New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-02
CANAL ENGINEERS MEET.
m DISCUSS PANAMA CUT.
Then Hill Decide Question Of Sea
LeUeL or Lock Canal.

washington, Sept IA notable board OF
Engineers assembled here to-day on the request
e president Roosevelt to determine the relative
feasibility Of a sea level or lock canal at Fan
ems Constituting the consulting board of en-
,,eers for the canal plan, these men. gathered
t-on, both America and Europe, were picked
tron, among those foremost in their profession
The first of the meetings at which they VIII
erapple with the great problem began this
morning in a small room in the office bullolns
If the Isthnian Canal Commission
The proceedings We're opened by the reading
.. the letter of the President calling them to-
eether. and a letter from Chairman Shonts OF
tho Commission, which gives IN detail the pur-
noses for which the engineers convened In
the Presidents order it is called the Consulting
Board of Engineers" but the letter of Chair
man Shonts is addressed to the ADVISORY
Board Of Engineers upon Plans for the Panama
Canal" Mr. Shonts's letter in part says:
In accordance with the directions of the Pres
Ident dated April /, 1905, the Isthmian Canal
commission has the honor to lay before you
physical data concerning the Isthmus of Pan
anna. and TO solicit your opinion as TO the best
plan to be followed in the completion of the
Panama Canal within reasonable limits OF COST
and time IT,,
AS you are aware, this question has been the
subject OF prolonged and elaborate study ior
many years by numerous able engineers -
vast amount of labor has been expended IN tile
collection of information concerning the physics
Of the sthmus and in digesting 1t ana 1oFH4u4@'
ing ii into plans for the canal
During the last year additional surveys anu
observations have been made upon the lsIniluS.
the results Of which laid before you IL may
be stated here In general terms that me mo IL
nation which they furnish does not lnNol'e any
radical change In the plans previously lay Gu Gu
Among the observations alluded 10 Ma? Oe ~
Guided the experience of the last year III e IA
waiting the CuIebra cut from which some OF our
engineers have drawn unWarranteo CoLtc Ioiis
to the probable cost of the WORK heIe rs
~ ,l,;o IN
that the unit prices used in previous estimates
too high, or that the estimate OF me uIIle
required for completing the work was TOO liberal
Nevertheless, this experience has peen usea as
argument in favor of sea Level caiial' winch
plan had been condemned by the Two coLlis-
sions mentioned above It becomes necessary 10
consider once more the sea level canal scheme
The plan described in the first pamphlet
which is submitted among other papers, is the
one which was adopted by Congress-at least by
inference-in the act approved June IS lSo2 1t
is the plan under which the work Is now pro-
crossing and under which all work of construc-
ton has been done since the United States &C
Quired the property. 1t closely resembles the
plan of the conlite technique, described in the
second pamphlet, in many essential particulars,
but differs from it in the height of the Bohio
dam and the important results which flow there
from The advantages which its authors eX-
pected to derive from this change were:
F1rst-To take fuller advantage Of the topog-
rsphy Of the country by which it was possible
10 make the Gigantic spillway automatic instead
OF mechanical, and adequate for the discharge
Of the greatest floods, with only one channel
Second-To increase the distance Of lake navi-
CATION from seven TO nearly thirteen miles.
Third-To reduce the estimated cost Of the
canal by about $4,000 600
The disadvantage of the change is the some
what greater difficulties in constructing the
higher dam and the locks of greater lift-diffi-
culties, however, which are by no means in
superable.
A disadvantage which the two plans have in
common is that the rapid developments of naval
architecture make it difficult to determine the
proper dimensions of the lock chambers. 1t is TO
be considered, however that up to the present
time such development has not been greatly
hampered by deficient depth in the harbors Of
the world, and that development hereafter will
have that obstruction TO contend with More
over. It is not possible dispense with locks
entirely Even with the sea level canal a tide
lock VIII be required at the Panama end.
In addition TO the plan above mentioned. a
pamphlet has been prepared by Mr. Linon W.
Bates. which gives in outline a. sketch of a
plan proposed by him. which is interesting on
account Of its novelty. and is, therefore, laid
before you. It does not give detail enough for
a close analysis nor for estimates of cost. To
obtain this extensive additional surveys TO oc-
cupy at least years time. would be necessary.
A paper has been submitted to the President
by Mr.. Bunau- VarIa- which explains a method
By which a canal constructed at first with locks
may be subsequently altered to a sea level canal
This paper Is also submitted for your considera-
ton
Mr.. Shonts at this point calls attention to that
portion of the act of Congress which prescribes
the physical features of the pronOsed canal and
directs that the work already done shall be
utilized as far as possible. He concludes his
letter as follows:
The commission expects to visit the Isthmus
Of Panama, sailing from New-York during the
last week in September, the exact date TO be
fixed hereafter. You are cordially invited to &C
company them.
by Offering several well digested plans has been
adopted because it seemed TO me the method
by which all essential information could be con-
veyed IN the most condensed possible form. It
Is needless TO say that the commission desigad
your opinion only upon these plans, but
upon any variation of them. or upon any entirely
different plan which may suggest itself to you.
Il requests your views as TO what plan II is most
eXpedient all things considered for the United
States TO follow in the completion Of the Panama
Canal
The afternoon session spent largely in
discussing the place OF holding the sessions of
the board. a number were IN favor of New
York. but others, including the foreign mem
beTs. declared themselves earnestly in favor of
Washington. and it was determined that the
meetings should be held in this city sug
gestion was made that the meetings should be
public. but this was decided in the negative
An executive committee. consisting of General
Davis and Nessrs. Burr and Parsons, was Gre
ated TO have charge Of general affairs Of the
board. The meeting adjourned until II g. m
Tomorrow
Chairman Shonts entertained the members Of
the board and the isthmian commission at din
Ger tonight at the Chevy Chase Club.