PROGRESS AT PANAMA. 447 



PEOGEESS AT PANAMA. 



Bt chakles c. eogees, 



XIEUTESAlfT, UMTED STATES NAVT. 



ON the 6th of last March the United States steamer Galena reached 

 Aspinwall after a cruise in the Windward and the Leeward Isl- 

 ands. Before her departure from Norfolk in January, I was directed 

 by the Navy Department to visit the works of the canal upon our ar- 

 rival at Aspinwall. M. Charles de Lesseps, accompanied by M. Eomaire, 

 his secretary, M. Cottu, administrator of the canal, and by other offi- 

 cials from the general office in Paris, with M. Jacquier, director-general 

 of the works, were then occupying the handsome residence in the 

 French quarter of Aspinwall, that is usually assigned to the president 

 of the company during his visits to the Isthmus. They had arrived 

 from France five days before the Galena from the Spanish Main, and 

 were to inspect the canal and arrange with the contractors for the 

 future progress of the works. On the 9th I called upon M. de Les- 

 seps and the director-general, stated my instructions from the Navy 

 Department, and requested permission to visit the canal and to obtain 

 from the contractors full information concerning their respective fields 

 of work. My reception by these gentlemen was most cordial, and 

 was appreciated particularly as an extension of hospitality and civility 

 to an officer of the United States Navy. M. de Lesseps assented 

 readily to my request, assuring me that there was nothing to conceal, 

 and that it was the wish of the company that our Government should 

 know the exact condition of the works and their prospects of comple- 

 tion. He also invited me to accompany him as his guest during his 

 tour of inspection. On reporting the result of my visit to Commander 

 Colby M. Chester, commanding the Galena, I was permitted to accept 

 the invitation so kindly extended. 



M. de Lesseps had inspected the 17 kilometres of canal open to 

 water, and on the 10th I proceeded with him by special train to 

 Bohio-Soldado, reserving my visit to the sections of Colon and Gatun 

 for a later date. The inspection thus begun lasted nearly three weeks. 

 I saw every foot of the canal, including the dam at Gamboa and the 

 deflections of the Chagres and the Eio Grande. 



Its length from Colon to the Isle of Naos, near Panama, will be 

 74 kilometres ; its width at the surface will be 40 metres, and at the 

 bottom 22 metres ; its depth will be 9 metres. The line of works is 

 separated into five divisions, the first of which is 26*35 kilometres in 

 length, and comprises the sections of Colon, Gatun, and Bohio-Soldado. 

 It is under the control of the American Contracting and Dredging 

 Company, which owns a capital of $2,000,000. Mr. H. B. Slaven is 

 president of the company, and Mr. M. A. Slaven general manager on 



