^6 Mr. J. Milne Barbour on 



for every three minutes, each taking out some 600 tons of 

 material. Each of the steam shovels employed was supposed to 

 do as much work as 1,000 men, and in the wet work they 

 actually had a steam dredger that would do as much in one hour 

 as a steam shovel would do in ten. These steam shovels were 

 the largest that had ever been made, and lifted from eight to ten 

 tons at one scoop. It was estimated that the total excavated 

 material when the Canal was comi)leted would if loaded on a 

 train of flat cars make a train of 96,000 miles long, reaching 

 practically three times around the earth. In concluding, the 

 lecturer said that it was expected that in July of this year water 

 would be admitted to the Culebra cut, and the formal opening of 

 the Canal would take place on 1st January, 19 15. Vessels would 

 be able to complete the passage through the Canal in about twelve 

 hours. The cost of the undertaking was estimated at about 

 ^80,000,000, as compared with ;^i9,ooo,ooo for the Suez Canal, 

 ;^8,ooo,ooo for the Kiel Canal, and ;^i 5.000,000 for the Man- 

 chester Canal. And so in the course of the comparatively short 

 period of some twenty months they might expect to see the hope 

 of more than three Centuries brought to successful fulfilment. 

 They were told that by faith they might move mountains, and 

 there was no question but what in the minds of many that faith 

 had been wanting. There were some people to day, even amongst 

 those whose experience and judgment entitled their opinions to 

 consideration, who doubted whether the Panama Canal would be 

 brought to a successful completion and operation — whether by 

 excessive landslides or the treacherous character of the foundations 

 upon which the huge dams and locks had been placed or disaster 

 from earthquake — but to those who had had faith, and had added 

 to it self-denial, industry, perseverence, skill, and ingenuity, let 

 them extend their most earnest wishes that their labours and self- 

 sacrifice might not prove in vain, and that this region, which had 

 been the scene of culminating human endeavour for over three 

 hundred years, might be the means of bringing nations into closer 



