THE FORTIFICATION OF THE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 59, 24 October 1911, Page 8

THE FORTIFICATION OF THE

PANAMA CANAij. | The iiMi']; of levelling tlio sites for too fortifications of tlio Panama Canal began on August 8. Congress has appropriated d.OOO.OOOdnI. (£000,000) I out of the 12,000,000d0l which is osllimatod to lie necessary to carry out | the project. It has boon decided to j entrust the work to the Canal Com--1 mission and the large force of men

employed by it, Colonel Goothals, chief engineer of the canal being authorised to assume charge of all the operations, • under instructions from General Wood Chief of Stall of the Army and President of the Canal Defence Board. While the plans are not yet quite complete, it is expected that the canal itself and the fortlications will he at the same date—January i. Uils. Six sites have been selected for the fortifications. Four of these arc upon islands at the Pacific entrance to the canal, and tiie other two are on the points opposite Christohal and Colon. The question of the number and calibre of the guns to bo mounted is still under consideration, hut nothing less than 12in. calibre will he used (for the mortars), while LI in, and possibly IGin. guns will constitute the rest of the armament. According to the “Sun” the plan tenatively adopted calls for at least 24 12in mortars placed in six batteries at each entrance and for two batteries of 14in disappearing guns or one battery of 16in guns' at each of the six sites.