PANAMA CANAL ZONE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16259, 17 December 1914, Page 6

PANAMA CANAL ZONE

FREE DISTRIBUTING CENTRE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, December 16. (Received Due. 16, at 10.20 p.m.) Mr Melstai, the New South. Wales Trade Commissioner in America, has cabled to Mr Hokoan that ho has succeeded in securing a decision from the United States Government that the Panama Ganai zone is to be a free distributing centre for the trade of all countries. PRESERVATION OF NEUTRALITY. REGULATIONS REGARDING WIRELESS. WASHINGTON, December 16. (Received Des. 17, at 1.50 a.m.) President Wilson has agreed to despatch warships to Panama to guard against a breach of neutrality of the canal zone. General Gcathals explained that wireless was constantly being used within territorial waters. The zone was also used as a base of supplies for belligerents with radio apparatus. One British collier had already been dismantled, and the British Embassy explained that it was improbable that British ivessels understood the oanal rules on the subject of wireless. Britain did not object to the enforcement of the regulations. MOBILE ARMY REQUIRED. WASHINGTON, December 16. (Received Dec. 17, at 2.10 a.m.) Commander Stirling, of the Atlantic submarine flotilla, informed the Naval Investigation Committee that a large mobile army was required to protect the! Panama Canal.' The na»y was insufficient, and was not prepared to protect the canal against a navy of the size of that of Germany. The lack of a base, however, would handicap a hostile navy. Hβ thought the ultimate development of the submarine would be a vessel of 2000 tons, with a speed of 25 knots, which would be able to accompany a battleship everywhere.