THE PANAMA CANAL.

North Otago Times, 1 November 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PANAMA CANAL.

The Panama. Canal which the United States Government .are going to complete has had a very chequered career. In 1879 an international congress met in Paris and recommended the building of a sea-level canal from Colon on the Atlantic to Panama, on the Pacific. It was estimated that such a canal could be completed in twelve years at a cost of 48 million pounds. Work was 110 sooner commenced in 1881 than troubles began, and at last heavy floods, landslips, an appalling amount of sickness, and other difficulties, convinced the company that the task of making a sealevel canal was beyond their powers. They therefore abandoned it in favour of a canal with locks, but the change was Made too late, and in 1889, after spending 'i'2 million pounds, the company went into bankruptcy. In 1894 another' company was formed to complete the canal. Their first act was to appoint an international commission oi technical experts who were asked to make a complete report on the best way of constructing the canal. Thev found, that the work was about two-fifths done, and estimated that it would cost about 20 million pounds to complete it, the time required being from eight to ten years, They recommended a route of about 49 miles, with a summit level oi <SB feet, which lia9, of course, to be reached by mean's of locks.

In the few years following the publication of this report the question of the advisability of the United States making an Isthmian Canal was fully realised, and for a time the scheme of a canal through Nicaragua was much favoured.

When, however it was found that it would be more than three times the length of the Panama one, it was entirely dropped, and negotiations were entered into which resulted in the purchase of the Panama as it stood for eight million pounds. A further sum of two million pounds was paid to the Colombian Government for a strip of land five miles wide on either side of the canal from ocean to ocean.

Elaborate surveys have now been made, and-everything is ready for a start, when it has finally been decided whether a sea-level canal shall be made or one requiring locks. The former would take from 10 to 12 years to complete, and the latter from 6 to 8 years.