New-York tribune., 1909-02-25
ENGINEERS ON CANAL
F4VOR THE SEA LEVEL
[ining Experts Listen TO addresses
Criticising Lock Plan.

>-eve Haven Fen sz-The Panama Canal vas the
subject assigned Tor discussion al Tie openinS ses
sion Of the American Institute Of Mining In
fs-eers today in Ncrrh Sheffield Hail 81 Naie ana
the submission 4 several papers b. tie gave 'He
members something IN hand upon which To open
a general debate
Dr r. ". Raymond stated that he engineers had
sethersd 10 discuss the question of the Panama
Canal said he. To advocate that some other type
CT q canal Is better Is net treason and nothing
thar we wiz say here is likely TO overthrow OF "e
an attempt on our part overthrow the Censu'u-
Ton. We have a righ- to our opinions anu We
have the right 20 say wlat we believe DO h'I
believe thst any Of rs viii take the gT'uhd ma
the canal ought not To he built now mat II Has
been started Ne believe that We should go ahead
and butd it, Jast how it should be built may oe
a matter = opinion We engineers mere q" ho'
decide anything; we DO not vote on the question:
we simply talk il We, as engineers VIII hoi
hold as absurd anything that may be IN the papers
read"
y L saunders Of New York. said he believed
the canal would be built in way satisfactory 10
the President-eect and his engineers PersohaiE
he had favored a sea level canal, and was stl oi
The opinion that the borngs could not be too oeeP.
In his op!nion TIC work being accomplished
In tie most economical manner possible
A z,aper BIZ Gustav II schwab. entitled An In
ferior canal Panama vas read 10y Ai- Ray
rrond ar ScIwabs paper vas in part as foiio"s'
The engineers have debated the question OF an
waterway be constructed. but has the America
a-a,
Ine LIltea S'stss 55 % IL Tfey declare that
rbev can bulls a dam st Panama GA a foundauoii
f CLAW or any other soft material TO stan1 toI ae.
he 1eznlsr car express dissenting opinion; nu1
,r me ollesr5oti af lock canal sea lever caal
believe that business man. ship owner or & sp
per vii have something 20 say anu 4rs tIL com
rs eninion before the ccuutry Is lrreFoca ply
- 90 ba IS TIected % use the canal hen bEilt
He should demand that any canal built ny me me
Most efhciont. type % canal ihai can be 0o''
n 5usfiacation Of he lock canal at Panama fTe,
cuenT reference is made 10 the oae sc. SSi in
England on the SauIt Ste. Marie Canal WlIllI win. ID
period Of nine years there were tlIt5 IN & SJai'ester
Volving injury 10 JOCK ga'es anu oll ' I ,sera al
SHIN Canal during the same period mere W. -ae "
I2 lie case OF the sauIt Ste Marie Canal there Is
cnly lockage with MT OF tWellIs .1sSt.I sarH
e,jsal ii man Iro.able that number Of acei-
ms 10 ba exuecte ed in such canal with six locks
would naturally Do multiplied by The nllln4e5 5 m %.
The construction of three locks in one tight hg oiis
lock comrnlnlcaiiile alrect3 ~ VIZ It and passing
beyond the contrl Of her coInnandeI td rll9f5 IN The
ensiie rem S , ,7er Ir lie entire flight Of locks
onlv engulf the steamer. but would rum .e 'S,+
e a. Toid me- doub5 axe number OF years to set
aright. while navigation would be c'oSeo
VIEWS OF NAvIGATORs.
TIE traffic On the Sault Ste Marie Canal consists
Of regular steamships, the same noatS pas
ing through the lock at frequent nteTEa.S dnq ItI
49,, -,ifes of locks of the enormous size planned
tions OF various sizes and descriptions. many OF
them infreqae1t intervals me I3ssl,l,1y iy - a. a
in connection With these locks i eI,,,ieS ~
praetiosl shipping man a go hety iett "a @ f,,rn the
sridee 10 the engine room fortunately MT OF
frequent occurrence, but when tileH 20 apPeii i--7
80 ti1r,igE such mistakes III orders given from
lhe bridge Iun into heavy piers and quays, culuhs
into steel. wood cement and granite eve even ] wien
stealler Of the present DAY weighs many thousands
of tons and wEer this weight II once pGt ia mo
ZION even the slightest speed, II VIII pass
through anything hat Is IN is pain. ft e
q lock and a level canal represent lhe oplIll'il
q masters. mates and pilots-Of those men VINO VINO
character OF q lock canal in the navigation OF me
Iese ana of i5io-s f seam Vessels is on record
indorsing the sea ,yel canal rather than the lock
canal owing 10 the renewal of Ile IlSk 3i dall,- @
aze TO ship and cargo hy the adoption of a sea
The / nited New York-sandy Hook Pilots Asso-
ciarson is also cclrded as strongly ana uiIlesl-
ss ii se been tie eSpelience OF the sandy Hook
pilots the hazariols oecurail9n o. oi hanoi.ng ~, ing
danger oF an order correctly given eF the plot
fs2nra-ei sgI IN snS noarreciy sxecuted' such mis-
understandings the pilots state are 'I"aES va ,[ n@
in dockins ard unlocking steamers. and also 10
IL. vessel heing 1oced in the waters Of New York
Harhar. where there are no locks 20 contend win
o. to be damaged"
LOCKS IL WAR TINE
Considerable weight is attached 10 the alleged
compared with sea level canal. This. appears
the present plan involves large extent OF lake
naVfSstioI tie limits OF the cn3nhel through SUCH
CATION observe a slow rate of speed. that it
--oIS sf- - 5,-,--tscs ,,,-s, t1,a ,sseage
.iT--.-, an -,,i'e-rcfz5 ses level canal essecislv
-; ae 90 1s' g .ai-si, na,. 10
II She lock canal presents grave objections 10
commercial men what may not he its effect upon