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Show has' but few curves m ''slH Why Commission Favors the iM Panama Route for Canal. ' H ADMIRAL WALKER'S STORY H 1 sIB Ho Concludes Testimony Eeforo thd 11B' Scnato Committee on Inter-Oceanic. ! Bj Canals He Says tho Panama Itouto ll Is Much Shorter Senator Morgan, Questions Witness Hegording tho Power of New Panama Canal Com- 1 pany to Transfer Piopoity and Qivo V Clear Title. iB, Washington. Feb. 8. Admiral Wal- A ker concluded hla testimony before the B. Semtn Cointnlttco on Intcroccanlo W Camilla today and Col Haupt another H ., member of tho Istlimlnn Canal com- 4Jb mission, Is to bo heard Monday next. Br Tho examination today was with rcf- H crenco to tho reasons why tho canal K commission changed Its recoinmcnda- H lions from the Nlcnrngua to the Pana- m ma mute. The reasons given by tho wit- m n.-es for Mill change, siimm.d up. aro M that tho Pamm 1 r.uito Is much shorter .m and has fewer curves, nnd that those m curves which do exist aro not so sharp m as the curves In the Nicaragua route. H Ho also said ho bcllevesl that with ;-H proper qiiarantlno regulations tho ,H health conditions of tho region alonif tho Panama lino could bo much Ira- prov ed. He did not c onslder the pres- H int condition fiom a health point of i.H view us bad. ,u . Ess! Tho epiestlons hrlnglnc out .Uiesa H points were naked largely by Senator M llnnn.1. who also mado Inquiries con- cernlng tho wnter supply for the. Tan- H nnui canal and tho dllllcuUlca in tho H eenv nf constructing a dam at Kohlo. m way nf constructing a nam at j ;. m With reference to tho dam Admiral H Walker said be had no doubt that tho . m engineering dllllculllcvs could bo over- H come, and ho nlso expressed the opln- H ion tint tho water supply would bo m "Tlcvldatcd, In reply to Questions by 'M other Scnitors, that ono of the curves .fJH In tho PnimmA waterway would bo gH qulln sharp, but ho was of tho- op In- vH Ion that steam vessels would bo tiblo (H to round It. Ho also snld that the liar- 1or at Panama could bo maintained nt gH a nominal cost. fvggfl Senator Morgan nucstloned tho wit- ,ih ness nt length with reference to tho m commission's investigation of tho power m of tho new Panama Canal company to transfer tho property nnd glvo clear m title. In reply tei all tho questions on m this lino Admiral Walker said ho had iH been satlslled In a general way that fm tho new Panama Canal company would iggggl bo capable of passing tho property to 'A tho United States vvllh acceptable title, ggfl but that ho was not a lawyer und that 'ggfl ho felt KalUflcd, In cnio tho rccom- lM mcndatlon of tho cennmlsslon to adopt , m tho I'anama roulo should bo favorably , fB nctexl upon by Congress, tho President WB would bo assured by competent legal ,m ndvlco of the gcnulneiiess of tho tltlo iggB before nccoptlng the transfer. CgH "Wo only recommend the Panama ggga roulo ns practicable nnd feasible," ho M said, "by vhlch wo mean that vvc con- .igga Hldered the cnglneerlmf proposition as fgH practlciihlei and tho diplomatic ncgo- H tlitlon ns fesulblo." -.H Ha said ha hid had no negotiations M with M. Larpc, ccietary-gencral of M the new Panama compaiiy, beyond re- iM celvlng the proposition for tho salo of M that rompiny to him, us had been pub- B llshed. Ho had, hovvovcr, made In- ) eiulrles nt M. Uirpo concerning his company's title, ns he had been assured by that gentleman that It was good. In reply to a question from Senator H Morgan as to ivhellier tho Government gH nf tho United Slates had Instituted H any negotiations with tho Government H nt Colombia iclatlng to the transfer H nt tho propertj-, Admiral Wnllier said H that ho would havo to refer tho Sena- 'M tor to tho Stale depirtmcnt, that It ,H h" hud such Information ho would not M bo ut liberty to dlviilgo It. Ho ex- H preseil the opinion, however, that tho H Colombian Government would bo H bound hy any obligation assumed by H tho Pnnimn company, because tha iH Government Is 11 stockholder In thi "gH Panama compan j'. ,M The Admiral was questioned concern- ,H Ing tho French lottery for the promo. M Hon of Interest In tho Panama canal, ! gggl hut ho icplll that ho know nothlm; ;gggl nbnut It, except what ho had heard In 'M Paris. Ho had understood there that H such a lattery had been authorized, iM but ho knew nothing of tho limitations M placed upon It or tho scope allowed It ?H hy the French law. .M COLOMWAN OFFICIALS CONFEH. 'H Mr. Sllva, tho Colombian Minister, ,M snld tonight that ho had been in con- tM sulfation today. with F. Munstls Du- M ran, special commissioner uppolnted M by tho Governor of Panama, who Is also tho attorney of the I'anama Hall- M way company, and Hint a satisfactory M conclusion wus reached. M. Sllva said siggl that next week ho would bo roady to .H prevent a. plan to tho Isthmian Canal WR commission which will clear tho way '' for final negotiations. "This plan," said he, "cannot ho const! ucd ns an effort M to peciiro delay, becauso wo shall fix M a prcclso tlmo for tho Colombian Gov- M ernnicnt to ratify everything which M may ha dnno heie, and If It Is not rati- Heel during thnt tlmo tho Government -JjV nt tho United States will bo ut liberty to choose another route. I havo no doubt, however, that my Government M will tako favorablo action." ;H |