PANAMA CANAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 90, 6 October 1911, Page 4

PANAMA CANAL.

According to reports from Panama sent | to Washington, the great canal on which America is spending £75,000,000 will be j ready for the transport of ships from ocean to ocean within two years. But three and a-half years must elapse be-' fore the waterway is complete in all its details. This statement, which is endorsed by Colonel Goethals, the engi-neer-constructor, gives point to the demand now being made by American shipping men tliat Congress shall announce a definite policy—first, as regards the canal tolls; secondly, the question of permanent organisation oil the canal zone; and thirdly, whether the Panama railroad across the isthmus shall be allowed to compete with the waterway, or whether it shall be acquired by the Government and rates fixed giving preference to the canal. It is believed by the business commissions which lately visited the isthmus that Americans, by adopting a keen trade policy, involving the control of the sale of coal to ships, also the sale of stores and the establishment of big laundries for the convenience of ships' passengers and crews, and also by levying what is called full rates for ships using the canal, can recoup themselves for the enormous outlay of seventy-five millions, and fears are expressed that if Congress delays in organising a staff thus early for working the canal there may be a big waterway entirely destitute of shipping. Colonel fioethals, who, more than anybody else, has made the <lirt fly at Panama, does not favor the administration of the canal by commission, but a one-man control, and he declares also that if Congress docs not run the business end of the canal it will be administered by trust magnates for the benefit of private interests. Colonel Goethals himself believes that the work of administering the canal may prove a bigger job than the construction, and for the latter purpose he favors the retention of 0000 of the 12,000 Americans now employed in the construction for working the' locks and attending to the various mechanical details. He wants to extinguish the separate corporation which owns and operate? the Panama railroad. He wished everybody, and more particularlyAmerican shippers, to use the canal. Public opinion so far has not been greatly aroused by the possible commercial advantages of the new waterway, but Pauama has been so revolutionised phvsically 'by the engineers that disease, which was once prevalent, has disappeared, and one day it may take a place as a health resort. Mr. Roosevelt, who appointed Colonel fioethals, apparently favors the idea 0i ft one-man tion, instead of a commission, and lias also declared that the policy of the Gq< vernmcnt in administering tlifl ' canal should be announced forthwith, so that other great commercial nations may know what to expect and shape their policy accordingly. He also believes that the American Government should equip and run establishments for the sale of fuel, food and ships' washing. He does not say that the Panama railroad should be wiped out, but he declares that it should be run by the same man who runs the canal, and who should dominate every other form of activitv within the limits of the canal zqi>d! Other persons suspend judgment as regards Panama until a committee of enquiry has investigated and studied the development and administration of the Suez Canal under the English.