IN A BAT CAVE 



Showing our method of photographing bats by flashlight. As the flashlight powder used is 

 exceedingly explosive, the expression on the face of the operator is not to be wondered at 



trusting to the supposedly enduring 

 friendship of Panama or the inviola- 

 bility of its neutrality by other nations, 

 is much like locking the front and back 

 doors while leaving those on the side in- 

 vitingly open. 



Although reference to military weak- 

 ness is not always subject to a frank and 

 full discussion, yet the perils suggested 

 are apparent to the casual observer and 

 beyond concealment. If this great reser- 

 voir can be broken and drained outside 

 our possessions, the terminal locks left 

 in easy range of guns beyond the border, 

 or raiding boats concealed on lake waters 

 beyond the zone, it will be entirely the 

 result of not possessing territory esssen- 

 tial to the military protection of the canal. 



Sanitary Reasons. — It will be unneces- 

 sary to recall or describe the terrible loss 

 of life suffered by the French in the ef- 



fort to construct the canal or the propor- 

 tionately greater loss in building the 

 Panama Railroad many years preceding. 

 All the conditions entering into such epi- 

 demics were understood by our sanitary 

 authorities when the more active work 

 was begun, and the methods and regula- 

 tions prepared by Colonel Gorgas re- 

 sulted in maintaining throughout the en- 

 tire period of construction a lower mor- 

 tality rate than in many of the States. 



Having found that the principal 

 scourges of the Isthmus — yellow fever 

 and malaria — were spread by two indige- 

 nous forms of infected mosquitoes, ef- 

 forts were directed toward destroying 

 the breeding places of such in the neigh- 

 borhood of construction towns or wher- 

 ever workmen were exposed, by draining 

 the swamps or spraying the stagnant 

 waters with crude oil, while all dwellings 



[86 



