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^'a.-l^w^.

FEBRUARY 196§_
Robert J. Fleming, Jr., Governor-President

H. R. Pakfitt, Lieutenant Governor

Fbank a. Baldwin

Panama Canal Information Officer

Official Panama Canal Publication Published quarterly at Balboa Heights, C.Z.

Printed at the Printing Plant, La Boea, C.Z. Review articles may be reprinted in full or part without

further clearance. Credit to the Review will be appreciated. Distributed free of charge to all Panama Canal Employees.

Subicriptions, SI a year; mail and back copies, 25 cents each.

Robert D. Kerb, Press Officer Publications Editors Morgan E. Goodwin and Tomas A. Cupas

Editorial Assistants Eunice Richard, Tobi Bittel, Fannie P. Hernandez, and Jose T. Tunon

cAbout Our Cover 3ndiex

THE AERIAL PHOTO shows Panama's Free Zone, a region that seizes the interest of most people and

is of special significance to the leading businessmen of the world.

Situated in the Caribbean coastal city of Colon, second

most populous municipality in the Republic of Panama,

the Free Zone serves as a funnel for a bewildering array

of goods. From manufacturer to vender, and ultimately

to the consumer, the merchandise flows via the Free Zone,

frequently being packed, labeled or stored here, also.

The success of the Free Zone has been spectacular and

is best illustrated by statistics noting that firms operating

here in 1965 handled 20 times the 1953 volume of goods.

Attractive, stable tax advantages and freedom from red

tape of license and permit requirements are heavy inducements to corporations contemplating setting up shop in Colon. Add its proximity to the Panama Canal and you

have a sure winner.

But the impact of the Free Zone reaches further than

the credit and loss statements of the more than 400 companies operating here. It greatly influences the economv

of the entire nation by contributing toward its progress. Turn to page 4 for a fuller view of the Free Zone.

The people of the river—rural folk living near Gatun

and Madden Lakes—are introduced in an article beginning on page 6. These proud, industrious people accept nothing

they feel they have not earned and cling to other timehonored ways that have gone out of fashion in some parts

of the world.

In a big operation like the Panama Canal, many very

particular skills are needed, some of them unheard of

in the average industrial area. Our cover .shows an

admeasurer, whose job at the Canal has no actual parallel anywhere. There are others, as our story on page

14 reveals.

Port of Mobile.

Panama's Free Zone

People of the River 6

The Crowns of Panama

SS United States Calls 12

Shipping Statistics 12

Unusual PanCanal Skills 14

Canal History 16

New Training Program 17

Anniversaries.

Carnival _

20

22

Shipping 24

February 1966
Warehouses and 29 general cargo piers form a major part of the huge complex of the port of Mobile. Large building at top right is grain elevator with ship-loading capacity of 50,000 bushels per hour. Above that are cement plant, aluminum plant, and ore terminal.

Port Of Mobile

Is Old But New

THE STATE of Alabama and its seaport cit\ of Mobile boast long and colorful histories but the port of Mobile came of age

just 30 years ago with the help of one of the builders of the Panama Canal. Mobile, at various times, was claimed bv the Spanish,

French, and English before it became part of the United

States. And during the 1800's when cotton was king, the city served as a vital link that helped move the raw bales from

plantations to looms abroad. But cotton fell sharply from prominence through the ravages

of the boll weevil and with it went the prosperity of Mobile's

onc-commodit\ port; it languished for man\' years. The port

of Mobile was wholly lacking in adequate facilities in 1919

when the U.S. rivers and harbors appropriations bill gave

the Secretary of War authority to withold funds for new

dredging projects in regions lacking sufficient terminals to handle the traffic. Taking the initiative, the State of Alabama launched a pro- gram to build a new port at a .540-acre site 1 mile north of downtown Mobile. The job of handling planning and engineering went to a native Alabamian, retired Gen. William L. Sibert,

who, as a young major, was responsible for the completion of Gatun Locks and Gatun Dam. integral parts of the Panama

Canal setup.

His efforts resulted in the port of Mobile's elevation from

near the bottom of the heap to its present position as one of the top ports in the Nation. Today the Alabama State Docks,

which for the exporter-importer is the port of Mobile, carr\- a book value of some $2.5 million. And management estimates

it would cost three times that to replace the existing facilities. The port has a .IB-foot, 3.5-mile main channel from the Gulf of Mexico and along the channel has numerous installa- tions including industrial sites, military bases, repair yards

and pri\ate ocean terminals. (See p. 13)

Massive crane equipment services ships moored at the ore terminal where minerals are loaded and unloaded at the port of Mobile. Serving

this section of the port is a loading tower for handling outbound movements of ores and minerals with a rotary rail car dumper and

a telescopic chute with trimmer.

The Panama Canal Review
Panama's Free Zone:

What Does it Mean?

AN IDEAL way to do business in Latin

America is to find an ideal location, free from interference and redtape, with a reliable labor suppK and a stable econ- omy. Add to this a very special tax break

and people who make it easy for \ou

to succeed, and \ou have a perfect

setup.

To the foreign businessman, Panama's

Free Zone at Colon offers all this, and

more. Started in 1951, its rate of growth

reflects an amazing economic vitality

and its operation has contributed significantly to the economy of the Republic.

Back in 1953, Free Zone firms handled $14.3 million in goods. In 1965, this had zoomed to .$240 million, nearly 20

times the 1953 \olume. Its growth fig- ures all follow the same pattern—giant

leaps each year. Over the past 6 vears the rapid climb in imports and e-xports has helped Latin merchants and Panama's economx', and indications are that the sunniest da\s are still ahead. Why is this? Exactly what is a Free Zone? What's in it for a business firm

that decides to move into the Free Zone?

After all, such decisions are guided

principally by the profit factor. The

answers to these questions are found in

a close look at regulations that establish- ed the Free Zone and in the experience

that 435 firms have had in operating

there. A study by Thomas E. Lvons, of the U.S. Department of Commerce, had

recommended a Free Zone in 1946. A

decree in June of 1948 created the Colon

Free Zone, but it was not activated until 1951, when a law established small Free Zones (Zonitas) within the citv of Colon. As the Executi\e Secretary of Foreign

Trade Zone for the Department of Commerce, L\ons saw the future of a Free Zone in Panama, and men of vision in the Republic agreed. Their estimate of

its value has been proven bv the spiraling success of the enterprise.

The benefits to a foreign firm are many. First, there are the guarantees

of the Panamanian Government that Free Zone businesses: PAY 10 PERCENT of the regular

Panamanian income tax on profits earn- ed on sales outside the Republic of Pan- ama. This tax is computed on a 1954

formula. For instance, a U.S. companv

that made $100,000 profit on goods sent from the Free Zone and sold in other

countries would pa\' a little under

Osvaldo Cuaragna, Promotion Director of the Free Zone. His problems are focused on the future as the Free Zone continues

to grow.

$1,200 in tax. And the profit is figured

as net—after all operating costs and ex- penses have been deducted. Tax on $100,000 corporate profit in the United

States would run closer to $40,000.

