CONTENTS.


 Page.
Executive order.......----------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
Summary of proceedings......---------------------------------------------------------------------------9
Physical characteristics of the Panama route.. ...--------------------------------------------------.. ------15
Climate.... .. ...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
Sanitation and hygiene. ......---------------------------------------------------------------------------18
Work done and present conditions.... ..------------------------------------------------------------------22
New field work........----------------------------------------------------------------------------------25
Projects of Mr. Lindon W. Bates. . .. ..-------------------------------------------------------------------26
Plan of Mr. P. Bunau-Varilla ... ...----------------------------------------------------------------------30
Plan of the Isthmian Canal Commission, 1901.. ...--------------------------------------------------------33
Plan of Maj. Cassius E. Gillette, Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army..----------------------------------------34
The 60-foot summit-level project adopted for comparison with the sea-level project-------------------------35
Safety and protection. ......-----------------------------------------------------------------------------36
Transformation of a lock canal into a sea-level canal...----------------------------------------------------38
Capacity of canal for traffic.......------------------------------------------------------------------------39
The control of the Chagres and other streams.. ..---------------------------------------------------------42
Dams.------------------------------------------------------------...-----------------------------45
The sea-level pIan recommended by the Board.....--------------------------------------------------------47
 (a) Alignment and description.....--------------------------------------------------------.. ---------47
 (b) Harbors----- .. ..-------------------------------------------------------------.. . ------.. . ---.. --.51
 (c) Cross sections of the canal prism. .. ..--------------------------------------------------.. ----------56
 (d) Estimate of cost-----------------.. . . ...---------------------------------------------------------58
 (e) Estimate of time.......-------------------------------------------------------------------.. .----- 59
 (f) Important considerations. . .. ..------------------------------------------------------------------61
Minority report.... ....---------------------------------------------------------------------------------67
 The lock-canal project recommended... ..------------------------------------------------------------67
 (a) The Colon entrance----------------------------------------.... .---------------------------67
 (b) The Gatun dam --------.. ....---------------------------------------------------------------68
 Stability of an earth dam. . ..-------------------------------------.----------------------70
 Plan of the dam . . . ..-------------------------------------------------------------.-.- 72
 Regulating works......------------------------------------------------------------------72
 R eduction in cost.................-- ......- ............. ................. -...-...-............ 73
 (c) Water supply of the canal. .....--------------------------------------------------------------74
 (d) The summit level---------- . .. ...-----------------------------------------------------------76
 (e) Lake Sosa-------------..--------- . . ..--------------------------------------------------...--.77
 (f) Channel in Panama Bay-----. .-----------...------------------------------------------------.. ... 78
 (g) Dim-ensions and cost----------------------.......---------------------------------------------78
 Comparison with the Board's lock-canal project...---------------------------------------------------79
 Comparison with the Board's sea-level canal project. ...-----------------------------------------------80
 Relative time for completion of sea-level and 85-foot projects-------------.---.------------------------83
 Relative time of transit.... ...-----------------------------------------------------------------------85
 Capacity for traffic of the two projects. .. ..-----------------------------------------------------86
 Safety of locks and other structures. .....-------------------------------------------------------------89
 Relative safety of ships in the two types of canal...--------------------------------------------------92
 Land damages... . ....-------------------------------------------------------------------------------93
 Relocation of the Panama Railroad-------------------------------------------....-----..-------..-.. ---. .94
 Estimated cost for project recommended...---------------------------------------- .-----------------95
 Cost of maintenance and operation.....--------------------------------------------------------------96
 Safety of dams. ... ....------------------------------------------------------------------------------98
 Conclusions and recommendation. ..-----------------------------------.----------------------------99
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