PANAMA CANAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1389, 15 March 1912, Page 5

PANAMA CANAL.

IS IT OVER A VOLCANO ? By Teleeraph-Press Assodation-CopyrlEhi New York, March 13. Reports that havo boon received from Colon indicate that' a sleeping volcano underlies the Culebra Cut, in tho Panama Canal. Steam is reported to bo escaping from numerous small. opening's on tho surface. CULEBRA CUT DIFFICULTIES. CONSTRUCTION PLANS PRAISED. On the theory that anything- connected with tho Panama Canal should bo important to the people of tho United States, who, as a whole, are responsible for that enormous piece' of engineering, and movo especially on the theory that expert testimony of tho progress being made under tho supervision of tho United States army engineers should be doubly interesting, an unofficial report was recently issued by a party of members' of tho American Institute of Mining Engineers. "We, the undersigned, members and guests of the American Institute of Mining Engineers," they say, "after a visit to. the Isthmus of Panama, and inspection of the work of tho United States-Isthmian Canal Commission, and after full discussion of our individual impressions, find ourselves in unanimous agreement as to the following conclusions:— "The present plan of the work is clearly practicable, and ' tho best in our judgment that could bo devised under the conditions imposed. If is perhaps a question whether by the choice of a higher level some of the difficulties and uncertainties of excavation in tho Cnlebra cut might not havo been minimised; but a higher level has its disadvantages also; and no one now seriously proposes such a plan. On tho other hand, we arc convinced that a> canal at a lower level, and especially at sea-level, is practically out of the question; that no man can estimate its cost, or even guarantee its satisfactory completion and maintenance at any cost. We are satisfied that tho sea-level canal, as proposed, if actually completed, would be inferior to the present lock cannl, by reason of its necessarily narrow and tortuous channel, its linbility to many disturbances from which tho lock canal is comparatively free, etc. - The experience gained in the Cnlebra cut throws additional light upon the sea-level plan, and reuders that scheme less worthy of approval by engineers than it was when with less information soi-.o eminent authorities favoured it. In a word, we do not think that any prudent engineer would now recommend the deepening of tho Culebra cut below the level now fixed for it. "The creation of tho great Gatun lake by means of the Gntim dam seems to us t) be the best possible way of dealing with tho floods of the Chupes aiid other streams. The location of the Gatun dnin, spillway, and locks is singularly favourable for such constructions; and there is, in our judgment, no reason for any anxiety as to their stability. The one serious remaining problem is presented by the nature of the ground in the Culebra cut. There havo been extensive slides on the sides of this excavn- ■ tion, and more of them are to bo expected; but they involve nothing moro than the cost and delay of removing the material, ■which'they will force into the cut. They will ultimately end, and we regard as reasonable the calculation cf the engineers in charge as to the time and .money which they may call for. '■ The results of these calculations are insluded in the estimates of the commission as to the cost of the canal and the date of its completion."