THE PANAMA CANAL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14969, 16 May 1914, Page 13

THE PANAMA CANAL.

SEA CAPTAIN'S LUCID REPORT. Interesting particulars concerning the Panama Canal are- contained in a icpoit mado to his owners by Captain Scares, master of the steamer Harlosden, -who recently visited the locality. Ho states that the total length of the canal from the- Pacific to the- Atlantic is SOi miles, and tho average depth 37 foet. Approximately twelve hours will be occupied by vessels in passing through from ocean to ocean, three hours beiny taken up in passing through the locks, of which there arc six. . Forty miles of tho canal are considered to be of sufficient width to allow of vessels proceeding at full speed, there being fifteen miles of sea level channel, and twenty-five miles of lake navigation, throughout which the minimum channel width is 500 feet and maximum 1000 feet. This leaves about nino miles of channel through the celebrated Culebra Cut, where *th« bottom is.barely 30 feet in width/and consequently restricts vessels to a slow speed. The remainder of the distance (li miles), is taken up by the locks. Of the cix locks three are at Gatun, near the Atlantic end, and are 85 feet above the Atlantic mean sea level, on« at the Panama end, 30 feet above the level of the Miraflores Lakes, and two at Mirafloree nearly 55 feet above the mean sea level of tho Pacific. The locks ere built in pairs, and allow vessels passing through "them in opposite directions at the game time. Each has a length of 1000 feet, width of 110 feet, and depth of water on the sills of 40 feet. In order to minimise the usual surging and swirling ofy water in the locks caused by side sluices,' a novel method of lowering' or raising the • water has been adopted. It is transferred to or from the locks through huge tunnels 18 feet in diameter, passing lengthwise through the centre and side walls of tho locks. Smaller tunnels branch out at right angles under the floor up through which tho water is carried. The average rate of ingress or egress is about two feet per minute. Steamers are> to be prohibited from, using their own power while passing through the locks, and electric- locomotives are to be used for towing purposes. These will run on tracks- and a centre coa rail close to each bank, .and it is proposed to employ four on oach vessel, one pulling on each bow, and oh© ■ haijling astern from each ouarter to keep the vessel straight Captain Soaxos investigated the general idea that tho Pacific Ocean is higher than the Atlantic, and found that the mean sea level is tho same, but that the tides varied ! greatlj. On the Pacific side the average tide ! is 20' feet, whiJo on the Atlantic side it is' i 26 inches. The exceedingly high tides on ! the Pacific side are attributed to, peculiarities in tho formation of the Gulf of Panama, into which the Mexican and South j Pacific currents flow-. The canal is likely to be ready for nasaing vessels through at the I beginning of July.