ARE FREE FROM fees, duties, contributions, dues or other imposts on

goods entered, stored, handled or leav- ing the Free Zone. There are no li- censes or other permits to buv from anv

municipal or government agency. ARE EXEMPT from taxes on invest- ed capital, dividends or remittances

abroad, and there is no tax on capital

gains when property or securities sold have been held for more than 2 years. Firms may enter into a 20-year contract, and they are guaranteed exemption from any new taxes passed during

.iiiiuUl" III"

Among the many lines of Free Zone merchandise are toys, arranged here in a display that serves buyers from over Latin America.

4 February 1966
Encyclopedias, textbooks and reference works in Spanish are published in the Free Zone by Grafica Editora, which has trained nearly 100 Panamanians in the printing trades. The plant plans an expansion soon.

their contract. This means a business- man can count on a period of stabilitv. There is also a large pool of skilled, trainable labor in the Colon area. Turnover of help is small and the enthusiasm

of employees is high. Colon had a seri- ous unemployment problem before the Free Zone was established. The work

force now stands at about 2,000, including 83 Panamanians working in actual administration of the area. Employees

are well paid. Thev enjov a varietv of fringe benefits from big firms such as

Pfizer, Gillette, Squibb, Peikard, Fire- stone, Lucas, Goodvear, Motta, and

Coca Cola. Some of the enterprises doing busi- ness in the Free Zone are represented

bv a corporation that combines to serve

several. Bizca\na International, for in- stance, lists Hormel & Co., Stokely-Van

Camp, Plumrose and Gerber under its nameplate. Others, such as Gillette, have a separate operation. There are 58 buildings on 60 of the total 100

acres of land in a neatlv fenced and well kept area that has been planned from

the first. About 70 percent of the firms are U.S. firms; others are Japanese,

British, French, Italian, or Spanish.

Outlining the operation of a foreign

fiiTn in the Free Zone will show how , , „ _ „ i_ l »i.

. , A sales display room of Peikard, International, m the Free Zone. Here, buyers have ttie (see p- H) advantage of viewing goods handled by the company.

The P.^.nam..^ Canal Review
The Proud

People of

The River

THEY CALL themselves people of the river. The name applies to tlie men and

women living on the shores of Gatun

and Madden Lakes who work along

the fertile banks of the Chagres,

Indio, and Pequeni rivers and who

have settled near the small creeks

in those areas. The li\es of tliese men and women

are closely linked to the rivers. They live in picturesque villages with

capricious names like "Little Giant,"

"Red Wine," and "Little Alligator"- some on very small plots of land. The

rivers are their highways. Using the

cayuco they travel to market with

their harvest. On the same waters

their children tra\el to school. The

rivers are even important in their

spiritual lives; they are the frames

of their religious festivals. The cavuco, an indispensable vehi-

.\ nook in Gatun Lake. Quay and dockyard for launches.

cle, and a riverman's most loyal

friend, is made from a hollowed-out

tree trunk. No one knows who built the first cavuco but some believe it originated in pre-Columbian times

and that the vessel held great reli- gious significance for ancient Indian

tribes. It is in a water-filled cayuco

that the newborn babies receive

their first bath.

The perseverance and energy of these people, who year after year

Zenobia Tome pounds rice on a pestle.

transform sections of jungle into

farmland, is boundless. On these

plots they grow plantain, corn, rice,

beans, and other crops which they

sell in the marketplaces of nearby

cities. Herds of cattle graze at lakesides and along riverbanks. In every

little house pigs and chickens scurry

about. The people of the river sell these animals to buy the basic articles they cannot produce—such as the

transistor radio that keeps them in contact with the rest of the world.

These proud people like to live

well, but they neither accept nor ask

favors. Guillermo Flores, a hard

working man who arrived in this region 20 years ago, settled on a small piece of land on which he

planted orange trees and a variety of

fruits and vegetables. Today he reaps

the product of his orange groves. His

wife, Doiia Juana, takes pride in her

housekeeping. They live in a small, cozv home with immaculate floors. Communication between villages

and transportation of products to market is by launch. But the rivers have many shallow spots where ca- vucos and boats have to be pushed

with palancas (oars) made from

strong palo nian'a, a Hglit, strong

wood. Rupertino Robles, a man of prestige in this area, is the cavuco

(See p. 21)

6 February 1966
The town store—social center of the villages.

A moment of rest to feed the stock. A home in the lake region.

The Panama Canal Review
Deviations In Panama's Coins

Intriguins To Numismatists

(Editor's Note; This article was

prepared and in print before

the Panama Government recently

announced that Panama coins would be offered to collectors at a premium.

)

UNEXPLAINED ALTERATIONS in Panama's coat of arms as it appears on two separate issues of coins and which

apparently escaped detection for years

are of great interest to many local numismatists.

The coins, issued in 1953 and 196L

carry manv other modifications from

similar coins minted previously and subsequentlv. The variances first appeared on the 1953 balboa, referred to as the cincuentenario because it was issued

in commemoration of the 50th anni- versar^ of the Republic of Panama.

The center of the shield in the coat

of arms normalh' shows the Isthmus of Panama bounded bv two oceans and the

sk\' with the moon rising over the waves and the sun setting behind the mountains. In the cincuentenario, however,

the shield includes a canal cut through

from ocean to ocean while all earlier coin issues-1904, 1905, 1931, 1934,

and 1947—show the Isthmus without

the Canal. Just why this Canal was

inserted and how it went unnoticed are questions of interest to sharp-eyed

collectors. Panama's first coin not minted by the United States, the cincuentenario, was

produced 'bv the Casa de Moneda de

Mexico, in Mexico City. The insertion of the Canal carried over to the 10-, 25-, and 50-cent coins of the cincuentenario. The Canal was apparent, too,

in Panama's 1961 coinage, also minted

bv Mexico; but it was not present in the 1962 issue, produced bv the Royal

Mint of England. Another curious

feature of the 1953 and 1961 coins is

that the Canal is of the sea level class, not the lock tvpe which actually exists. The director of the mint in Mexico

reported the designs were received from

the Panama Government and based on

these designs modeling was made by

the mint's designer, resulting in the

interpretation shown in the coins. Only 50,000 pieces, a relatively low

number, of the cincuentenario were

produced and it is now out of circulation. In March 1965, the national bank of Panama recalled balboas by

decree. The five earlier Panamanian

issues were minted in much greater

quantities: 1904, 1,800,000; 1905,

1,000,000; 1931, 200,000; 1934,

225,000; and 1947, 500,000. All of these were minted at Philadelphia ex- cept the 1934 coins, produced in San

Francisco. A cincuentenario in brilliant, uncir- culated condition sells for $9, a price

This is the famed cincuentenario of which only 50,000 were minted. Notice the cut through the Isthmus to represent the Canal, and

that there are only three fingers showing on the right hand of the standing liberty.

