Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-28
The President and a Lock Canal.

All present indications point to the disap-
prevail by the President of the sea-level
canal project, recently recommended by the
board of consulting engineers There are
strong reasons why the President, Who
above all else, wants practicable water
way constructed at Panama within the least
possible time compatible with good results.
should take issue with the experts who
have gone on record in favor of the more
expensive and more Understanding plan.
In the first place. the sea-level scheme Is
comparatively a new one, a development
since the United States definitely took holo
of the enterprise, with determination 10
push il TO completion. Heretofore there
has been only an occasional tentative sug-
gestion of Underwater canal, save IN the
case of the Darien route, which involved the
fantastic project of boring a hole through
the mountain range.
But the main reasons against the sea-level
plan are, first, that it will be much more
expensive and without any present data for
closely estimating the probable cost; sec
ond. that it will require much longer In exc
cution. and again without means of learn
ing how much longer Thus there are
against the sea-level project both the ele-
ments of time and expense. and also the
element of vagueness. And 1t is always to
be remembered that a sea-level canal VIII
require locks to adjust the traffic to the
differing tidal levels of the two oceans.
Another powerful reason which operates
against pressing the sea-level plan upon
the attention of Congress is that this propo-
sition is certain to be strongly opposed by
the legislators, some of whom Will resist II
because they want canal, and some be-
cause they do not want one. The tried and
true friends of the canal who are not con-
yerted TO the sea-level scheme will oppose
the additional grants for that method or
construction for reasons of both economy
and time. The opponents of the canal, who
succeeded for so many years In delaying
action, will eagerly seize upon this excuse
for further delay and debate Thus the
safest course for those who want the canal
dug within the life of the present genera
ton is to propose no new plans, but to stand
pat on the case as It Is now outlined.
There is no lack of sound engineering
sentiment adverse to the sea-level method.
OF the board OF consulting engineers five
foreigners. two Americans and the nom
expert chairman voted in favor of sea-levei
work. One of the foreigners was lukewarm
this subject. really favoring a compro-
Use level of thirty feet. Against the sea-
level plan were five American engineers.
With these five are now ranged the mem
beers of the present isthmian canal commits
sion, the Secretary of War and the Presi-
dent OF the members of the commission
three are engineers of high repute, with
long experience in canal Investigations, and
with them strongly stands Chief Engineer
Stevens who. as conditions now govern, is
to DO the work of construction.
The great weight of American en-
gineering sentiment is strongly in favor of a
lock canal. as not only cheaper and more
quickly built. but more practicable as a
working proposition. The President 1t is
understood, is needing these facts, and If
he recommends the rejection of the sea-level
route he will be in the strongest possible
position before Congress and the country.