army
and navy men say, would mean:
THAT the fleet would be sDlit
in two.
2-That our dollar
navy" would be reduced to the
status Of second-cIass power.
3-That American commerce IN
either ocean might be threatened
or destroyed without the navy
being able to prevent It.
THAT, from q diplomatic stand
point, cur fleet would be cut In
half, foreign powers readily recog.
nizing "the dilemma Of the 18TH
mus"
This years maneuvers Just fin
ished-mostly on the Atlantic side
II the canal-brought out the weak
less stated In the first paragraph
Of this article. Last years maneu-
vers, on the Pacific side, revealed
the same matter Of a detective de-
Tense or the sea coast, the same
shortage OF infantry and field ar
tfllery, a defective air force, and
revealed the weakness Of the mo-
Atlantic side this year, as It IN
easier for an expeditionary fOrcA
to land on the Pacific side because
there is more even terrain, easier
to maneuver over and less jungle
Armament Of Forts.
On the Atlantic side Of the canal
are Forts Randolph, Sherman and
DeLesSeps and a naval base called
Coco Solo, which h close to the
harbor Of Colon. The primary
armament Of Fort Randolph com
prises two six-inch guns, two ID
inch guns these win carry "a, 900
yards, or about is miIes) and eight
12-inch mortars. Fort Sherman
has two 14-inch guns capable OF
$4,000 yards, eight 12-inch mortars
with a range of 1880 yards, and
two 6-inch guns for protecting
mine fields. Fort DeLesseps has
two 6-inch guns, also, for protect
ing mine fields.
At the important Gatun locks.
ten miles inland from the Atlantic
side, is Fort Davis; further west,
Camp Gaillard, Fort Clayton. O
supply base at Corozal, and Fort
Amadof. which is an infantry post.
On the Pacific side Of the canal
are located the famous fortified
islands Naos, Perico and Fla
menco. These islands are soma
times referred to as the "Gibral-
tar Of America" Also, on the
western extremity il located Fort
Amador, a garrison for the coast
defense Of Balboa. Flamenco Island
has four 14-inch guns, PericO one
l6-inch gun, which army men say
is out Of date, and Macs boasts
d dozen 12-inch mortars,