Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-04-18
HE PANAMA WATERWAY.
Course of the Isthmian Canal as
It Lined Out in the
Plans.

According to the plan which the
commissioners recommend, there is to
be a channel 500 feet wide at sea level
from Limon bay, on the Atlantic. or,
rather, the Caribbean sea. to Gatun,
where a dam is to be located. Vessels
are to be lifted over this dam by a
double flight of three locks into an ar
tificial lake which provides unre-
stricted navigation for a large part of
its length. AS the continental divide
is approached the width of the channel
narrows, until, passing through the
Culebra cut, the width at the bottom
is reduced to 200 feet, which is, how
ever, so feet wider than the width of
the bottom provided for in the sea
level proposition. On the Pacific side
of the cut there is lock with a lift
of 30 feet, which will lower vessels
from the level at which they cross the
Culebra cut into another artificial lake
created by a dam which closes the
valley of the Rio Grande river. Then
comes another double flight of two
locks. which will bring the vessel
back to the sea level at the Pacific.
All the locks are to be in duplicate,
and will provide for a disable length
of 900 feet, a width of 95 feet and a
depth over the stills of 40 feet. By
having the locks in duplicate, an acct
dent to one would not block the whole
canal, a very important factor in pro-
uilipo q 90 ipct do1ouc Tho Q06 foot
of length would take any vessels in
existence, as would the 90 feet in
width, although ONE of our war yes.
sells now approximate so feet extreme
beam, and the new Cunarders are to be
almost 80 feet. Under this plan there
would be a considerable proportion of
the canal through lakes with a depth
so great that a fair rate of speed could
be- maintained even by large vessels.
From deep water on the Atlantic to
deep water on the Pacific the lock
canal will be 1872 miles. Of this dis
lance 1912 miles will be in a channel
over 1000 feet wide, % miles over 800
feet wide, and only IA miles less than
300 feet wide. The commission argues
that everything proposed for this plan
of canal falls within the everyday
practice of engineers except the height
and size of the dams and the size of
the locks
The majority OF the engineers feared
the permanency of the dams, but The
minority, which included American en-
gineers who have had great experience
in dam construction, believe that such
structures can be built with safety and
that the objections raised by the ma
jority can be overcome. Admittedly,
the locks are larger than any which
have ever hitherto been built. The ma
iority of the engineers believe they are
beyond the limit of prudent design;
but the commissioners held that such
locks can be constructed. and they ar
que as follows: "A modern bridge of
long spar is a safer structure than a
short span bridge of former days, be-
cause of better knowledge of the ma
terial and improved methods of max
ing them. SO the proposed locks can
be made safer than the Poe lock at the
Sault, because they are designed after
years Of practical experience
with that lock, an experience which
shows it to be a safe place for a YES
sell The course of the lock canal is
thar that on the sea-level
route, and there will be no current in
the former to hamper navigation.
Concerning the difference in time
which will be required to pass through
the sea level or the lock canal, the COM
missioners admit that with small ships
the sea level ronte makes the better
showing, but for large ships the lock
would render, in the commission
ers' opinion, more rapid service. The
sea level route would be he less eX-
to maintain of the two, If the
cost of interest on the bonds for cost of
construction be omitted. 1t is figured
that the canal, with locks, will cost for
maintenance, $500, 900 a year. The sea
level canal could be run for $500, 900 a
year less; but ii the increased cost OF
the sea level canal be added, ever on a
two per cent. basis, the cost of the lat
ter plan, so the commissioners figure,
be 81, $40 1000 a year more han
that of the canal with locks. =
The point has been made that in Kase
Of war the lock canal could be e3.ily
destroyed by a lew sticks of dynamite:
but so, too. could the sea level cd1al,
md the latter could be Absolutely
blocked by the sinking of a single Les
sell. The best recommendation is Est
the canal be made neutral. which e
commissioners believe is the true