Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-18

level; that its construction would be
attended with no more and probably
with less hazard than one OF locks and
dams on doubtful foundations; that the
sea level canal Is safer and more con-
venient than one with locks; that II
would take but little longer time to
build that It is the simpler and the
more economical In operation and
maintenance.
The estimates Of the minority and
the majority of the board Of consult-
ing engineers on the time that would
be required to excavate the different
types Of canal, are reviewed and the
majority report concludes that the sea
level canal would not require more
than two or three years more than
the lock type.
Make Light Of Risks
Risks encountered in the operation
OF the sea level canal are made light
of by the report, which says the Gam
boa dam would be ready to control the
Chagres floods; that the Culebra exca-
walton Is half finished and the balance
of the excavation in the prism and be-
low sea level could 60 on without in
terruption. When the Chagres is sub
dued and controlled and the sea level
canal made, it's use will be attended
with no more IlSk t0dn equal SAIL
ing distance in the oceans.
A chapter is devoted TO the locks
and dams proposed by the minority
report of the consulting engineers and
these are asserted to be an elemen-
tary danger. The various accidents to
which such mechanism might be sub
jected are recounted and the report
asserts that these hazards can be
avoided by the small sacrifice of time
necessary to the construction at sea
level
only Eight Hours Required
The claim is made by the report
that ships of all classes could be passed
through the sea level canal in eight
hours and half that time would be
consumed in passing ships through
locks alone. The cost of annual MAIN
tenance is estimated at 81 $40, 900 for the
sea level and $2,3300OO for the lock
type.
Discussing the advantage of the sea
level canal to the country controlling
it In time of war the report says:
"If free from all obstacles to quick
transit one hundred warships of aver
age size. moving in one direction, route
clear could be passed from ocean to
ocean in less than day.
"All naval commanders and CONNER
cial masters of the great national and
private vessels of the world are almost
to a man opposed unalterably to the
introduction of any lock to lift vessels
over the low summit that nature has
left for us to remove"
Might Destroy Lock Canal
The majority argues that an enemy
could destroy lock canal much easier
than q sea level canal with explosives. |
The ultimate final cost of the sea
level canal as estimated by the major
ity is $3.50, 900, 900, while the cost of the |
lock Is regarded as uncertain.
The minority of the board of con-
sulting engineers estimated the cost at
S139, 705,20O. and to this the majority
say should be added the interest on
the extra cost of maintenance, the ex-
penses of clearing the titles to the 49,
600 acres of land that would be SUBJ |
merged by the central lake proposed |
by the lock plan which, it is estimated, |
would make the total cost at least |
$3.50, 900.
The cost of Transforming the lock
canal plan into a sea level canal, after
the former is completed, is estimated at
$500, 100000.
In conclusion the majority say: |
your committee feels entirely conf
dent that the board of consulting en-
gineers selected to study this problem
has submitted plan that responds In
every respect to the condition stated |
above and that the sea level can be |
realized in ten or eleven years at a
cost not to exceed $50, ,000, 900 above that !
required for the construction of the /
multi-lock canal proposed by the mi
nority.''