438 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



perfectly satisfactory canal in very much less time, and for very much less 

 money, under the plan proposed by the minority. I believe that the canal under 

 that plan will cost little more than half what the canal of the majority will 

 cost, and the time will be a little more than half, and when done it will be a 

 better canal, because it will be three times as big a canal. The volume of water 

 in the sea-level canal is only one third what the volume of water is in the 

 lock canal. Leave out everything in those lakes beyond the width of 1,000 feet, 

 and everything beyond a depth of 45 feet, and you have three times the number 

 of cubic yards of water in the lock canal that you have in the sea-level canal. 



Among the earliest and best-informed advocates of the lock canal 

 is General Henry L. Abbot, of the Corps of Engineers, TJ. S. Army 

 (retired), who was a member of the Comity Technique, and was also a 

 member of the board of consulting engineers. General Abbot has been 

 a close, able and careful student of the hydraulic and other problems 

 involved, and ever since the days of the Comite Technique lias con- 

 tributed much to the discussion thereof. In presenting his views to the 

 board of consulting engineers, which are at too great length to be 

 quoted in full, he says: 



The most important consideration, from an engineering point of view, in 

 projecting a transit route, whether a railroad or a canal, is to adjust the details 

 to the topography and natural conditions of the region to be traversed. On the 

 Isthmus, the Chagres River is the dominating feature. . . . The deep excavation 

 in the Culebra section is a formidable undertaking, chiefly because it will be 

 necessary to transport the soil to long distances; but once executed, it will 

 remain without giving occasion for anxiety in the future. The Chagres is 

 capable of becoming a very active enemy at any future time, unless effectively 

 tamed by good engineering methods. 



General Abbot thereupon discusses the peculiarities of this river, 

 and its relation to the several canal projects. He readies the conclusion 

 that the problem of the control of the Chagres is solved by the lock 

 canal project in a manner at once vastly better and vastly more simple 

 than by the sea-level project. He expresses his judgment, however, that 

 the primary consideration in choosing between the two projects " should 

 be their relative merits as routes for shipping. The elements of time 

 and cost are secondary, but too inaportant to be neglected." According 

 to General Abbot, double the cost and double the time should be allowed 

 for the completion of a sea-level canal, and when completed, the canal 

 would be distinctly inferior to a canal with locks. In the matter of the 

 sufficiency of the flow of Chagres River to maintain the lake above the 

 Gatun dam, at the desired elevation, General Abbot is emphatically of 

 the opinion that the water supply will be adequate. Based on a most 



Tubie Feet 

 per Second 



Evaporation loss, estimated 710 



Leakage of gates 250 



Infiltration 77 



For light, power, etc 200 



Contingencies 200 



Total i;i37 



