Newport daily independent., 1905-11-09
THE PANAMA CANAL
ANNEXATION OF THE PROPOSED
 rsTHMIAN WATERWAY.
Some Interesting Particulars of Its Construction and Probable Length of Time It
 Will Take.

To make it possible to pass ship from ocean to ocean, even by high level design, will require from six to eight ears, and by one at sea level ten years, though possibly F. Which of the two types, all things considered, is the better is a question requiring great thought for the proper answer, writes William Barclay Parsons, in Century On the one hand, there are required, a greatly increased invest ent of capital and some delay in time, although the latter in the life of such an enterprise is probably of small amount The deciding factor will probably be the practical usefulness of the type when completed, No mat ter what the design, the canal cannot be navigated it's entire length by large steamers with the freedom that they pass up and down broad the width of the canal at the bottom shall be about 150 feet. giving a width on the surface of from 200 to $50 feet, according to the flat ness of the side slopes, dependent on the varying local character of the rock or earth through which the canal will be dug As large modern steamers have beam of 75 feet. it is obvious that two such vessels cannot pass each other in the regular channel.
 On arriving at either terminus the ship will report to the harbor master for permit to pass, and, if she be a sailing vessel. for tug to take her through. After an inspection, the talk ing on of coal, supplies and a pilot. and being measured for and paying toll charges, the vessel will then receive an order >entitling her to proceed. This order will be like . train order on a singls-track railway, giving authority to so to certain point. and there either to meet and pass . ship coming from the other end or to draw to one side and permit the other ship to pass, or to get other orders to proceed fur ther. The passing of ships will be ar ranged by constructing "sidings;" that is, widenings of the channel into which vessel can draw and moor to clusters of piles. When the passing is made the vessel then advances to the next siding where 8 vessel is expected, all of which will be controlled by tele- graphic orders from central dis pAtcher's office, where there will be a chart showing the exact position of any ship at any time, corrected in- stantly by advices received from the local stations. Along the banks there will be semaphore signals by day and lights by night. indicating the position of Instructions or vessels ahead, so as to prevent collisions.
 On arriving at lock the steamer will find structure similar in princi- pie to the small canal locks with which the reader is familiar, but vast ly larger. These locks will have a length of about 1000 feet and a width in the clear of 100 feet, in order to ac- commodate not only the steamers 800 feet long now building, but to allow for such increase in size as may be realized. The gates closing the locks at the downstream end will have a height equal to the depth of the canal, the height to lift. and, say, ten feet of surplus, or total of 75 to perhaps 100 feet, according to conditions-dimen- sions far in excess of those of any other lock gates in the world. As soon as the lock is entered and the ship made fast so that 1t cannot be moved about by the in or outrushing water and yet may rise or fall with the change of level. the great gates behind her will be closed d water admitted into the lock from the higher level or drawn off into the lower as the vessel is ascending or descending. When the new level is reached the other gates are opened, and once more the vessel continues her journey between banks crowded to the waters edge with the wild tangle of tropical jungle or the lOng-leafed banana trees set out in regular rows in plantations. On arriv- ing at the far terminus the pilot is dropped and the vessel disappears at