File No. 819.74/76.
[Inclosure 2.]
The Superintendent of Radio
Service to the Chief of Naval
Operations.
The Superintendent wishes to place before the Department the
following correspondence connected with the matter of control of
radio in the Republic of Panama:
- (a)
- Copy of the Joint Board’s letter to the Secretary of the
Navy under date of October 17, 1913.
- (b)
- Copy of Joint Board’s letter to the Secretary of the Navy
under date of November 19, 1913.
- (c)
- Copy of Secretary of Navy’s letter to Secretary of State,
dated November 20 (22?) 1913.
- (d)
- Copy of letter from Secretary of State dated August 17,
1914.
- (e)
- Copy of letter from Secretary of State dated August 31,
1914, with attached paraphrase of dispatch from American
Minister at Panama.
The correspondence above referred to does not
indicate that any agreement has been consummated involving
obligations, as outlined in the Joint Board’s letters, on the part
of the United States, to erect radio stations in Panama at such
places as are mutually agreed upon by representatives of the two
countries; but that certain obligations on the part of the United
States Government are implied, dependent upon the concession by the
Government of Panama of one or all of the points outlined by the
proposal of the Joint Board, appears unquestioned.
The extent to which the Government of the United States is obligated
in the matter as a result of the decree of the President of Panama,
dated August 29, 1914, giving this Government control over radio
stations and radio communication in the Republic of Panama, should,
in the opinion of the Superintendent, be governed by considerations
of the mutual benefits derived by the two Governments as a result of
the decree, and these considerations were evidently the determining
factors in the proposed agreement drawn up by the Joint Board. The
lack of any definite agreement as to mutual obligations, in the
event of one or the other Government not engaging itself to concur
in all of the proposals submitted, as is believed to be the present
status, makes it necessary to
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outline what is considered, from the
standpoint of the Navy, an equitable plan indicating the extent to
which this Department should obligate itself in the matter of the
supervision of radio in the Republic of Panama.
The location of radio stations on the San Blas coast and in the
Darien section will be of little military value to the United States
Navy, even if sufficient projection is afforded, and they would be
of no military value if not securely defended against attack. If the
stations are erected at those places it would devolve on one or the
other of the Governments to furnish this protection if they are to
be of any value to the United States Navy, or for that matter to the
defenses of the Canal. The erection of such stations would, of
course, furnish means of communication with the outlying regions
where they would be located, but the same communication could be
maintained by land telegraph or telephone. This feature is mentioned
on account of the fact that the Panaman Government has adhered to
the London Radio Convention, and the provisions of that convention
require each of the contracting parties “to connect the coastal
stations to the telegraph system by special wires, or at least to
take other measures which will insure a rapid exchange between the
coastal stations and the telegraph system” It would seem, then, that
the Panaman Government is not strictly obligated to connect the
radio stations with their telegraph or telephone system, and it is
not believed that such connection would be made as, if it were, the
necessity for the radio stations for Panama’s purposes would
disappear. The reason for the Panaman Government’s desire to have
the stations erected in the localities mentioned (viz., San Blas and
Darien districts) is, it is believed, in order to communicate
promptly by radio with the center of government, as those districts
are more or less centers of unrest. The importance to the Panaman
Government of having prompt communication with these districts is
therefore considerable, but in any case the reliability of the radio
communication would depend primarily upon the security of the radio
stations themselves.
It will be noted that the engagements proposed by the Joint Board on
the part of the United States contemplated the erection of such
stations as might be demanded by the exigencies of
the shipping in the vicinity of Panama, such exigencies to
be determined jointly by the Governments of the United States and
Panama. It is believed that no determination has been made in this
matter and as outlined above the necessity of the stations being
erected for communication with ships does not appear the primary, or
in fact any reason advanced by Panama for their erection.
In view of that fact that complete control has been given the
Government of the United States over radio in Panama, and also of
the fact that Panama has signified her adherence to the London Radio
Convention, thus in fact complying with all of the engagements
proposed by the Joint Board as applying to that Republic, except
that relating to establishment of land-line connections, the
following is recommended as being just obligations on the part of
this Government so far as relates to the establishment, operation,
and control of radio in the Republic of Panama, it being understood
that any interference from such stations as may be built could be
eliminated through the proper control of their operation, which
would logically rest with the Radio Officer of the Canal Zone:
- 1.
- That a representative of the Navy Department confer with
the appropriate officials of the Panama Government with a
view to deciding upon the location of the proposed
stations.
- 2.
- That the plans for the location, erection, installation of
apparatus, and protection of such stations be submitted to
the Navy Department for approval before authority be granted
to proceed with their construction.
- 3.
- That such stations as may be mutually agreed upon after
final approval by the Navy Department, be permitted to be
built by the Panaman Government.
- 4.
- That the stations be operated by United States naval radio
electricians, and that their operation be controlled by the
Radio Officer of the Canal Zone.
- 5.
- That the stations be erected and maintained at the expense
of the Panaman Government.
