The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-03

trance into the artificial bed will rise S7.i
feet above sea level and have there q veloc-
lity Of Eve knots. At the mouth this velocity
will be ais knots.
II we throw the sio, 900 cubic feet Of water
into q wider artificial bed such % wss pro-
posed by the majority OF the consulting
board In 1905, cay 100 feet wide at the bottom,
having q horizontal bottom 20 feet below
sea level and sides inclined at Is degrees. the
water at the entrance OF the artificial bed
will rise s0.6 feet above sea level and have
there . velocity Of Ala knots. At the mouth
this velocity will be SIS knots.
II We throw che LILO, 600 OF bio feet Of water
Into . stu wider artihoial bed. such u 10
proposed by come % 10 alternative Of my
proposition OF the Strata Of Panama." say
300 feat wide ct the bottom. having . bot.
tom regularly inclined toward the Pacific,
being 70 feet below seq level at the
Atlantic end and Is feet below sea level
1t the middle Of the canal, the water At
the entrance Of the artificial bed will rise
t2.7 feet and have there . velocity Of SIS
knots. At the mouth the velocity will be
at knots.
II we throw the 1 1000 cubic feet Of water
into an artificial bed having the dimensions
Of the Straits Of Panama." say 500 feet
wide at the bottom, 4 bottom regularly
inclined toward the Pacific mt being 10
feet below sea level at the Atlantic end
and 80 feet below sea level at the middle Of
the canal. the water at the entrance Of the
artificial bed will rise 500 feet and have there
a velocity Of 2.i2 knots. At the mouth the
velocity will be asa knots.
This short exhibition Of figures demon.
strates that the terrible food Of ST. feet
and the not less terrible velocity OF 2l.e
knots which would result from the use Of
. knI - Ss.k Ia - A. LAA-n A.A "a z
feet deep are reduced 70 . slight swelling u
500 feet and . perfectly normal maximum
velocity Of Lea with the Straits Of Panama
1t 10 seen also that the dimensions Of 900 feet
recently proposed for q narrowed Straits
of Panama" are Inadequate because they
would Determine the Objectionable velocity
Of All knots.
This exhibition also shows why with .
canal Of "a feet or $50 feet bottom width
the free admission Of the Chasres into the
canal has never been contemplated. why
IL has always besn necessary TO create
by . masonry dam at Gamboa . large reser-
voir storing above Gambos the waters OF
the floods OF the high chAsres In order to
let them escape slowly after the food 10
passed. This exposition explains also why
with the dimensions Of the Straits Of Pam
ANA the necessity Of such dam and reser-
voir 10 entirely eliminated. that they no
longer correspond with any need at all.
and that they have not to exist.
With the Straits Of Panama" the Chagres.
being no more imprisoned In . strait
Jacket. will cease to have any disorderly
and monstrous Goods or ~velocities. 1t will
be In the greatest discharges known q
decent INC orderly river. The Straits Of
Panama is the GOAT which fits It perfectly.
Now how will these fresh water currents
combine with the tidal currents which will
take place under the influence Of the rise
and fall Of the sea ct the Pacific entrance?
Just what will these tidal currents be with
out any admission Of Chagres noodsf
Much has been written on this subject |
since q false calculation was presented to
the Paris Congress- OF 1910. which for q long
made people believe In excessive
velocities In an open canal At Panama.
On May s was presented on my behalf to |
member the great mathematician Painleve
a study OF this question. I rave there the
1--WE general mathematical laws applying TO
IN canal In the conditions Of Panama,
whatever its length. width Inc depth. These
avs permit anybody In some minutes to
calculate both the maximum velocity and
the maximum height OF water at any point
Of the canal - we'll A. the hours at which
these maxima will be respectively attain ed.
The practical measurements made on the
Sues Canal are In strict accordance with the
figures given by these laws derived from
abstract calculations.
These AWE show that the limit Of the
maximum velocity OF the water due to tho
tides will be a.sa knots. that this maximum
velocity will be st the entrance Of the canal
on the Pacific and will take place 1 hour and
10 minutes n 10 econds before high tide.
The maximum velocity for zach point
decreases from Panama to Colon, and at
Colon the limit maximum velocity will be
2.e knots.
In the middle Of the canal the ma ximum
rise Of water due to tidal action will be SIS
feet. TIL maximum velocity will be 7.ss
knots. and It win take place ~ minutes |
seconds before said maximum tidal rise. |
At the moment Of the maximum velocity
due to tides the height oil water will be only
81 feet. that Is within hall Al inch the rise
OF water which would take place ct the head
Of an artificial bed II q bed identical to the
Straits OF Panama were used 10 lead sepa-
rately the Chagres foods to the sea.
What -tnh.nnen nov n va let the Chaeres
foods enter the open channel between the |
oceans?
II is clear thai the TOW Of water into
the canal due to the tidal rise OF The
Pacific will be stemmed partially by the
Chasres noods and that the fresh waters
will flow toward Colon instead Of the
waters Of the Pacific when the tide will
be high at Panama. The practical identity
between the rise OF water due to the
tides at the entrance Of the Chagres
into the Straits" and that due K the
Chsgres itself sbows that the velocities
will be very nearly the same whether the |
Chsgres Is In its highest known Hood or at
low water. In the latter case the waters
OF the Pacific will now from Mile 5S to Colon, |
while ia the first case " will be the waters
Of the Chagres which will be substituted |
for them.
1t may be safely CONCLUDED that the intro
duotion OF the highest ChaSrss foods into
the -Straits" will not generate q higher
velocity than that which would take place
under the tidal action only II the Chagres
were kept apart In . separate bed.
Therefore neither the formation Of al
reservoir by q dam nor the separation of
the ChaSres 10 . special outaids bed IL
for the Straits of Panama. "
The river will fall from ito high bed 80 feet |
above the sea into . dead arm Of the Chagres
properly exoavated below the level Of the |
sea and then Join the 'Straits Of Panama. |
The works for the falls OF the ChAkres will
be similar to those necessary 70 let fall the
Of the Gatun Lake. but the height |
will be only 30 feet instead Of IS 1t Datum.
As to the question OF silt. II 10 scarcely |
necessary to mention II. The ChAsrea 10 q
very light silt bearing river. Its mouth has