8 February 1966
The first of Panama's six crown-size silver coins. It became practically extinct when speculators had them melted down during the silver

crisis of 1917-20. Notice on the obverse that the Isthmus in the coat of arms is uncut from ocean to ocean as on the 1953 cincuentenario.

which some experts consider below its actual value when compared with coins commanding greater sums. It is closely held out of circulation today and has an aura of national sentiment due to

its scarcity and historic significance.

This nation's coin history dates back

to a few months after Panama declared independence from Colombia when in 1904 the Legislative Assembly created

a monetary structure for the new nation. The monetary unit was called a balboa

in honor of Vasco Nufiez de Balboa,

the Spaniard who discovered the

Pacific Ocean in 1513 from the heights

of the Isthmus. The balboa is the equivalent of the U.S. dollar and both are used inter- changeably. Panama, however, has no

paper money so U.S. bills are used and

are officially referred to by Panamanians

as balboas. The first two of six Panama crowns were issued in 1904 and 1905 with a value of 50 centesimos and they were composed of .900 fine silver and .100

copper. The\' are not real crowns, compared with the balboas as known today,

because of their low face value, but

they were of crown size. Between World War I and 1920,

they were almost obliterated from cir- culation when speculators had them

melted becaus? their silver bullion conRoberto Lewis, the Panamanian artist who

designed the reverse of the 1931 Panama

silver crown.

tent exceeded their face value. Today

they are considered by collectors as key

coins due to their scarcity and despite the fact that quantities were held by the National Bank of Panama's

numismatic collection. The third Panamanian crown was

issued in 1931 after Panama's national coinage law was amended to stipulate that all future coins would be the same

composition, size, value and weight as

conesponding U.S. coins. The purpose

of the change in law was to allow both

to be used interchangeably in coin machines and in general use without

mistaking the value of the coins. Silver balboas were struck in 1934

and again in 1947, both exactly the same design as the 1931 issue. Then,

in 1953, came the commemorative cin- cuentenario with its fascinating deviations that washed over into the 1961

issue but did not extend to the 1962

mintage.

Besides the canal differences, there

are numerous other variances which set

off the cincuentenario from the earlier coins. These differences indicate that the 1931, 1934 and 1947 balboas were

obviously struck with a die different from that used for the cincuentenario. The 1953 coin utilizes modern block

capital letters as compared with roman

letters on the 1931 series of balboa. The coat of arms for the 1953 balboa

shows a rake while a hoe is shown in the other issues. The bust, foot, and

head size of the standing liberty figure varies between the cincuentenario and

the earlier issues. The sticks of the

fasces are not tied at the bottom as on

the 1931 series. On the 1953 balboa, the forearm of the lady crosses through the first "e" (See p. 10)

The Panama Canal Review
The 1931 Balboa was the first of the true silver crowns issued by Panama. It was struck

at the Philadelphia Mint. The Isthmus in the coat of anns follows the same design as on

the 1904 design.

Coat of Arms

Change Noted

(Continued from p. 9)

of the word beneficio in the motto,

whereas the forearm on the 1931 series crosses bet\veen the "e" and the "n." The size of the date on the 1953 coin

is reduced. The right hand of the standing figure on the 1953 has only a thumb

and three fingers showing and the oak

branch she holds varies considerably

in detail from the 1953 series balboas. The lettering size of the fineness and

weight designation varies between both

series of issues. The feet of the ladv on

the 19.53 series stand further apart than on the 1931 series. The scroll work in Balboa's helmet is finer on the 1931

series than on the 1953 crown. The

rifle showTi on the 1931, 1934, and 1947

crowns is of an older type than the one

on the cincuentenario.

Above is the obverse of the 1953, 1961, and 1962 half-crowns of Panama. Note that the 1953 and 1961, both minted by Mexico, show

the sea level type canal across the Isthmus, whereas the 1962, struck in England, appears without a canal and conforms to the true version of Panama's coat of arms, which was designed in 1904.

10 Febru.'^by 1966
Future Bright

For Free Zone

Enterprise

(Continued from p. 5)

it benefits. To begin with, a financial plan can be drawn up easily; Panama's

Balboa is on a par with the U.S. dollar, and it's stable. There are several first rate banks, foreign and domestic, in Colon to handle transactions. If a cornpan)' wants to start in a small way, the Free Zone itself will store goods in public warehousing and reship them as di- rected. Or, a management firm will take

the company's goods, handle, label, pack, repack, and ship them. This wav,

the company rents no space, but has all the service it requires. But it mav want

to rent space in a Free Zone building. Rental is by the square meter on a monthly basis. This is the principal in- come the Free Zone enjoys, money with

which it puts up new buildings. Space

in these may be rented, or the Free Zone will plan, finance, build, and lease

entire buildings to one firm, buildings

designed particularly for the operation

of that firm. Operating from the Free Zone, a company finds its delivery time to the Latin markets cut by weeks, even

months. This means added profits. It can hold a stock of goods in the Free

Zone, which means the local merchant

in, say. La Paz or Buenos Aires, is able

to carry a smaller number of each item. This merchant saves the capital he

would have to tie up in stocking a complete line of merchandise. He knows

he can have an item from Panama bv

air in a day or two, b\' ship in a week

or so. Ordering from the factory in the United States meant weeks of waiting,

lost sales and tremendous service problems. He finds the Panama manager of the firm will drop in to see him from

time to time, a practice nearly impossible with a U.S. base of operation. In some countries, a merchant must make

an advance cash deposit of 150 percent,

or more, for the goods he imports. And

his money is tied up during delivery

time. So from the point of view of the man selling goods in Latin America, the Free Zone has been a real factor in cut- ting costs, boosting sales and profits. And the firm's manager in the Free

yy^ f '..~^.

Canon America Latina runs an assembly operation in the Free Zone. This worker is assembling a camera; he also is a qualified repairman in the service department of the camera firm.

Zone finds that he can control his Latin

sales more closely. He can stock bulk

material, label it according to the re- quirements of each country, offer a greater variety of merchandise, and ship

it quickly to a Latin market 225 million

strong, a market in which rising imports now run more than SIO billion a year. But why Panama? Couldn't a Free Zone succeed elsewhere with equal

ease? Probably not. Panama has the im- mense advantage of the Panama Canal. With more than 13,000 ships a year converging on the Canal, no other country can match the shipping service. And

there is handy access to both coasts of Latin America. Tocumen airport has

risen to the top ten in the world in volume of airfreight handled, a development brought about by Free Zone

activity.

Panama has a reliable dollar, avail- able financing, ready credit, and for the manufacturers—now being courted by

Free Zone officials—there is the advantage of duty-free import of machinery'

and raw materials. Less than 3,000 feet from the Free Zone are the piers at the

port of Cristobal. The U.S. Government

provides efficient freight handling here,

and facilities are modem and absolutely

reliable. Shipping time is cut drastically.

