Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-20
FOR WORK ON CANAL
War Department Asks for
Sixteen Million Dollars.
FUTURE OF LIMON BAY
DESTINED TO BE ONE OF THE
WORLDS GREAT HARBoRs.
How the Floods of the Rio Grande
and It's Branches Are to
Be Avoided.
FUTURE OF LIMON BAY

An estimate of 10000, 900 for continuing
work. on the Panama canal has been sent
TO the Treasury Department from the War
Department, to be sent to Congress
The estimate of S16,00O,O0o is for expend-
itures up to and including the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1907. A part of this money
will be necessary at once and an energ-
ency appropriation will be asked as soon as
Congress convenes in order that the work
may proceed. It is stated at the offices of
the commission today that unless money is
provided as soon as Congress conyenes all
work must cease. The estimate is made
without regard to the proposal to issue
bonds.
Advocates of a lock canal have not yet
despaired of securing the construction of
such canal. notwithstanding the fact that
the consulting engineers have decided In
favor of a sea-level canal 1t is pointed
out that the final decision rests with the
President. and that the matter of time and
expense will be considered by him very
carefully. 1t is also known that the Presi-
dent Is very anxious to have the work COM
pleted at an early date, and for that reason
he is believed to favor a lock canal
strong minority report in favor of lock
canal will be made by the five engineers
who disagreed with the majority.
To Meet at Brussels.
The board of consulting engineers of the
isthmian canal commission have decided
to substitute Brussels for Paris as the
meeting place of the foreign members next
January. The reason for this decision is
that Brussels is more conveniently situated
for several of the members. The American
engineer who will go to Brussels with the
documents to be signed has not yet been
chosen A committee of three members of
the board with Gen. Davis as their chair
man. will meke this week a rough draft of
the final report, which will then have to be
worked out In detail and Is expected to be
ready about the end of December
The sea-level canal, which has been voted
upon by the members, will have a width
at the bottom of $50 feet, except In the
Culebra cut where that width will be 200
feet The greater width in the Cufebra
cut Is necessary to allow two shtps to mass
each other safely between the high banks
OF the canal which will be formed by the
very deep excavation.
The cost of the sea-Ieyei canal is estt
mated by the engineers at about $780,
900.
Future of San CristobaI.
The plan as adopted by the board would
make Limon bay one of the greatest har-
bors of the world. Almost through the
middle of the bay breakwater will be
built and a shorter breakwater will be
built from San Cristobal, which is Ameri-
can territory, thereby leaving Colon, which
belongs to the republic of Panama, outside
Of the American canal works Under the
plan as adopted by the board San Girls
tobdl is expected to become the chief civ
of the Atlantic side of the canal, and the
promontory Oh which arises the statue of
Columbus will be covered with official
buildings, docks, coaling stations and all
the works necessary for an important
harbor.
The canal constructed by the French be-
gan at San Cristobal 1t is now proposed
by the board to build short direct canal
from Mindt to Limon bay thereby making
the distance shorter by a few hundred
yards and also facilitating navigation and
making 1t possible for ships to sail into the
canal without having to make any difficult
turns.
The breakwaters necessary for the form
alton of this harbor of San Cristobal VIII
be an item OF great expense. They were
the subject of long discussions in the
meetings of the board. They would have
been necessary, however, In case lock
canal had been chosen.
On the Pacific Side.
On the Pacific side at Panama the plans
as adopted 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
Grande with its many branches crosses
the canal and In the rainy season mandates
1t and does great damage to the works
already constructed by the French There
fore 1t was decided that the canal should
be built nearer to the city of Panama and
should run between two hills, ore called
Sosa and the other the well-known Ancon
Ancon is the higher of the two. On 1t the
American hospitals are built and it is one
of the most healthy places on the isthmus
At this place the one lock. necessitated
through The difference in the tides of the
Atlantic and Pacific 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 officers and other authori-
ties and furthermore during a large part
of the day this lock Will be entirely open, 4
as the levels of both oceans will be equally
high. At the Panama side no plans have
as yet been made for breakwaters
The plans for constructing q lock canal
at thirty feet altitude were never dis
cussed, and from the beginning the board
was divided into two groups. of eight and
five members, one In favor of the sea level
plaI and the other in favor of a lock canal.
A compromise plan was never brought up
at any time.
1t can be authoritatively reiterated that
none of the foreign delegates to the board
came here with specific instructions from
their governments. The members of the
board came here at the invitation of the
United States and their governments gave
them long leave OF absence so that they
might give their services to this country,
sending them without any instructions
whatever They will leave Washington by
next Sunday and stay few days In New
fork before leaving for Europe
Gen. Davis, chairman Of the board of
consulting engineers. will entertain the
foreign delegates at a farewell dinner at
his home tomorrow night