Newport daily independent., 1906-05-07
THE PANAMA CANAL
NAVIGATION OF THE PROPOSED
 IsTHMIAN WATERWAY.
Some Interesting Particulars of It's Construction and Probable .~ Length of Time It v''
 Will Take.

To make it possible to pass. ship from ocean to ocean, even by a high level design, will require from six to eight ears, and by one at sea level ten years, though possibly F. WhicE of the two types, all things considered. is the better is a question requiring great thought for the proper answer, writes William Barclay Parsons, la 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 ths freedom that they pass up and down a broad river. It is contemplated that 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 fiat OSSS OL LAO 01uC SlOPSo' ASPSANSAe va the varying local character of the rock or earth through which the canal will be dug. As large modern steamers have a 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 a permit to pass, and, if she be sailing vessel, for tug to take hel through. After an inspection, the talk ing on of coal, supplies and pilot, and being measured for and paying toll charges, the vessel will then receive ar order entitling her to proceed. This order will be like a train order on $ single=track railway, giving authority 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 i which a vessel can draw and moor tc clusters of piles. When the passing is made the vessel then advances to the next siding where a 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 oi 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 a 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 8 length of about 1000 feet and a width in the clear of 100 feet, in order to ac- cOmmodate not only the steamers SOC feet long now building, but to allow for such increase in size as may be realized. The gates closing the lock: at the downstream end will have a height equal to the depth of the cana. the height to lift and, say, ten feet Ol surplus, or total of 75 to perhaps 1CC 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 shir made fast so that it 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 ot 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 a 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 al sea.
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