It is doubtful any other Latin country can put together the set of economic

benefits that Panama is able to offer through its Free Zone. Panamanian

merchants also use the Free Zone. Thev

(See p. 21)

The Panama Canal Review 11
SS United States

Pays Fourth Visit

To Cristobal

THE SS UNITED STATES, which

called at Cristobal February 12 on a West Indies cruise, is not only one

of the world's largest and fastest

ships, but it probably will go down

in history as the world's greatest

passenger liner of all times, according to an article in the Marine Digest.

The ship set her famous blue ribbon

mark of 3 days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes from Bishop Rock to Ambrose

Lightship in 1952 at an average

speed of 34.51 knots. She has held

this coveted record ever since. Although there is a certain amount

of secrecy surrounding the liner and

its engineroom, it is a matter of public record that she is capable of cruis- ing 10,000 miles without refueling.

Her crusing speed, which is far below

its top speed, is way beyond that of anv other ocean liner afloat. It is a few feet shorter than the Queen Eliz- abeth but its carrying capacity is about the same—some 2,000 passengers and 1,000 crewmembers. It is completely air conditioned. Vast

quantities of aluminum were used in

its decks and superstructure, thus

making it both lighter and, by lowering its center of gravity, more

stable. Her stacks are not sawed off stovepipes but are helmeted with

wide finned caps called "sampans" in nautical language. Together with the

graceful lines and proportions of the

hull, they give the ship a racy look. Her narrow beam (101.7 feet) per- mits her to pass through the Panama

Canal although her length of 990 feet might make it a tight squeeze in the

other direction.

The United States was built to be

completely and absolutely fireproof.

All upholstery and hangings are made of glass fibre or flameproof

synthetics. The only pieces of wood

PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES SHIPPED THROUGH THE CANAL

(All cargo figures in long tons) Pacific to Atlantic

Commodity

Ores, various Lumber

Petroleum and products (excludes asphalt).

.

Wheat

Sugar—

Canned food products

Nitrate of soda

Barley Bananas

Metals, various Food products in refrigeration (except fresh

fruit) Coffee - Fishmeal

Iron and steel manufactures Pulpwood

All others

Total

Second quarter, fiscal year1966

1,896,804

1,169,405

4.32,585 484,842

573,956

226,980

182,822

194,414

326,770

292,927

230,002

99,213

111,535

781,087

127,661

1,789,124

8,920,127

1965

1,753,980

1,131,717

.334,051 332,561

701,024

275,268

184,158

46,368

342,748

308,474

231,145

110,401

279,274

603,611

130,409

1,471,969

Average

1951-55

8,237,158

1,033,433

880,696

149,132

439,626

205,431

327,338

327.6.35 25,235

199,495

184,663

125,660

55,757

""47,896

46,525

741,860

4,790,382

Atlantic to Pacific

Commodity

Automobiles and parts Rice

Cotton, raw

Coal and coke

Phosphates

Soybeans

Wheat

Iron and steel manufactures Corn

Machinery

Ores, various Metal (scrap) Paper and paper products Petroleum and products (excludes asphalt).

Chemicals, unclassified

All others

Total 11,676,807

Second quarter, fiscal year1966

118,523

218,001

118,981

1,610,018

986,684

724,866

270,067

349,261

668,776

116,182

484,453

260,845

131,217

3,510,522

230,426

1,877,985

1965

111,459

20,546

110,152

1,415,118

844,246

558,486

187,413

415,447

501,271

128,935

377,887

772,857

180,493

3,162,740

224,522

1,799,929

10,811,501

Average

1951-55

68,824

39,430

70,788

594,946

181,170

128,551

26,711

415,441

31,270

74,768

17,271

13,654

97,333

901,706

44,1.32 1,300,746

4,006,741

C.V.N AL TRANSITS -
CANAi, ( ()\i\iEK(;i.\L tiuffr: by .natio.nality ,LS

m

S.S. United States

on board are the pianos in the salons

and the butcher's blocks in the galleys. The real mysteries, says the

Marine Digest, are below decks in the engineroom. All facts about the

propulsion plant are classified from

two points of view—by the Navy

as military information and by the owners. The ship made three other calls at

Cristobal, the last being in February

1963. Panama Agencies represent the

United States Line in the Canal Zone.

iPort of yiioblle

(Continued from p. 3)

The Alabama State Docks has 31

berths with a bulk handling plant for

ores, a shipside cold storage and freez- ing plant, cotton compress and ware- house of 50,000-bale capacity and facilities for crating, packing, and drumming. Its public grain elevator has a shipside storage capacity of 1,600,000

bushels and a ship-loading capacity of 50,000 bushels per hour. A terminal railway has a switching

system connecting the docks to all rail- road lines serving the port; seven diesel locomotives switch the cars to and from

pierside. Serving the port are more

than 100 steamship lines, 4 trunk line

railroads, 24 truck lines, 3 common

carrier barge lines, and airlines. The port's trade territory includes

the mid-continental United States from

Cincinnati, Ohio, to Denver Colo. The

ocean terminal is supported by foreign

freight forwarders, customhouse brokers, U.S. Customs, stevedoring firms,

steamship agencies, ship chandlers, pilots, towing companies, testers, banks

with foreign departments, consular

corps, and marine surveyors.
Unique Specialists

Play Vital Roles

In Panama Canal

Panama Canal Admeasurer Otis M. Ramey,

Jr., measures the engineroom with the help

of Kare Bergene, chief steward on the ship.

THE STORY OF the building of the Panama Canal is one of the richest epics of U.S. historx'. It has left a deep imprint in annals of mankind and

his endeavors. A hodgepodge of hu- manity from many lands was involved

in building a ditch wide enough and

deep enough to transit the largest ships

plying the seven seas. Men of steel conquered the contours of nature, and men of genius invented and built the complex electrical and mechanical

equipment to operate and maintain the watersvay.

Today, men of great skill and dedication carrv on the work that began the day the Canal was completed. From

admeasurer to anglesmith to sailmaker

and woodworker, the Canal organization has a very special assembly of workers geared to putting ships through

the Canal. The Canal is a complex operation.

Skilled engineers, technicians, teachers,

doctors, office workers, and hundreds of other trained emplovees are as important to the operation and maintenance

of the waterway as builders were to its construction. The Canal employs a number of per- sons who perform unique, highly specialized work. These men and their fel- low workers have the responsibility of expediting the transit of ships, from all

Stanford F. McKenzie, Industrial Division employee, demonstrating typical process of saw filing.

14 February 1966
nations, from one ocean to the other, or provide a supporting function to this primary mission. High on the Hst of specialists in the Panama Canal is the admeasurer who

boards vessels and measures them to determine tolls to be paid to the Canal.

In other parts of the world, the admeasurer measures vessels to determine pay

scales to be paid to personnel working

on the ship, and to set wharfage and

dock tolls. A newcomer to Canal waters

will be measured from stem to stem. Complex mathematical formulas are used to calculate these measurements. The admeasurer uses technical proce- dures and rules to determine the ton- nage of the vessel—both gross and net. Using as an international basis 100 cubic

feet to equal one measurement ton, the admeasurer determines the tolls. In

19.54, the admeasurer also assumed the

duties of customs and immigration, and

quarantine officer. General ship's in- formation documents, such as clearance from last port; passenger, crew and

stores lists; cargo declarations; national

register; and other documents required

of a ship are delivered to the admeasurer. This man with the yardstick per- forms a vital role in the Canal operation.

