New-York tribune., 1907-09-08
CANAL PROGRESS.

The encouraging announcement is made that
one-tenth of our work of excavation at Panama
has now been done. That means, ot course
one-tenth of what remained 10 be done Wheii
this country assumed the undertaking, fpr our
French predecessors in all the years of trav-
all and trouble from 1881 TO 1903 eXcavated
not far from four-tenths. At the present time
then. we may reckon the work of excavation
10 be nearly half done How far the auxiliary
works have been pushed is not made known
but it is 10 be assumed that they are keeping
nace as nearly as possible with the digging, so
that the rate Of progress in excavation fairly
indicates the rate on the whole enterprise
II is also highly encouraging to learn that
the largest months excavation on record was
that of August. just past For August is usu-
ally the second or third rainiest month of the
year. averaging. even at the city OF fanamd
seventeen rainy days in the thirty -one and sew
eral more at BOhio and this last August ap-
pears 10 have been even more than ordinarily
wet. Judged hv the amount of precipitation
which was 11.S9 inches. more than one
eighth of the whole years downpour. Remark
able. indeed. has been the increase in the
amount excavated month by month In 1#'f'
with the old French methods still largely en-
ploved only o43.4I2 cubic yards were exca-
waited in eight months. or 80 43i yards month
Mr. Wallace quickly improved upon that and
in the first three months of 1905 eXcavated
27S6S0 yards, or 2,S93 yards month.
Mr.. Stevens improved upon that record, and
now Colonel Goethals has surpassed all former
achievements with 1.274.404 wards last month.
or nearly fourteen times as much as Mr..
Wallace's record and several times the roc
ord of Mr. Stevens year ago. we KNOW
of no reason why the rate of last month should
not be maintained hereafter. If indeed it may
oil Cd Nov V-9s i
mated that in June. 1904: there were 111.2S0o0o
cubic wards to be excavated. Since that time
down 10 the first of the present month, 10
SG3 GS4 yards have been actually taken out
leaving 1O041G316 yards yet 10 be dug. If
tbe work continues at the same rate as last
month therefore, all the excavating VIII be
done in less than seventy-nine months, or 4
trifie over six and a half years
We may recall with some interest in COnuec-
ton with this computation. the fact that IN"
old canal commission. upon the strength or
whose report the unfinished canal was pur-
chased bv the United States. estimated that at
high level such has been adopted. the
canal could be opened for use in eight years
and finished in ten years. At the present rate
of progress that estimate. which was often
laughed at as absurdly optimistic, may he
uretty nearly vindicated and realized. II would
be rash 10 ATTEMPT TO set date for the COM
nIc+ion of the canal. of course, because we
know not what unforeseen and unforeserable
difficulties may arise But barring serious ac-
cidents. and assuming the work on dams. locks.
terminals. etc, TO proceed at equal pace with
the excavation, it seems not unreasonable TO
exnect completion at date not far removed
from that estimated by the commission. II
that exnpctation shall he realized, the nation
will say to the canal builders, Well done.