Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-17
WHY A LOCK CANAL2
ADVANTAGE IN FREEDOM OF
LAKE NAVIGATION, SAYS TAFT.
Secretary Taft, in the Century.

Secretary Taft in the Century.
The great advantage of the lock canal
over the sea-level project is the freedom
OF lake navigation in the lock canal. Tho
difference between the two plans was weH
shown by Senator Knox during his able
argument on the subject at the last session
OF the Senate by the exhibition of a man
drawn to a scale in which the sea level
canal was superimposed on the lock canal
and the differences in width were shown. ,
The objections to the lock canal as pro.
tected are, first, that the Gatun dam.
which makes the Gatun lake and the
dams which form the Sosa lake, being
constructed of earth, are to be placed on
foundations that will render them unstable,
second, that the locks to be erected ex.
coed anything known in size and weight Of
machinery and that most serious acci-
dents might occur which would certainly
stop the traffic of the canal for days and
months, and might go to the extent OF
putting the canal out of commission for,
years; third, that the locks are an OBJ.
structlon to navigation and would much
delay the steamers; fourth. that both the
locks and dams of the lock canal are
peculiarly subject to disturbances and de-
struction by earthquakes; fifth, that the
lock canal is much more easily put out OF
commission by an enemy in time of war,
or by a malicious person through the use
of dynamite or high explosives.
The Popular Idea.
If the question Of the type of the Pan.
ANA canal had been submitted without
argument to the people of this country, L
have no doubt that Overwhelming MAJ
jority would have voted In favor of the
construction of canal at sea level. A.
majority of the members of both houses
Of Congress were also in favor of a sea-
level canal until the question was pre-.
sulting engineers. and until they heard the
arguments of the members who had made
close investigation Of the subject
The reason for this opinion is obvious.
It is easier to walk on the level or sail on
the level than 1t is to go upstairs. espe.
cially when going upstairs involves the
construction and of enormous masses
of masonry and nice and somewhat COM
plicated machinery.
But the question presented as to the type
of the Panama canal involves not the gen.
eral proposition that sea-level canal was
better than a lock canal, which Is axiomatio,
but the issue whether a particular sea-level
canal of certain width, depth, curvature
and current, constructed under the condfs
lions which prevail in Panama, and at tho
site selected, was better than a lock canal
of certain width and depth. projected at
the same place and under the same condt-
tons.
Width and Currents.
The sea-level canal, as projected is to
De ~ rect deep, Ieet VIDE across the
bottom in EARTH with sloping banks 50
as to make it's width vary from 800 to 400
feet on the surface and 200 feet in roclk
with a width at the surface of Dos feet,
so that the sides in rock are virtually
vertical.
The amount in rock slightly exceeds that
in EARTH but for practical purposes half
of the land canal is $50 feet across the
bottom and half of 1t is 200 feet. In order
to avoid great excavation, both types OF
canal have considerable curvature The
curvature of the course in the lock canal
ours mainly In lakes in which the channel
generally exceeds 800 feet in width. and for
much Of the way reaches 1000 feet.
The curvature in the sea-level canal Is,
however of the utmost Importance be-
cause ii is so narrow, and at times the
current must be considered. From shore
line to shore line the curvature Of the
sea level canal is about A per cent of the
whole distance and is nearly IA degrees
per mile and for % miles toward the At
lantic shore from the point where the water
of the Chagres river is to be taken into
the canal, the curvature is SO per cent OF
the distance, and averages nearly IL degrees
per mile.
The curves are made long, and as gentle,
as possible, but they are to be considered
in connection with the possible current In
the canal produced by the water which 10
to be let into the canal from the streams
of the valley through which the canal is 70,
t4I