THE PANAMA CANAL 



355 



eral other plans of lock-type canal have 

 nothing in their favor that the plan now 

 adopted does not possess to a greater de- 

 gree. 



I have endeavored also to show that 

 the organization on the Isthmus is com- 

 pact and complete in every way, perform- 

 ing its duties of construction, sanitation, 

 and government with clock-like precision. 

 I cannot do better than quote from the 

 message recently sent to the Congress, 

 "that hereafter attack on this type — the 

 lock type — is in reality merely attack 

 upon the policy of building any canal at 



all," for the adoption of a sea-level canal 

 anywhere approaching the ease of navi- 

 gation of the lock type will result in the 

 ultimate abandonment of the canal; and 

 I assure you that several years hence, no 

 later than January i, 1915, even the most 

 ardent sea-level advocates will, in making 

 the voyage through the canal, admit that 

 the ability to navigate a battleship at a 

 high rate of speed through the lake and 

 wide channel from Gatun to Pedro Mi- 

 guel far outweighs the small inconven- 

 iences of the safe lockages up to and 

 down from the summit level. 



Isthmian Canal Commission 

 PANAMA CANAL— EXCAVATION 



Estimated amount of Excavation required May 1,1904,-174,666,595 cubic yards 

 Amount taken out to March 1,1909,-65,900,803 cubic yds. or 37.7 per cent 



