Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-09-02

ffice building of the isthmian
 canal commission. The proceedings
 were opened by the reading of the let
 ter of the president calling them to-
 gether and letter from Chairman Shonts of the commission, which gives in detail the purposes for which the
 engineers are convened. Tn the presi-
 dents order 1t is called the consult
 ing board of engineers, . but the letter
 of Chairman Shonts is addressed to
 the advisory board of engineers upon
 plans for the Panama canal" The let
 ter in part says:
 the president, dated April 1, 1905, the isth-
 mian canal commission has the honor to
 lay before you physical data concerning
 the isthmus of Panama and to solicit
 lowed in the completion of the Panama
 time.
 :, As you are aware this question has been
 study for many years by numerous able
 engineers. A vast amount of labor has
 been expended in the collection of in-
 formation concerning the physics of the
 
 Ing It into plans for the canal.
 During the last year additional surveys ana observations have been made upon the isthrnus, the results of which are fald general terms that the information which they furnish does not involve any radical change in the plans previously favored. Among the observations alluded to may pc Included the experiences of the last year in excavating the Culebra cut. from which some of our engineers have drawn unwarranted conclusions as to the prob Rble cost of the work There Is nothing that the unit prices used in previous esti- mates were too high or that the estimate of the time required for completing the work was too liberal. Nevertheless this In favor of sea level canal, which plan had been condemned by the two commis- sions mentioned above. It becomes neoes- sary to consider once more the sea level
 The plan described in the first pamphlet (which Is submitted among other papers) Is the one which was adopted by congress rat least by inference-in the act approv- cd June B. 1902. It Is the plan under which the work Is now progressing and under which all work of construction has been done since the United States acquir- ed the property. It closely resembles the plan of the comite technique. described In the second pamphlet in many essen- tial particulars, but differs from 1t in the height of the Pohio dam and the impor- tant results which flow therefrom. The Advantages which its authors expected to derive from this change were:
 Ftrst.-To take fuller advantage of the topography. of the country. by which 1t was possible to make the Gigante spill adequate for the discharge of the great sst Hoods. with only one channel to the l tea instead of two.
 Second.-To increase the distance of | thirty miles.
 Thfrd.-To reduce the estimated cost of i he canal by about SIS, 900. GOO.
 Tns aSsasysntags Sf the change !. the ng the higher dam and the locks of | 'rNater lift-difficulties. however. which [ Ire by no means insuperable. ave in common is " that the e rapiS u dsysl. SIls pments of naval architecture make it ! imcult to determine the proper dimen- ions Of the lock chambers. It is 10 be | mt time such development has not been | realty hampsred by deficient depth in he harbors of the world. and that devei- pment hereafter will have that obstruc- ion to contend with. Moreover, 1t is not ossible to dispense with locks entirely, sven with the sea level canal tide lock I'll be required at the Panama end
 Tn addition to the plan above mention. .inon W. Bates which gives in outline a ketch of plan proposed by him which interesting on account of its novelty nd is therefore laid before you It does ot give detail enough for a close analysls or for estimates of cost. To obtain this xtensive additional surveys to occupy at asst years time would be necessary. A paper has been submitted to the pres lent by F. Bunau-Narilla which explains
 method by which a canal constructed ETst with locks may be subsequently tered to sea level canal. This paper so is submitted for your consideration.
 Mir. Shonts at this point calls atten- on to that portion of the act of con- ress which prescribes the physical satures of the proposed canal andrdi- ects that the work already done shall Q utilized as far as possible. He con. udes his letter as follows: The commission expects to visit the isth. us Of Panama sailing from New York tact date to be fixed hereafter You are rdtally invited to accompany them. This method Of presenting the subject
 you by offering several well dIgAsted ans has been adopted because It seern-
 10 be the method by which all essen- II infofmation could be conveyed in the ost condensed possible form 1t is need ss 10 say that the commission desired 'ur opinion not only upon these plans, It upon any variation of them or un9n Iy entirely different plan which nav xgest itself 70 yo1- n requests your ews as 70 what plan tt Is most expedi- (. ati things epnsidered. for the United atss 10 follow In the completion Of the mama canal.
 The affernoSn session was spent rgely in diseiIssion of the place sf 'lding the sefsions of the board. A lmber were in favor of New York. 1t others, incIbdinR the foreign mem. 'rs. declared Themselves earnestly in vor of Washington. and 1t was de rmined that the meetings should be 10 in this city. A suggestion was ade that the meetings should be pub :. but this was decided in the mega re. An erecuffve committee consist g of Messrs. Davis. Burr and Par I ms was created to have charge of z neral affairs of the board. The |" eeting adjourned until II o'clock fhi. 2 1rning. ChaiFtnan Sbouts entertain \.
 the members of the board and the <, hmisn commission at dinner st ths si <