New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-25
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

4.
ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS PROPOSED bf DE
1rssrps DIMENSIONS OF THE CANAL THE
r~c,vATtONs-CosTA AND TIME REoUIiED.
The International Technical Commission ls
oonnosed of Two well-known American engineers
Colonel G.. NJ Totten and General w. W. wright Jns'"
D,rks Engineer-ln-C Chief of the Amsterdam Caua
four French aud two Colombian engineers Inc Oonl-
mission after discussing In Its SESSIONS Tue result
of the examinations made the ground, answers Tue
several questions of the programme, presented ny M
Ferdinand de Iesseps, in the following manner;
First ouestion-yeri6caton by levelling, OF the gen.
,ra Inc of the canal, between Colon and Panama
Tbc general Inc adopted by the Paris Congress- was
examined by five dwelling brgades' under the urec''o"
of uessrs Albes Couvreux, Danzats, JegOu and sosa
who took nfiy-twO sections OF the ground ua'
ersed by the line. For This work the rairo"u-'he
longitudinal profile OF which estabished-was taken
a. base In addition sufficient number OF souhulbgs
and borings were taken In the Bays Oi Fah'A" an"
Colon on the proposed line OF the canal All oi 's'
connection with the previous surveys conducted oy
Messrs Jegou aud Maroe, and mads before the atIV"
Of the Commission has furnished data, from which the
nns aaop,ed by the Paris Congress has been slightly
modified and improved ana the cost reduced ms mas
been effected principally by the adoption OF 10"
ponts OF cnrves Of 1000 metres radius as MINIMUM
Second Reconnaissance by means OF oorinRS
NJ the nature OF the ground rayersed by the canal
These operations were made under the direction OF
Messrs nuAos and Barber, who had six complete sets
t ho,,nc apparatns at their disposal They have com
Melted fifteen bOrngs the line OF the caha ana On
the line of the proposed dam at Gamboa Ihese porngs
were T., depth OF IL to % metres and nave inns
made known the nature VI '"e S'o""" ~ "
canal line. ,,. =,
Tbjyd OucstionA special study of the stability OF
rock to be encountered in deep cuttings. ,,, .Ao
This study, directed by Mr.. Bouta1 has enaDlea tie
Compassion to adopt slope of 10 for inc eutlnss
except the summit division, where as IN 0theT neTs
roeL work a slope OF II IS considered sumclent me
dimensions the section Of the canal winch the
T;rSf -Ret Teeu Colon and l1lometTe SO lihe Auanuc
diyision aud between kiIometre 81 ana Panama t'ae
Pacific tiyisiou): Width at bottom, 22m.i width al
wafer line, Dom; depth, sm50 - 49,, o,.,.
or summit dyisuu): Width az bottom, 24m; Wldth al
to,,yb CasSo~Means to be employed 10 overcome
the tiirnites presented hy The Chagres River ana OF
excayatlng roe. below the sea level -.
The difices presented by the ChaRres VIII be over
Gamboa between Cruces and Matachn. rms WORK
was the subject OF special study. conducted by Mr
D@Tztts The Commission Expresses the Opiuion that
dam Of 40 height woud PROVIDE ioI the OF
sg Of OF water of one thousand millions nI eoe
metres-a quantity equal TO the maximum estimate OF
the esiet November 20, 1879 be greatest taat mas
Thjs work will be completed by the construction OF
new channel for the regulated now OF we river @
GambOa cam to the sea- Another similar out ~
channel viii be provided on the Opposite sue o Tue
canal for the and drainage on that sde As re-
CARDS The excavated under the sea level tne
Commission pinlon that no greater ~ VIII
he encountered than such as- are met WIN ~ si9r
work elsewhere that the greatest part OF the work
ing places be freed from water by pumping -,
canal. III order that the largest ships may ehtei Hoh
both the Pacific and the Atlantic
The Co omission iders that no WORK rec lred 10
give safe anchorage ships IN the placid Waers Oh the
Raw of Panama deems IL necessary 10 provide tue
Iock at the outlet to preserve constant evei IN
The canal For the Atlantic side, Cd me contrary
the BAY OF mOn is exposed 10 occasional heaVy NORTH
,rs and To make secure for ships al all times u must
be protected by breakwater two khomelres 10 eng.
the anchorage In both harbors is OF large extent
and viii not require any improvement Inc eAca'n
,isns for the canal channel, from shore lines 10
deep water have included in the general estimate
Ss,f number
osvatd Tor the construction Of the canal divided into
tbree seeilons ana a casshe ton OF excavations, nc
cotdng to nature, and respective helkhts aooNe
and below the level of the sea. ,,
The Commisson basing its calculations on the results
NJ No levels taken By the five brgades, the geological
survey bv Mr. BOutan the results Of the borinGs 10
ethcr with the Information furnished by previous sur
xeys as adopted figures contained IN the following
table;