Norwich bulletin., 1909-02-18

Panama canal, according 70 Lne Opln-
ion expressed by President Roosevelt
in a message transmitting to consres;
today the report made by the engl'
neers who recently visited the cana
zone with President-elect Taft, 'is IL
reality merely an attack upon the pol
dcy OF building any canal at all" the
report. in Mr.. Roosevelfs opinion
shows in elearest fashion that the
congress was wise in the position il
took. and that 1t would be an mex
cusable folly 10 change from the pro-
posed lock canal to a sea level canal
The President to COMPRESS.
'T commend to you," he says to con-
Rress, the most careful consideration
OF the report. They show that the only
criticisms that can be made OF the
work on the isthmus is that there has
sometimes been almost an excess OF
caution in providing against possible
trouble. As to the Gatun dam ITSELF
they show that not only Is the dam
safe but that on the whole the plan
already adopted would make 1t need
lessly high and strong and according
" they recommended that the height
be reduced by twenty feet, which
change in the plans l have according'5
directed"
President Roosevelt says that the
engineers who made the report ARE
of all the men in their profession, with
In or without the United States, the
men who are on the whole best quan-
fed to pass upon these very questions
which they examined"
cstun Dam Approved.
The engineers report that as the
Gatun earth dam was the central point
of discussion, they gave it, under in
structions from Mr.. Taft, first consid-
Grafton ia the light of all new evi-
dence," and they add that the type
or dam now under construction is one
which meets with our unanimous ap-
proval" They say they are satisfied
that there viii be no dangerous or OBJ
1ectioRable seepage through the mate
rlals under the base Of the dam; nor
are they so soft as to be liable to be
pus he'd aside by the weight of the pro-
posed dam 80 as to cause dangerous
settlement. We are also satisfied that
the materials available and which 1t is
proposed to use are suitable and can
be readily placed to form a tight, sta
ble and permanent dam"
Dams and locks, lock gates and all
other engineering structures involved
fn the lock canal project are Feasible
and safe" according to the engineers.
"and they can be depended upon to
perform with certainty their respective
functions" The engineers report that
they do not find any occasion for
changing the type Of canal that has
been adopted. A change to sea level
plan at the present time would add
greatly to the cost and time OF con-
rtruction, without compensating ad-
vantages, either IN capacity of the
canal or in safety Of navigation, anu
hence would be a public misfortune"
I'VE do hnd," they say. "in the de-
tailed designs that have been adopted.
or that are under consideration, some
matters where other arrangements
than those nov considered seem worthy
Of study. As these proposed changes
are Of a tentative nature and do not in
any case affect the main questions
herein discussed, they are not taken
azp In this report"
The engineers assert that the most
practical question in the construction
Of the Gatun dam is the possible Slip
ming and sliding Of the materials un-
dernsath and in the body Of the dam :"
rn regard to this question they have
reached the conclusion that tine de-
align upon which the work is now being
prosecuted abundantly fulfills the re-
qihred degree Of stability and goes far
beyond the limits of what would be
regarded as Bufffcient and safe IN any
less important structure"
In regard to the slips which have
occurred at several times, they assert
that they are "of no serious conse-
uuence, either in the practical execu-
Gicn of the work or in the ultimate sta
bility OF the structures
Having considered the proper height
yor the crest Of the Gatun dam, they
copeiuded that ut could be safely re-
daced twenty feet from that originally
proposed: namely. to an elevation Of
T15 feet above sea level, or thirty feet
shove the normal level Of the water
against the dam" This change, they
eay, @wfll facilitate the work Of con-
atruction and will reduce somewhat the
cost of the proposed work.
Other Proposed Changes.
AS to the change Of the lower locks
nm tha Pacific end Of the canal, from
Ia Boca, on the shore Of Panama bay,
to MirafoTes. about four miles inland,
they report that the settlements which
took place owing to the change cause
no reason to doubt tho stability OF the
proposed dam" This change having
Aoen made because objection might
nc made from a military point Of view
10 placing locks on the shore Of the
Aay, exposed to guns of hostile ships"
tAe board of engineers estimate that
81 will increase the cost by about $10,-
900. 900 but that it will greatly lessen
the cost OF fcrtihcation.
the minimum width of the bottom Of
III canal for about At miles in the
Culebra cut, they estimate will in
crease the cost OF the work by about
$4,000, ,000, but they say il viii not
delay the completion Of the canal,
that IL will permit ships to pass one
another in this portion of the canal,
and will otherwise facilitate naviga-
ton IF slides occur after the COM
petion Of the canal" they say, "the
wider canal IL not as likely to be
blocked as q narrower one"
The engineers approve the change in
the proposed location Of the breakwa-
Ter at the Atlantic end of the canal.
Estimate Of Cost $4,000, 900.
The engineers estimate of the COM
plete cost of the canal is s360.00O, 900.
They say 1t is incorrect to state that
the original estimate of cost was $140,-
COO, 900, as this did not include "sani-
tation and zone government" They
estimate the expense Of sanitation and
gone government at $4,000, 900, while
payments to the republic Of Panama
and to the new Panama Canal Co.
. amount to s5O,000,0o0, which would
make the difference between the pres
ent estimate and the previous estimate
with cost Of sanitation and zone gov
ernment and payments added, only
S143.0 300. "Of this amount" they
say. nearly one-half can be account
ed for by the changes in the canal
and appurtenant works already referr-