PANAMA CANAL OPENED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 96, 18 September 1914, Page 3

PANAMA CANAL OPENED.

GREAT WATERWAY OPENED TO COMMERCE. STEAMER MAKES PASSAGE IX NINE HOURS. (Examiner Correspondent.) Panama, August 15. The United States War Department steamship Ancon to-day' made the passage through the Panama Canal, and transit through tho waterway is now officially open to the traffic of the world. The Ancon left her berth at Cristobal at 7 o'clock this morning, and made her way to the end of the deep water channel" from the Atlantic to the Gatun locks. She went through these locks, ■which have a lift of eighty-five feet in 70 minutes. She continued through the waterway from deep water on the Atlantic to deep water on the Pacific side without incident. She arrived at the Pacific side at 4 oVlock this afternoon.

Leaving Cristobal, the Ancon pasßed several vessels at anchor in the harbor, waiting to follow her through the canal and thus make the first commercial use of the waterway. The decks of the Ancon "were covered "with guests of the Government and officials of the Canal Administration and the Republic bf Panama. The peaceful flag of the American Peace Society fluttered from (the mast of the Ancon. Beneath Tipr decks, however, were huge pieces of. artillery which will form part, qf. the defence ol the canal. Invitatioaft tjie. guests pfr this, first trip had been! ii(tich coveted, and the rails were lined; \Y\'th- local canal officials and tliQsc. of the Pfffiama Republic, together wit-h. their ladies, as the big steamer baskt'd away from her berth.

GOKTOALS OX THE BRIDGE. Colwl George Goethals, builder 'of the canal, and governor of the zone, was on the bridge beside Captain Sukeforth of the steanier. together with Captain llugl\ J't)«man, U.S.N., Superintendent 61 transportation, who has overseen the plans for putting the first ship through. Other distinguished persons included President Porras of the Republic of Panama and his staff. The Panama National Band and the regimental band of the 10th United Stat;s Infaftfr? played the Btinner" as the ship pulled away; tut the music was almost drowued liy' the whistles of the steamers Vn the harbor.

To assure unimpeded passage for the 'Ancon, all traffic, including the boats working in the Culebra Cut, was brought to a stand; even the United States was not officially represented to-day except by the men who have long been in the zone. The steamship Ancon, owned by tlio United States War Department and leased to the Panama Railroad for service in the Xew York-Colon trade, was chosen as the first big boat to be put through, signalizing the opening of the canal to all ships up to 10,000 tons register. Shortly before seven o'clock tins morning, the Ancon was drawn away from her berth at Christobal and anchored at end of the deep-water channel from the lAtlantie Ocean to the Gatun locks. The programme called for putting her through the locks at 9 o'clock, her passage of the Culebra Cut at about noon, and the arrival at the deep-water channel in the Pacific at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. All the 74 regular officers and men aboard the Ancon appeared in spotless white uniforms, and the ship itself glistened with new paint over which fluttered signal flags and ensigns of all •■he ennation*. At the forppsa 1 .? W"8 nlgn of the Panama Republic, at the main mast-head fluttered the h<M® o pennant of the Panama Steamship * 'cet. The several thousand ea!#al workers ell' ioyed a holiday, and they, together with vilagers of all types from the surrounding territory, lined the • banks at vantage points. The Ancon was fully loaded with the regular cargo that she had brought from Xew York, the freight having been purposely left on board to give the canal a full test with the ship drawing its full depth* of water.

DREADNOUGHTS COULD PASS.

With the passage through the Panama Canal to-day of the War Departments liner Ancon, the great waterway becomes "free and open to the vessels of commerce and of war of all nations on terms of entire equality " m accordance with the provisions of the Ilaj-launic not more than 30ft of water may now make the It would he possible to put the bi Q American Dreadnoughts through at an\ of the foreign warships now in the Atlantic and Pacific waters could also make the trip, hut the naval plans of the European Powers which h..vc vessels off both coasts of the Lmt-.'d States are not known here. Embarrassment will face the States should one of the vessels of tao •belligerents seek passage. Stnct appear in the treaty lor the P«P S^ neutralisation of the eana! and e\u> detail will be under the direction of Governor Goethals and his stall.

MUST GO STRAIGHT THROUGH. Except in eases of absolute necessity, vessels of belligerents must make uninterrupted passage through the canal. Thev mav not coal, revictual or enibaik or disembark troops in the canal zone, and these provisions also apply to tie terminal waters at both ends of tlie canal, within a limit of three miles. Twentv-four hours is the limit of time a belligerent vessel can remain within the canal, except in cases of distress; and a vessel of war of one belligerent cannot depart within 24 bonis from the departure of a vessel of wa •of another belligerent. All of tin plant and establishments that arc part- of tlu canal are immune from attack or lnjun by anv bellgerents. Vigilant American nilots "will see that no foreign vessels Lake observations of the canal defences. The principal work remaining to e done in completing the canal is j deepening and widening of the damn 1 through the G'ulebra Cut, as will as x cavation operations at both approaches.