The marine traffic controller has a unique role in the world's oceangoing

activity. There are manv marine traffic controllers throughout the world's water- ways and ports but none control a sys- tem so complex as the Panama Canal. Scheduling and control of the ever-in- creasing ship traffic through the Canal

are his responsibilities. Working 24 to 48 hours ahead, the controller is in continuous contact with ships through auto- matic electronic equipment at strategic

points along the Canal. In keeping with

the changes in the traffic pattern, and

using ETA (estimated time of arrival) or readiness times of transiting ships, the

controller prepares transit schedules and

transmits them to the locks, arranges for deckhands and tug service, determines

pilot requirements and coordinates the boarding party. The marine traffic controller also controls harbor traffic. As long as the world's oceans and

waterways have been \ital to world commerce, skills in boatbuilding and

ship repair have been a prized ability. The Canal's Industrial Division is proud

of its many experts and highly specialized men. Craft to handle the flow of

traffic in the Canal harbors, launches

for passenger and utility service, and

work launches used bv the Navigation

Division are built by the Gamboa

Launch Repair Facilitv. These boatbuilders compare with the world's

Anglesmith Armando Cruz is shown bending a 1-inch steel plate on a 300-ton hydraulic

press as his helper Jose M. McKenzie looks on.

best, and they are experts in building '

boats of wood, plastic, fiberglass, and

aluminum.

Oceangoing vessels periodically need

overhauling and repairs. And, from time

to time, ships transiting the Canal need

emergency work. Drydock facilities at PanCanal can meet all these needs. Shops at Mount Hope and Balboa

handle all types of marine repair—from

the simplest to the most complicated. For example, Mount Hope is one of the few shipyards in the world that can re- pair propeller tips, or rework damaged

propeller sections. An important specialist in this area

is the shipwright who sets up the dry- dock. His operation requires a consid- erable knowledge of ships—their archi- tecture and engineering. Blocking up a ship after it is drydocked is a most important part of the operation. Improper

blocking would be catastrophic.

Among the highly specialized industrial workers is the anglesmith, a black-

-.1 I 1 ^ . 1 1. „i ; ,»„ Expert hands of the shipwright have made smith who u'orks structural steel into ^^P

^^.^ ^^^^^, .^ perfectly level before (See p. 21) starting repairs.

The Panama Canal Review 15
CAMAL HISTORY

50 l/earJ c4§o

EXCAVATION was still being carried on in Gaillard Cut to remove the slide which had closed the Panama Canal

since October 18, 1915. By December 20, 1915, the channel at the bases

of the Culebra slides had been opened

enough to allow the passage of six lightdraft vessels. No predictions were being

made of the time of probable opening.

Meanwhile a committee of scientists and

engineers, appointed by the National

Academy of Sciences to study the slides

in Gaillard Cut and suggest ways to deal with them, arrived on the Isthmus. The construction of the walls of the concrete group of buildings, connected

by arcades, to house the permanent

Colon Hospital was practically completed in Januar\'. It was expected that the new buildings could be occupied

by April 1916.

The size of the new battleships Idaho,

Mississippi, and California, in construction 50 years ago, was a matter of

interest to Canal authorities. The new

ships would be the largest in the U.S. Navy, with a beam of 97 feet 4 inches. These vessels in passing through the Canal, it was pointed out, would have

a clearance of 12 feet 8 inches in the

locks chambers. The vessel of the

greatest beam to pass through the Canal

up to that time was the battleship Ohio

with a beam of 72 feet.

25 yearJ c4g.o

THE WAR in Europe was having its effect on the Panama Canal 25 years ago although the United States had not

yet become involved.

President Roosevelt in Washington

ordered that the U.S. Fleet be placed on a wartime footing immediately. The

Secretary of War announced the formation of a new U.S. Army Caribbean

Defense Command for the purpose of strengthening defenses of the Western Hemisphere. Lt. Gen. Daniel \'an

Vorhis was placed in command with his headquarters at Quarry Heights, C.Z. A U.S. Congressman in Washington

said that the Panama Canal was being

converted into an impregnable fortress with the locks being housed in shields "which no bombs could dent." He said

that the hills surrounding the waterway

were alive with heavily comouflaged

anti-aircraft nests to ward off mass air

attacks. The Canal Zone's first ladies' home

defense pistol club was organized at the Pedro Miguel Stadium under the sponsorship of Physical Director H. T. Leisy

and the Pedro Miguel Gun Club. Work on the excavation of the third locks at Gatun was rushed with men and

equipment being brought to the Isth- mus to remove 12 million cubic yards

of material at a cost of $6,500,000.

This float, sponsored by the Panama Canal and Panama Railroad, won first prize in the 1937 Panama Carnival. See pages 22 and 23 for more on this much celebrated festival.

10 IJearJ c4g^o

THE PANAMA CANAL'S power con-

\ersion project moved into high gear

early in 1956 with bids being opened

for the Atlantic area conversion, one of the key contracts of the program. It was

estimated that the conversion of 25-cycle

electrical equipment would take about

4 vears. The first TV sets were placed on display at the Balboa and Cristobal

Retail Stores. Testimony on several matters of vital interest to the Canal administration was

heard by the Panama Canal Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine

and Fisheries Committee in the hearings

held in the Board Room of the Administration Building at Balboa Heights.

Among the subjects discussed was the proposed abandonment of the Panama

Railroad and pending legislation relating

to the allocation of tolls and redistribution of the costs of the Canal Zone

Government.

Soda water bottling operations of the Supply Division were terminated at the end of November 1955, closing an

acti\'ity which was first established during the early Canal construction

period. Governor Seybold said the decision was made in light of the development of the soda water bottling industry

in Panama.

The regular .5-year overhaul was

begun in January at Gatim Locks with

approximately 775 extra men being

employed for the job.

One yiear c4g.o

THE BEAUTIFUL new eight story Gorgas Hospital annex opened in February' 1965 without fanfare or ceremony. Key activities of the hospital began to move into the new building early week

of February- 25. Major part of the move,

most clinics, the pharmacy, operating

suite, the business office and patients on the surgical wards, was made over weekend of February 26. Vacation jobs were provided for approximately 130 Panamanian students by a student employment program sponsored by th" Canal organization. The

program was established for high school and universitv students in the Panama

school svstem and the Canal Zone Latin

.American schools. The program, started a year ago, was similar to the student

assistant program which the Canal

organization conducted for many years

for graduates of the Canal Zone's

U.S. schools.

16 Febru.ary 1966
IMPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS

OPEN DOORS TO THE FUTURE

MANY NEW CAREER employment

opportunities for Panamanians are being

created this year through the opening

of new training routes into the Canal

organization.

