New-York tribune., 1908-12-08
CHANGE In CANALPLANS
Reconsideration of Sea LeUeI D'tch
asked By II. G. Granger.

&c, eao level Canal at Panama. Study OF It's
Deslrability Feasibility. is the title OF paper
| to be read by Henry G. Granger. OF Certaseha'
| Colombia before the American Institute OF Mining
/ ENGINEERS at New Haven. Advance reports OF ple
| address have been sent out by MI Grahser "
| members of the institute. Mr. Granger III MS III
PRODUCTION says that nothing in TINS paper Is |"
be understood even suggesting moments sus-
pension of the splendid work now going FORWARD on
the Isthmus of Panama. except SO far as II IS re-
lated to the proposed locks. AL other work alIeady
done and all material purchased or ordered Wouio
| be available for the plan herein proposed. he
then adds:
The situation ana the problem concerned may e be
summarized as follows: Ihe p sGneIne & 0 ado1t
ed as is We'll known on two principal grounds
anr the longer time required for its construction.
Of these the latter is Deeyed TO haTe 0ts t we
diminished the weight OF both, so tna' recon
purpose Of this paper to advocate such recon
sderauon-emphasl SIZING the Importance OF certain
OBJECTIONS TO lock canal not mentioned or not
duly appreciated in the report OF those members
OF the international boarc OF consulting Engineers
Is the Canal Zone TO be forevermore free srom
much would like to- 40 not believe II 1t is
starts through earth dam and is not IN
stanty checked. the entire reservoir VIII cu- lts
way out. 1 am not fully convinced that an earth
quake would injure monster dams 1t is pro
tne masonry OF the locks should be Jared two
incnes out OF plumb, and the pent up hundreos. OF
millions OF tohs OF water should rush to elmer
ocean Can the locks be built so as to resume
OF crumbled masonry and twisted steel result re-
curing year or two to repair? -,,or+1,, af+or
the opening of the canal would mean that years of
time ana vast sums of money wasted.
But il 1t occurred twenty or even years later,
when millions of people depended for their HyeIl,
hood on the commerce through the canal, Il would
entail also worldwide loss and disaster There
might be no Likelihood OF immediate Panama
locK-tailure but the danger would be real and ever
It is commonly reported that the French plans
and estimates assumed the existence at certain 6i
based upon the evidence Of dIi holes zoe rev rif IN
thus reached At all events, the american @ engl-
them have indicated unmstakably the continuance
greater degree of cerfainf Than had previously been
99ust3ed! snG engfneers JyoTd generally accept it
as warrantng the continued prosecution OF Ine
present plan, If no other plan were available: FOR
some risks must be taken every such work; and
all that can be expected of the most sklltuI ana
prudent engineer is that he shall reduce such
risks to minimum by every practicable means
ton is OF choice between two plans it is far
to point out that with regard to one OF the two
risks still from which the other is 1ree.
And in this spirit would suggest that the ascer-
pable of bearing the constructions here conrem-
plated, does not wholly exclude the possI6l9ty OF
unforeseen disasers-especiaIIy such as are que 10
unknown ssbterranean water courses. .
that in the case Of the proposed Panama locks
and dams ti}e risk Of an insecure foHndac0n can
tiCn afterward on the present plan the eX-
dams can be completed. But a sea-level canal.
practically al excavation this proposition has an
entirely different meaning. From that standpoint
the surprising improvement in excavation already
achieved under American engineers, and any pos
sble further Improvement, become at once new
factors, emitting the old problem to fresh con
SderdtiOn.
The official report in favor of lock canal de-
that IL. reasonable to hope for an
average excavation for the entire work Of lz5lgo9
cubic yards month, which would require lo.2
years for the completion of sea-leyel canal, ana
estimated, for safety, mot less than twenty years
as the time required for that purpose. The pres
ent monthly excavation is nearly three times the
amount thus hoped for: and although a con
siderable part of it is auxiliary work. so that II
cannot be claimed that the actual execution OF
this part Of the lockcanal design is advancing at
nearly three times the expected rate. think the
figures show what is already practicable N the
removal of material and may therefore be adopted
as basis for estimating the progress of a sea-
Ie2eI canal for which all such excavations would
be directly a part of the work itself
Since later experience has already shown that
| the construction of a sea-level canal would not
cost so much or take so long estimated
when that plan was rejected, anything which rea-
sonably promises a further removal of those OBJ
| isctiOnS deserves hearing now.