The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-05-25
Communicated
Notes on the Panama Canal.


Extensive studies made in the last few years
have singularly advanced typographical science,
and have served to enlighten the deliberations of
the International Congress which met at Paris in
May, 1879 at the instigation of the Geographical
Congress of 1875. The eminent men who formed
this Congress expressed the opinion that the inter
oceanic canal ought to be- if possible an open air
one, and in any case, level, without locks 1t was
the doctrine professed by NJ. de Jesseps, and ap-
piled by him to the Suez Canal, contrary to the
advice of the most renowned engineers.
A lock canal, in fact, only answers the necessi-
ties of inland navigation. Such canal would
only be convenient for small vessels; it must in
evitably cause stoppages more or less frequent,
sometimes of long duration Ocean navigation,
which at the present day requires immense ships,
demands safe, large way, free from all obstacles.
Otherwise, adds NJ. de Lesseps the inter-oceanic
canal cannot be remunerative for the capital en-
gagged in this great enterprise; unless it offers TO
commerce an easy way, always open, without
necessitating stoppages Irrespective of the number
of vessels wishing to make the transit. Such a
programme excludes from the outset all the
projects of fresh water canals derived from river
courses. Finally, after discussing the various
routes proposed, the international Congress adopt
ed that by the lsthmus of Panama as presenting
the most favorable conditions for the establish
ment of an inter-oceanic canal This canal is to
open in Simon's Bay in the Atlantic Ocean and
IN the Gulf of Panama in the Pacific. 1t is the
route proposed by Lieutenants Wyse and Reclus.
The Isthmus of Panama has a breadth of ten
leagues (marine), say tifty-six kilometres, meas
ured in straight line between the towns or ports
of Aspinwall on the Atlantic and Panama on the
Pacific. The small town of Aspinwall three thou
sand inhabitants, is built on piles on the coast
near a coral island. Manzanillo, situated in the
north of Simon Bay. A single line of rails goes
south from Aspinwall SIX miles and reaches the
river Chagres at the village of Gatun: below
Gatun the Chagres flows northwest into the Allan
tic Ocean, four miles to the south of Simon's Bay
on coast steep and rocky without port or shelter
This last circumstance fixed the choice on Simon's
Bay as the point OF opening for the Canal as we'll
as for the terminus of the railway.
From Gatun the railway ascends the valley of
the Chagres about twenty miles in the general
direction of southeast, twelve miles the right
bank and eight miles on the left bank. crossing
the river on the Barbacoas bridge. The railway
thus reaches the Matachin station, a short dis
lance from the village of Cruces, situated on the
bank of the Chagres, and from there ascends for
seven or eight miles the valley of a small stream
(Obispo) an affluent OF the Chagres. After having
crossed the defle of the Culebra the dividing
line of the streams of the isthmus, which is much
nearer the Pacific than the Atlantic, the railway
descends the valley of Rio Grande and goes 10
Panama, the capital of the State CITY of sixteen
thousand inhabitants. The Rio Grande flows into
the Gulf of Panama two miles to the west of the
town. Inc total length OF the lSthmuS railway is
seventy-four kilometres or forty marine miles
The route of the inter-oceanic canal resembles
closely that of the railway. Without doubt the
railway will be powerful auxiliary for the ex-
ecution of the works, for CARRYING to the spot
the workmen and materials. Commencing at the
northeast of Simons Bay where dam will be
constructed, the Canal will join the mouth of the
Rio Grande, and piers built on the bottom will
prolong the channel TO the Perico and uamemo
Islands. At this last place a tide gate would
probably be necessary to oppose the action of the
tides of the Gulf of Panama, where the sea rises
six metres during the Spring tides. The canal
will have total length of seventy three kilo-
metres or thirteen maritime leagues. a minimum
depth of eight-metres fifty, minimum breadth of
twenty-five metres at the bottom: the surface
width would be variable on account of the nature
of the soil allowing slopes more or less steep gen
orally 1t would be about fifty metres. The largest
curves would have radius of from two to three
metres. Like the Suez Canal, the Panama one
would be single route, if one can thus express
that ships can only pass each other at certain
points.
1t is well understood that the canal must be on
a constant level and open (without locks or tun-
nels). Tho chain of mountains or rather hills
which have 10 be cut through do not exceed eighty
river Chagres in the rainy season will inundate
serious obstacle. Its course must be diverted into
another valley, or gorge in its own valley must
be closed by a large dam as to form an i'm
mense reservoir more than sufficient TO hold the
water of the largest flood. This reservoir would
empty itself by regular overflow. Engineers
acqulesee in this last project, and it has been
definitely adopted.