Three times as many non-U.S. employees as U.S. citizens now are on

Canal employment rolls. At the end of November the Canal organization had

10,953 non-U. S. employees. This figure

will increase by approximately 150

this year through new or expanded

training programs, with larger numbers

of non-U. S. citizens to come into the

organization as the training programs

gain momentum.

In view of the high cost and diffi- culty of U.S. recruitment and the currently tight housing situation. Canal

officials are making every effort to fill vacant jobs in the Government/Company organization through local sources.

The prospect of a sea level canal in the foreseeable future makes this policy even more important.

The problem, however, is that there

are not yet enough Panamanians with

the variety of skills the Panama Canal

needs. Larger numbers are coming along

with increasing skills, and in an effort to meet the Canal organization's demands,

training programs are being launched

and expanded.

The Canal is undertaking special measures to make greater utilization of

local employment resources. There has been an apprentice program for Pan- amanian as well as United States cit- izens since 1906. As a result of action by President Eisenhower, almost twice

as many Panamanian as United States

citizens now are participating in the

organization's training programs.

Panamanians are now being brought

into Canal employment through: • AN EXPANDED apprentice pro- giam

• A LEARNERSHIP program • A COOPERATIVE education

program • AN OFFICE SERVICE training program, plus new programs added to existing training programs. These are designed to train skilled labor as retire- ments and separations from the Canal

organization increase.

Recruitment of Canal organization

employees in Panama makes good sense

for a number of reasons, including good

international relations. The program is organizationally sound, essential, and

good economics. Employment of nonU.S. citizens is considerably less expensive in terms of cost of recruiting in the United States, and eventual repatriation.

(See p. 18)

Learning by doing, apprentice Eugenio Cham Ng appraises a piece of work being done on a metal lathe.

The Panama Canal Review 17
Power, its mathematical formula and electrical significance are explained by instructor Carroll Robertson (left) to students (left to right) John M. Eberenz and Ernesto L. Blake.

Skilled Panamanians Are Needed

To Fill Vacancies In Canal Zone

(Continued from p. 17)

Each employment of a non-U. S. citizen

in a vacant U.S. base position eases the PanCanal housing shortage. At the same

time, the effort to meet the needs of the Canal organization carefully avoids

jeopardizing jobs or the promotional

aspirations of present employees.

Keeping the Panama Canal organization supplied with the right numbers of competent workers for the job at the

right place and at the right time has always been a fundamental concern of Canal management. In the past it was

possible, without great effort, to insure

a variety of manual skills to keep the Panama Canal at top operational level. Today, vacancies occur faster than

the Canal can find people with the skills, education, and or know-how to fill them. Canal Zone employment conditions are not relatively as attractive as they used to be in terms of housing or fringe benefits. To further compound the management problem, employment needs are

greater because of an aging work force. During the next 1.5 years, disturbingly

large numbers of people will retire from

the organization because of age or optional retirement. An analysis of the age and service of all employees in higherskilled, professional or managerial positions shows that within the ne.xt 5 years 894 U.S. -citizen emplo\ees will be 55

and eligible to retire voluntarily with at least 30 years' service, or would retire mandatorily at the age of 62. In the next 15 years, 2,610 people may retire, the survey shows. This amounts to about two-thirds of the top positions. In addition to these vacancies, there

will be others through resignations,

removals, transfers, deaths, and disability retirements. Experience shows that nearly twice as many vacancies occur through these causes as from voluntary

or mandatory retirement. Many Canal employees, especially

helpers, are middle-aged, and their potential for promotion is minimal. The

registers, from which replacements are

drawn, are also populated with oldsters. This is partly a result of the activity

during World War II when the Canal

hired thousands of helpers and similar employees.

Intensive training and development

programs are designed to give the organization the flexibility it needs to meet

its long-range staffing needs, and to make local recruitment easier. These

programs will develop Panamanians to

fill many of the positions that will become available over the next 10 years. One of these is the Leamership Pro- gram now training young men for helper

positions. Gradually, the program will put younger people into the organization. Applicants are of high school cal- iber and, since the typical middle-aged

helper has less than an elementary education, the average education level of the employee group will be raised. Many

promising learners may later transfer to apprenticeships, leading to a journey- man status and, possibly, supervisory

positions.

18 February 1966
The Learnership Program is expected

to increase efficiency because it teaches

learners a wider range of job abiUties. This contrasts in some cases with present

helpers who perform onlv the less skilled elements of positions. Furthermore, the

greater use of helpers and other workers

will free journeymen for their higher

level tasks, producing more effectiveness and economy in craft work.

The Learnership Program is also a gateway for man\' young men for entry

to the Apprenticeship Program. More

than half the learner helpers became apprentices last year; additional apprenticeships were filled from the register.

A cooperative education program, open to students of a baccalaureate

level degree-granting institution, will

select University of Panama students to work full time and also attend the university. A rerjuirement for continued

employment will be that they keep their grades up at the universitv. Work at the Canal will be coordinated with the university program of professional study.

This cooperative education program

is designed to fill an increasing need for college-trained people cjualified to rise through the Canal organization.

Qualifications for entering the Pan- ama Canal organization have not been

lowered, PanCanal personnel officials point out, and promotions will come only on merit.

While the cooperative education pro- gram is beamed at nonmanual employees at the college level, there will be an office services trainee program at lower levels.

Office services trainees will start at the NM-1 level, in 6 months will be pro- moted to the NM-2 pav level and are expected to complete the program in a year, graduating to the NM-3 level. Training is centered in developing the

skills of a well-rounded office employee.

These office service trainees also will be required to take certain ofl-dut) courses including stenography and ad- vanced tvping as a condition of their emploNment. This should provide them

with special skills which will better prepare them for ad\ ancenient to more

responsible office and administrative

positions.

Other programs include training dur- ing summer vacations for U.S. and

non-U. S. students, at different times of the year. Students are paid for up to 3 months' work in areas related to the

individual's school studies. About 150

Workmen lay blocks at the Panama Canal Training Center in Balboa where several new

classrooms are being added. This project, part of the Personnel Bureau's program to expand

its training facilities, will be completed by July 1.

United States and 2.50 Panamanian

students participate in this program

aimed at the preprofessional level. The additional initial cost of the pro- posed programs will be approximately

half a million dollars a year. Almost

four-fifths of this amount goes straight

into the econom\- of Panama by way of

salaries paid to Panamanians.

In addition to these new facihties.

construction is ready to begin on office space and classrooms for apprentice

training in the presentlv inactivated in- dustrial shop area in Balboa which is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Navv. These facilities should be ready bv late March or mid April and will be used as a site for "vestibule" trade-school apprentice training in the basic machinist

and electrical crafts.

