THE FLAT ARCH AT PANAMA 



One argument against the construction of a lock canal was that the great locks at 

 Panama might be destroyed by earthquakes. This flat arch, which any serious earthquake 

 shock would destroy, has stood for nearly three centuries in the now ruined church of Santo 

 Domingo at Panama, proving that fear of earthquakes is groundless (see page 169). 



consequently overwhelmed and the com- 

 mission was forced to withdraw its liter- 

 ature and make no promises. An attempt 

 was made after that to provide a certain 

 percentage of the employees with family 

 quarters. 



The greater part of the laborers on 

 the canal were Jamaican negroes. They 

 were British subjects, but were ordi- 

 narily called "British objects." They 

 make good servants if thoroughly trained 

 and the routine is not varied. 



To illustrate the effect of varying the 

 routine: Visitors often came rather un- 

 expectedly for lunch at Gatun, and in 

 order that things might go right if my 

 wife happened to be away when com- 

 pany came, she had prepared menus for 

 lunches — number 1, number 2, number 3, 

 etc. All I had to do was to telephone the 

 cook that so many people were coming 

 and to prepare lunch number so and so. 



One day Mrs. Roosevelt and her daugh- 

 ter came with Mr. Bishop to see the work 

 at Gatun, and after asking them to lunch, 

 my wife being away, I telephoned the 

 cook that there would be three extra peo- 

 ple and to prepare luncheon number r. 

 I, unfortunately, said that Mrs. Roose- 

 velt would be there. 



The Jamaican has great respect for 

 royalty. Before reaching home I heard 

 that our servants had passed the word 

 around among the other servants at Ga- 

 tun that the Queen of America would 

 take lunch at our house today. On enter- 

 ing the house it was evident that every 

 piece of cut glass, silver, or pretty China 

 in the place was out where it could be 

 most easily seen. 



On reaching the table it was soon seen 

 that we had lunches 1, 2, and 3 combined. 

 But finally, when four tiny cups of coffee 

 were passed on a large salver resurrected 



182 



