Progress of the Panama Canal 467 



sate the people of the United States for 

 the outlay. 



As was expected when de Lesseps 

 began his work, wonderful strides have 

 been made in the science of engineering 

 during the last quarter of a century. 

 We can never say that the ideal has 

 been accomplished, but we may state 



that the science of engineering has 

 reached such a state within the past 

 few years that with the intelligent man- 

 agement which is now being given to 

 the canal problem a new standard in 

 engineering will be set for the peoples 

 of the whole world by American pluck, 

 perseverance, and skill. 



PROGRESS ON THE PANAMA CANAL 



THE map of the region of the 

 Panama Canal, which is pub- 

 lished as a supplement to this 

 number,* shows the plan submitted to 

 Congress by the Isthmian Canal Com- 

 mission of 1 899-1 90 1. It is the only 

 plan on which the Canal Commission 

 has as yet any authority to spend 

 money, and is described by Admiral 

 Chester in his address to the National 



* Through the courtesy of Hon. Theodore P. 

 Shouts, President Isthmian Canal Commis- 



Geographic Society, published in this 

 number, pages 455-456. The plan will 

 undoubtedly be very largely modified in 

 the near future, but the map will, we 

 hope, serve as a guide to the members 

 of the National Geographic Society in 

 the discussion and changes of the com- 

 ing months. The most striking feature 

 of the plan here presented is the great 

 lake (shown in light green on the map) . 

 The lake covers an area of nearly 40 

 square miles, and would be artificially 

 formed by the construction of the giant 



Diagram showing Yearly Amount of Rainfall in Inches on the Panama Isthmus 