The Panama Canal Review 19
ANNIVERSARIES

I On tn^ feasi! of fnf^/ FcJeral Service)

SUPPLY AND COMMUNITY

SERVICE BUREAU

Albertina L. Wright

Leader Marker and Sorter Vivian L. Bonney

Clerk

Peter Neblett

Retail Store Department Manager

(Supermarket)

MARINE BUREAU

Jose Archibold Motor Launch Captain

Julio L. Jimenez

Leader Maintenancem,

Wire Cable) Vivian M. Stewart Helper Machinist • David S. Henry

Leader Linehandler

Bnatswain)

Stafford A. NebIeK «

Teletypist

ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION

BUREAU

Altimon C. Barber

Painter Wilson Elton Clarke Leader Asphalt or Cement Worker

Kenneth A. Brown

Leader Painter OFFICE OF THE

GOVERNOR-PRESIDENT

S. D. Callender

Administrative Officer

SUPPLY AND COMMUNITY

SERVICE BUREAU

John W. Gittens Teller Lionel E. C. McClean

Lead Foreman (Cemetery)

Edith C. Harper

Sales Clerk Thomas G. Relihan Program Manager

Agatha H. Walters Laborer MARINE BUREAU

John E. Erickson General Foreman (Harbor)^ Alphonso T. Fearon

Linehandler

Thomas F. Gibson

General Foreman, Carpenter Torrence E. Lord

Leader Seaman

Rodolfo Becford Helper Lock Operator

Leopold Cimino

Lock Operator (Electrician H. A. Kleefkens

Supervisory Marine Traffic Controller Leroy C. Mask

Linehandler (Deckhand)

Duayne T. McNeil

Marine Traffic Controller

Jose A. Palacios Boatman

Vincent W. Watson Seaman

Grennett R. Cooper

Linehandler (Deckhand)

Four ex-Presidents of the Republic of Panama were among high ranking members of the Panamanian and United States communities who paid tribute to Gov. Robert J. Fleming, Jr., recently at a Panama Steamship Association luncheon. The Governor was presented a scroll in recognition of his outstanding achievements in increasing the efficiency of the Panama

Canal. Left to right are Ernesto de la Guardia, former President of Panama; Jose Dominador Bazan. former President of Panama, now Minister of Government and Justice: Dr. Ricardo J. Alfaro, former President of Panama; Charles W. Adair, Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Panama; Governor Fleming; Frank Zeimetz, president of Panama Agencies Co.; Dr. Galileo Solis, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama; and Enrique A, Jimenez, former President of Panama.

Irving G. Hay

Pilot Samuel H. Rowley

Master, Towboat

ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION

BUREAU

Edgar F. Daggett Water System Operator Arundel A. Hall Supervisory Clerk

Sylvester E. Harding

Boiler Tender

William C. Jordan

Master, Small Tug

-Alexander Watt ^ Chief Engineer, Towboat

/Anderson Gaillard

I Pipelayer

Y

Benito Garrido \^ Helper Sheetiiietal Worker

, Oscar S. Green

Property Record Clerk

Iwarrf H. NeWlle, Jr. Hydraulic Engineering Technician

Alvin V. Stewart Toolroom Mechanic

Gerardo Teran

Clerk (Work Orders)

TRANSPORTATION AND TERMINALS

BUREAU

Charles C. Vreux

Automotive Machinist Bernard Dorfman

Supervisory Freight Agent

Frank L. Titus Cargo Checker

HEALTH BUREAU

Mary L. Clark Nurse Supervisor (General

Medical and Surgical Hospital)

Marie K. Corrigan

Staff Nurse (Obstetrics) LilHan L. Pratt Nurse Supervisor (Medicine

and Surgery)

Eusebio Diaz

Exterminator

Stanford A. Myrie

Leader Hospital Food

Service Worker

OFFICE OF THE

GOVERNOR-PRESIDENT

Annie F. McDade

Secretary (Stenography)

COMPTROLLERS OFFICE

Hylton Lewis

Warehouseman

Harold Miller Bookkeeping Machine Operator

Florence M. Pierson Accounting Technician CIVIL AFFAIRS BUREAU

Eugene Breakfield Foreman, Mail Handling

Unit (IP) Peter S. Proback

Police Private Bruce G. Sanders, Jr. Supervisory Customs Inspector Richard W. Stoudnor Customs Inspector

20 Febhuabv 1966
*^*M"3ii||ili,

A street in Escobal. Houses, palms, the church, and the lake.

Uown Store Sj Jserve Center

3or People Of Z)ke J^iver

(Continued from p. 6)

expert. He came to this region many

years ago, and settled at the edge of the Chagres River. Desiderio Pimienta, a Choco Indian from Sambu in Darien, is a Panama Canal palancaman. He and

his wife came to the lake region many

years ago and with their children live

in an attractive little house. They have

an outboard motor and a bank account.

Desiderio's main goal in life: a larger

outboard motor to win the annual Sala- manca races held on the Pequeni River. The occupation of palancaman is old, dating to colonial times when gold was

transported from Peru up the Chagres

to the Caribbean Sea. These skilled river people played an important role in the

California Gold Rush when the Isthmian

shortcut meant money to adventurers. Today they are valuable to the Panama

Canal organization taking up river the equipment and personnel needed to keep an eye on potentially dangerous

river waters that may rise suddenly.

In every place there are men who

dream and passively enjoy living the experiences depicted by writers in novels and poems. Aquilino Rodriguez,

who cultivates a small parcel of land in Lagarterita, is this tvpe of man. He loves poetry and remembers, with veneration,

his grade school teacher, the well-known

Panamanian writer Gil Bias Tejeira, who

instilled in him his love for beautiful

literature. The town store is the nerve center

of these river villages. Here is where all the latest gossip is passed on. It is here

that the lottery ticket vendor makes his biggest sale; that the town policeman

gives newcomers the once over. Maria

Elias Soto de Ku, the owner of the Escobal town store, says with a smile, "We

are not in business. We simply manage

the place where people meet." The river is everything to these hardy,

industrious people who are the essence

of simplicity and kindness. At the waterholes they hunt animals for food. They

fish in it. The river is a bathtub, a drinking cup, and a playground.

(Continued from p. 11)

may order goods, then pay duty only as they withdraw them from the Zone. As

long as a merchant exports the required

60 percent of his volume, he may do

business in the Free Zone. About $10 million a year is added to Panama's gross national product through

the Free Zone. A printing plant has been established and has trained nearly

100 Panamanians for skilled work. A

French textile plant is slated to manufacture cloth from cotton grown in the Republic. Should manufacturing take

root firmly, the value to the economy

will be vast. Employment could soar to thousands and Colon might become the Detroit of Central America.

Even now. Free Zone manager Ricar- do Chiari and his promotion director Osvaldo Guaragna, are thinking about

expansion. The original tract will be

gone by 1967; more land means filling in part of Manzanillo Bav or buving a tract

in the heart of the city of Colon. Plans

are under development to meet the need. As Dr. Chiari says, "This is the

sort of problem you like to have." A hard and sustained drive for new

business, combined with sound expansion plans and that most important

ingredient — stabihtv — will insure the Free Zone continuing success as an eco- nomic factor of rising importance to the Republic of Panama.

unique SkilL

(Continued from p. 15)

complicated angles and shapes. His

handiwork is used primarily in ship

repairs.

