The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1911-03-18

great dock
-~~~~o~~~~~.~~~
at the terminal of the canal from
trunk lines of steamships, the capture
OF the great markets Of the south
might with confidence be left to the
country's shipping interests.
For tho Smaller Boats.
In planning the government docks
the idea has been that steamship
lines would hardly find It profitable to
run through boats from Atlantic or
gulf ports to the different ports In
Central and South America. and that
the real advantage Of the canal to this
country must lie in the establishment
Of facilities at Panama to transship
small units of freight from the steam
ers running between the Pacific and
Atlantic coasts and the canal to small
er lines running down the South
American coast and to ports in Gen.
trail America. In Mr.. Bakers opinion
the transshipment of freight intended
for ports within radius Of 700 miles
of the Panama docks could be best
accomplished by a fleet Of oil-burn-
ing twin screw steel barges Of about
1000 tons burden. leaving It to larger
steamers to run regularly from the
docks down to the more distant ports
on the west coast Of South America.
Having in view some such plan as
this the governments plans provide
for such a transfer point at Balboa.
the Pacific end of the canal. Here are
to be erected the most extensive docks
of the whole improvement, docks that
will make of this little Central Amer
lean city shipping point Of world
wide Importance.
Right at the actual end Of the canal,
where It opens into Panama bay.
there will be constructed a basin
capable of holding the largest ships
and covering total area Of 271 acres
From two sides Of this basin there
will project sixteen concrete piers,
1000 feet in length, capable Of ac-
commodating not only such ships an
the Mauretania but also ships OF the
size OF the Olympic and Titanic Of the
White Star line, now about finished
and which have total length of $50
feet. Ships of this length may not
pass through the canal for many years,
but in the meantime each of the piers
can be used by two ordinary steamers,
80 great will be their length.
Two Miles OF Docks.
The extreme length Of the land re-
served for these docks is two miles,
but only about two-thirds Of this is to
be improved Immediately That ships
will have no trouble in turning be-
tween the two lines Of piers Is indi-
Gated by the fact that from pierhead
to pierhead, across the intervening
basin, the distance will be 5000 feet,
or more than the fairway on the Hud-
son. Taking in the length Of the
piers 1t will be nearly a mile across.
Here are some other figures: Area
of slips, 4.231,25 square feet; wharf
frontage. $4,000 square feet; length
OF turning basin, 1900 feet.
One OF the most interesting features
in connection with the piers is their
slanting direction. They will slant
toward the canal. This was decided
upon by experts in the matter. for the
reason that 1t will enable ships to
run into them more easily from either
direction, allowing them to dispense
with the use Of tugs and to go In
under their own steam. II will also
obviate difficulties that would other
wise be encountered by reason of the i
20-foot tide there.
Where the Pacific piers are to be
there Is now a swamp. To construct
the basin It will be necessary to
dredge this to a depth of 35 feet at
mean tide. The excavated material
will be used to all In other parts Of
the swamp to make ground for the
yards Of the Panama railroad,
which Is to extend around the basin
with spur Of track running on to
each pier.
As projected now these docks on
the Pacific side will be probably the |
largest and most completely appointed
system of docks In the world. The |
new Tilbury docks at London have
a water area Of only 10 acres to COM
pare with the area of 271 acres OF the
Panama turning basin alone. What |
ls more, these docks are to be |
equipped with the most modern cleo.
trio cargo handling machinery, in
huge overhead electrical
cranes and system of escalators for
tween deck cargoes. the en-
tire system to be operated probably