Newport daily independent., 1906-04-16
THE PANAMA's ' h4'1A NAvIGATION OF; THE R1ROPOSGD
 1srHH1AS wAfEnfAr'
Som. Interesting P.rticul lss.-, of It. Construction and Probable Lsngth of Tims Tt
 Vii, Take.

To maxe il possibls to pass s sho tTosu ocean }o oceau. sseu by ntgh ,evei design. will, WGnrc fi0m six tp sight cara. aad by onc 2: ssn ieye' ten years, 'IONsh possibly i3 WhtcA of tue two types. ali ti.iuss considered, k the better Is s Na.'sttpn rsq'dcins grtat th0Hsht For lhe proper answer writes William B9TcyaE ,-!'srsons, tu Cent;1ry,, On ,'.e qna hand. taers ara F:s ssQuics,a. .& greatly ;norAased invest ent Of capital and some ,Iel.y in titns, sltho"sa the latter in thsNiite If such ah en nlerprise .t DrobabIg of sma! amount. Tae ae"i3tns factor viii proSAbiy he tie praett"at nSefnsn2ss of the type whsn eeupietei No mat- ter what tue design. tne .ta',ai es,nno'. bo aavigated its 5n'iga length by large steamers wi ri sh& freedom that thsy pass un and down broad river. yf is plated that the width of the canal at tue bottom shsl, be about iSA fset. giving a width OR the surface df from 200 to $50 feet, accordiug 10 the Hat aess of the side slopes. dependent- oe tha varying iSoaf character of he rock or earth through which the canal will bs dug, AS large modern steamers aava beam of T5 fset. it is ebvio,ss that two such vessels cannot nass each other in ths regular channel
 On arriving at either terminus the oS,4 S~ff kAa s1a iA.p xf Af for a permit t0 pass, and, if she be IA sailing vessel, for 8 tug to take her through. After an inspection the talk ing on of coal. supplies and u ptlot, and being measured for and paying toll charges. the vessel vii. then receive an ocder entitlinK hor to proceed. This order will be like a tratn order on a single-track railway giving authority to go to a certain point, and there either to meet and pass ship coming from the other end or ID draw t0 one side and permit tt,s other ship to pass. or to get other orders to proceed fur ther The passing Of ships will ba ar ranged by constructing sidings;' that Is. widenngs Of the channel into which a vassel can draw and moor to clusters ot piles. When the passing is made the vessel then advances to the next siding where & vessel is expected all Of which will ne controlled by teie- graphic orders from central dis DatChar'S office where there vii! be & chart showing the exacr position of any ship at any time, corrected tu- stantly by adVicfs received from the local stations. Along the banks thera will be Semaphore signals by day and lights by night. iadicating the position of distractions or vessels ahead. so az to prevent collisions.
 On arriving at lock the steameg pie to the small canal locks with which the reader is familiar. but vast ly larger. These locks will have 2 length of about .0O0 feet and a " d tl in the clear of 100 feet, in order 70 ac- c0mmodate not only the steamers 80G feet long now building. but to allow Tor s'iGh increase ill size as may be realized. The gates closing the locks at ftA downstream end viii have 2 height equal to the depth Of the cana. hA height to lift. and say, ten feet aJ surplus, or a total of T5 10 perhaps f},t feet, according to imen sions far iR excess of those of any other lock gates in the world. As sOOr J; the lock is entered and he shir 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 os drawn off into the lower as the vessel i5 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 -!eafed banana trees set out ip regular rows in plantations On arriv- ing at the far terminus the pilot is dropped and the vessel disappears at sea.