Almost a rarity is the saw filer, who

files saws to sharpen them. His work is precise and requires immense patience

and highly exacting skill. The Panama Canal master diver and

salvage master is another unique member of the Canal family. He trains divers

for ship repair and salvage work. He

is perhaps the most experienced diver

in this hemisphere. From time to time,

this expert is called to other countries

to solve their diving problems and to give advice on whether or not a ship can

be salvaged from the sea. These craftsmen are dedicated to the operation and maintenance of one

of the great engineering wonders of the world—workers contributing to the economic pulse of world commerce.

The Panama Canal Review 21
HeaeC(H»ic4

HISTORY TELLS US that Carnival has been celebrated in Panama since the days of the Spanish conquistadores, when

Old Panama was the center of manv dazzling and spectacular

pageants. But the first official Carnival of the Republic was

not until 1910. The 4-day festival, at first a simple celebration, has turned

into splashes of color, parades, and dances, when Panama

pulses with life and gaiety. The climax is on Tuesday and

the early hours of Ash ^\'ednesdav when gav tamboreras slow

to a funeral march, marking the sad end to a happv time. Parades of gaily decorated floats take us back to Colonial

times when comparsas danced in the cobbled streets of Old

Panama. Mock battles of serpentine and confetti remind us of the water fights of long ago. And as customarv, on Saturday,

the first dav of Carnival, the noontime arri\al of King Carnival

(Dios Momo), accompanied b\' his devils and their helpers,

signals the beginning of the festival. Then mock battles and

dancing continue to dawn.

Girls in pulleras, men in montunos perform dance of the tunas.

Horseless carriages and horse-drawn vehicles carry participants in the 1912 Carnival through Cathedral Plaza in Panama City.

22 February 1966
In Colonial times, the streets were scenes of riotous water

fights during the day, but at night, men in montunos and women in polleras danced through the towns in merry tunas. Mock battles then took on a romantic flavor and young men

sprinkled exotic perfumes on their girls and gave them clusters of candles to carrv in the dance of the tunas. Todav, the colorful Carnival of Las Tablas is in manv wavs

like those of long ago. Singing groups, accompanied by drums

and native guitars, still compete; thousands of dollars in fire- works are burned in happv battles of competition between

the Calle Arriba (upper street gang) and Calle Abajo (lower

street gang ) . histead of throwing water the mock battles are fought with French champagne. Here the Carnival has the

nostalgic flavor of Panamanian folklore. For a simple Carnival even closer to the style of long ago

travel past Las Tablas, into Santo Domingo, Las Palmas, or Pedasi. In a few minutes, you are in the Panama of the 1 8th

centurv, and here is the oldest Carnival of them all.

Riding a serpent in the 1949 Carnival parade.

Carnival revelers ride through street aboard oxcarts in Guarare, some 175 miles from Carlotita I, Carnival Queen of the Union

Panama City. Club in 1954.

Waving, smiling to sea of faces are beauties atop float in 1949 Panama Carnival.

The Panam.\ C.^^nal Review 23
SH

Super Trailerships

SIX NEW super trailer ships which will serve Panama and transit the Panama

Canal are to be constructed within the next 5 years, it has been announced by

McLean Industries, Inc., parent company of Sea-Land Service whose container ships now sail every 10 davs both

east and west in an intercoastal service and stop in Panama in both directions. According to an article in the November issue of Brandon's Shipper and

Forwarder, the new ships will be the

world's largest and fastest general cargo

carriers. Design plans are being devel- oped by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp.

which will build the vessels at its Pescagoula. Miss., yard. Delivery of the first ship is expected in June 1968 and the

last by late 1969 or early 1970. Present plans are that each of the

ships will be 905 feet long, have top

speed of 27.5 knots and a cruising speed

of 25 knots. TTiey will be able to carry 1,261 loaded truck trailers, which will be loaded and unloaded by giant shore

cranes. The partly automated vessels

will be powered bv two-gear turbines which will develop a total horsepower

of 72,200, more than any cargo carrying

ship in the world. They will carry no

passengers. The new ships are tentatively schedule to sail in Sea-Land's New Yorknorth European service which will be

inaugurated in April 1966 with smaller

ships. They also will operate in the company's intercoastal trade. This will enable each of the vessels to start a voyage at the company's new terminal

in Rotterdam, call at New York, San

Juan, Balboa, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and return in 42 days.

Sea-Land, which has the world's

largest fleet of highway transportation

equipment combined with 16 ships in

its container fleet, loads produce ship- ments into refrigerated vans right in the fields of west coast growers. The

vans travel over the road to ports, load- ed aboard the vessels and taken to the

delivery port where the trailer body

goes back on wheels for over-the-road

delivery to consignees. From field to consignee, the shipments are under constant, closelv controlled and supervised

refrigeration without exposure to heat at any point, a company official noted. The Sea-Land agent in Panama is Bovd Bros.

IMPING

PANAMA CANAL TRAFFIC

.STATISTICS FOR SECOND QUARTER

FISCAL YEAR 1966 TRANSITS (Oceangoing Vessels) 1966 J96.) Commercial 2,973 3,027

I'.S. Govemmtn 139 73

Free 30 19

Total 142 3,1! TOLi.3

Commercial $17,572,690 S16,576,286

U.S. Government 843,481 349,300

T,,.,l .«l 8.416,171 $16,925,586

CARGO"

(cnin)er..ial . 20,693,539 19,055,207

U.S. Government 813,383 311,061 Free 113,182 103,181

Total.-- 21,620,104 19,469,449

i lude.'S toUs on all vessels, oceangoing and

fcmail. •"Cargo figures are in long tons.

Largest Japanese Ship

THE SHOZAN MARU, believed to be

the largest ship flying the Japanese flag, made her maiden transit through the Panama Canal in December on her way

from Peru to Rotterdam with a cargo

of 47,625 long tons of iron ore. Built

in Tsurami Shipyards in Yokohama, the ship measures 743 feet in length and

104 feet wide. The vessel is owned by

Shawa Shipping Co., Ltd., and is operated by San Juan Carriers.

New Kungsholm

THE SWEDISH American Line's new

Kungsholm will pass through the Pan- ama Canal in October 1966 on an in- augural cruise around South America,

it has been announced in New York. The cruise schedule is to sail from New

York October 19, and from Port Everglades October 22. The vessel is to transit south through the Canal and will

call at Callao, Peru; \'alparaiso, Chile; passing Cape Pillar on her way through

the Strait of Magellan; then proceeding to Punta Arenas, Chile; Falkland Is- lands; Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Bridgetown,

Barbados, and St. George, Grenada,

before returning to New York. A well-known name in crusing circles, the new Kungsholm is replacing a ship

of the same name which was trans- ferred to the North German Llovd Line

last April and renamed the Bremen.

C. B. Fenton is agent for the Swedish

American Line here.

"i"

1965



Date Due
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