382 Introduction to the Study of Science 



United States, other than the Great Lakes, have now more 

 than 25,000 miles of water used for navigation, and 50,000 

 miles of water that may be so utilized. In some regions com- 

 petition by railroads has reduced not only the volume of river 

 freight traffic, but also the efficiency of the service. The 

 present situation in regard to the proper use of such waterways 

 raises a serious problem for the whole country. Much of the 

 produce of the land can be hauled most economically and ad- 

 vantageously on inland waterways ; but the cooperation of all 

 those concerned seems to be necessary to bring about the 

 needed improvement and utilization of such natural resources 

 for transportation. 



173. Panama canal. The remarkable work of the French 

 engineer, De Lesseps, in the construction of the Suez Canal 

 (a project which had been begun and partly executed by the 

 ancients about 2000 B.C.) led to the organization of a French 

 company for the construction of a canal across the Isthmus of 

 Panama. This plan also had its historical anticipations in 

 the time of Balboa and again in the plan of the Spanish Gov- 

 ernment in 1524, which, however, was opposed by the Governor 

 of Panama as being " in opposition to the will of the Almighty 

 who had placed this barrier in the way of navigation between 

 the two oceans." Work on the canal was begun under De 

 Lesseps in 1861, but failed because of many obstacles, some of 

 which were of a kind that had not been met in the Suez con- 

 struction. Not the least of these obstacles were yellow fever 

 and malaria. 



The United States purchased the rights and equipment of 

 the French Company, and acquired with these a twenty-mile 

 wide strip of territory across the isthmus from the Republic 

 of Panama. The conquest of the tropical conditions and of 

 the formerly insuperable barrier to interocean traffic was 

 begun in 1904. Malaria and yellow fever, the dread foes of 

 the work, were conquered through knowledge and skill (pages 

 523-532). The gigantic labor of construction continued with 



