The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-11-29
THE PANAMA CANAL.
The Report Of the Consulting Engi-
neers Fayors Sea Level Plan.

board Of consulting engineers Of the
Isthmian Canal commission have
decided to substitute Bussels foc Paris
as the meeting place tor the foreign
members next January. The reason
for this decision is that Brussels is
more CONVENIENTLY situated for several
of the membe The American en-
gineer, vino will 60 to Brussels WITH
f~the documents to be sigend has not
yet been chosen. During this week a
committee cf three members OF the
board, with Gen. Davis as their
chairman, will make rough draft OF
the final report, which will then have
to be worked out in detail, and is ex
pected to be ready about the enc of
December. TIE sea level canal, which
has been voted upon by the members
will have width at the bottom of
$50, feet, except in the Culebra cut,
where tat with will be two hundred
feet. The greater width in the Guile
bra cut is necessary to allow two ships
to pass each other safely between the
high banks of the canal, which will
be formed by the very deep excava-
tion.
The plan as adopted by the board
would make Limon Bay one of the
greatest harbors of the world. Al
most through the middle of the bay a
breakwsser will be built from San
Cbristohal. which is Americnl terri
tory, thereby leviDg Colon, which be-
longs to the Republic of Pnm, out
side of the American canal works.
Under the plan as adopted by the
board, San Christobal is expected to
become the chief city of the Atlantic
side of the canal, and the promontory
on which arises the statue Of t;olum-
bus will be covered with official
buildings, docks, coaling stations and
all the works necessary for an impor-
taut harbor.
TIE canal CONSTRUCTED by the French
begins at San Caristobal. 1t is now
proposed by the board to build short
direct canal from Midi to Llmou Bay,
thereby making the distance shorter
by few hundred yards and also 1acili-
tating navigation and making it posi-.
BILE for ships to sail into the canal
without having to make any difficult
turns.
The bfeakwaters necessary for the
formation Of this harbor of San Chris
tobal will be an item of great expense.
They were the subject of lengthy
discussions in the meeting Of tbs
board. They would have.been neces-
sary, however. in case a lock canal
had been chosen.
On the Pacific side at Panama the
plans as adopted yesterday are also
different from those of the French
Canal Company. The French canal
ends at La Boca, and it was found as
one of the difficulties that the Rio
Graude with it's many barnches crosses
the canal, and in the rainy season
mandates it and does great damage
to the works already constructed by
the French. Therefore it was decided
shat the canal should be built nearer
to the city of Panama and should run
between tcahills, one called Sosa and
the other the we'll known Ancon.
Ancon is the higher of the two: On
it the Anne rican hospitals are built and
it is one of the most healthy places on
the Isthmus. At this place the one
lock. necessitatedthrough the difference
in the tides of the Atlantic and Pacl-
fic. will be built This lock. however,
will not retard the progress OF ships
through the canal. In the first place
ships coming from the Pacific will
have to stop some time anyway to be
visited by health Offices and other au-
thorities and furthermore during a
large part Of the day this lock will
be entirely open as the levels Of both
oceans Will be equally high.> At the
Panama side no plans have as yet been
made for breakwaters.
T The plan for constructing lock
canal at thirty feet altitude were
never discussed and from TIE beginning
the beard was divided into two groups
of eight and FIVE members one in favor
of The sea level pain and the other IN
faryor of q lock canal. A compromise
plan was never brought up at any
time.
It can be authoritatively reiterated
that nope of the foreign delegates to
the board came here with specific in
structions from their Governments.
The members of the board came here
at the bidding of the United States
and their Governments gave them a
long leave of absence so that they
might give their services to this coun-
try sending them without any instruc-
tions whatever They will leave
Washington by next Sunday and stay
few days in New York before leaving
for Europe.
Ou Tuesday night next Gen. Davis
chairman of the board Of consulting
engineers, will entertain the foreign
delegates at a farewell dinner at his
home.
The cost of the sea- level canal is es-
timated by the engineers at about
$3.50, 900, coo. Although this amount
seems much larger than the amount
| necessary for the construction OF the
lock canal, it is claimed by the advo-
| Gates of the sea level plan to be in
reality comparatively slightly higher;
It was pointed out in the meetings OF
the board that a lock canal would nee
essitate between $50. 600. coo and $40,
600, 900 as payment for pivate grounds
| and the lands belonging to the Re
public of Panama, which would be