-5,
 
               3. The island of Cocos. This island is situated about 
500 miles from Panama. It thus lies in the intermediate space between 
the outer and the inner patrol. Admiral Sadlet is planning to make 
it the base of one of his squadrons of small torpedo boats. No 
detector (RADAR) has yet been placed upon it.
 
               4. The fishing boat detection service.  Fifty such small 
boats have been obtained by the Navy and it is planned to place them 
on watch in a line between Point Mala and Point Pinas at the entrance 
to the Gulf of Panama. This would be abeut one hundred miles distant 
from the Canal.
 
                             An inner group is to be placed about fifty miles out 
from Panama. Each boat is equipped with radio to convey the reports 
of visual observation of approaching hostile planes. At the time of 
my visit some of the boats were on their way from California but none 
had yet arrived.
 
               5. Balloon barrage. While I found a number of 
these balloons in the air, that number was quite insufficient. It was estimated 
that we should have about three hundred balloons on hand.
 
               6. Smoke screen. This is regarded as quite an effective 
potential defense but we have not yet enough of the material. Some 
smoke pots and smoke generators were available but in quite insufficient 
quantities.  In my opinion sufficient generators should be installed, 
particularly at Gatun and Pedro Miguel, to screen and keep screened with 
those places during the entire period of the crisis.
 
                    7. Torpedo nets. The torpedo bomber is considered the 
greatest danger to the Canal.  Torpedo nets have been installed but I 
think their number should be incresased and spare nets kept on hand.
 
               8. Emergency gates. Much admirable work has been done 
in the construction of such gates. The latest models, however, have not 
been finished in all of the locks and cannot be oompleted for some months.
 
               9. Anti aircraft guns. A fairly satisfactory supply of 
the larger anti aircraft guns have been installed with some shortages. 
The main need of additional anti aircraft guns was in the smaller
caliber automatic weapons suitable for defense against torpedo and 
dive bombers.