268 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
tain distance from the coast the climate is more salubrious than upon the borders 
of the ocean. 
The waters of the Chagres which would be able to innundate the canal will 
be restrained by a barrier which they will construct in the environs of Gamboa 
in one of the gorges of the mountain range. 
All the machines of American construction sent to the isthmus have given 
full satisfaction to the company. Besides these machines the United States has 
furnished and will furnish yet a great quantity of other engines in order to com- 
plete the outfit. 
As far as that which concerns the purchase of the Panama railroad, of the 
material and of the supplies of every nature made in the United States, the canal 
company has already paid in the neighborhood of 25,000,000 of dollars in gold. 
Finally, the engineers of the company estimate that the canal will be entirely 
completed in seven round years unless, always, some events not altogether pro- 
vided for should arise. 
THE FLORIDA SHIP CANAL. 
A Washington correspondent of the Nashville American brings to light the 
almost forgotten fact that the project of building a ship canal across the isthmus 
of Florida is by no means new. The subject was discussed and its feasibility 
determined as early as 1826. 
A number of examinations and surveys of the proposed routes have been 
made. One referred to an ordinary canal of six feet depth, another to a large 
canal as part of a system of land-locked navigation between the Mississippi and 
the Atlantic, another to a ship canal of sufficient navigable depth to float the 
largest ocean-going steamer. The examinations have included all the available 
routes of the St. Mary's and St. John's Rivers, and all of the gulf coast outlets 
have been considered. The army engineers have heretofore selected the St. 
John's River route, while the present company favor the St. Mary's River as the 
eastern outlet. The first is said to be the shortest, but the latter the most avail- 
able for safe communication. Congress in 1826 directed a survey to be made to 
ascertain the most eligible route across Florida by which to connect the Atlantic 
with the Gulf of Mexico by a canal for the transit of boats, and also ascertain the 
practicability of a ship canal. Two routes were directed to be examined — one 
from St. Mary's River to the Apalachicola River or bay, and the other from St. 
John's River by Vassoussa Bay, at the mouth of the Sewanee. 
Another examination was ordered in 1852 of the St. John's route, and the 
report made demonstrated the practicability of the canal and an ample supply of 
water. 
In 1879 Gen. Gilmore, under authority of Congress, made a survey of the 
St. Mary's River route. Gen. Gilmore's estimate of the cost of the work is much 
greater than that expected to be made by the new company. He places the cost 
