REPORT OF BOARD OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS, PANAMA CANAL.


 A letter similar to the above had also been sent to the lHydrographer of the Navy Department, who had notified -one of the members of the committee that he would be very glad to facilitate the collection of such data in every way in his power. A similar letter, relating only to harbors of the United States, had been addressed to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army, and he had also given verbal assurance of his willingness to furnish the data required.
 The Chairman further stated, on behalf of the special committee appointed to prepare a plan for a sea-level canal, which committee was created under a resolution adopted at the last meeting, that he had been assured of the collaboration of the members of the Isthmian Canal Commission in this respect, and that he had made arrangements that the draftsmen in the office of the Commission, together with others to be employed, should press the work to completion. A map suitable for illustrating the alignment for a sea-level canal fortunately was at hand on the wall of the Board room, reduced to 1:20000 from 1: 5000. It is a map about 10 feet long, and on it is shown all topography that is on the larger map. It was being copied and would soon be finished. The draftsmen had instructions to continue their work of preparing profiles and cross sections.
 About six months ago, by direction of the Isthmian Canal Commission, computations were begun for a sea-level canal, and those calculations had been completed. Mr. Harden, the chief draftsman, used, where available, the data collected by the Isthinian Canal Commission of 1901. They were based upon cross sections which he had been instructed to use, but which probably would not be entirely acceptable to the Board. The cross sections assumed have a bottom width of 150 feet and a depth of 35 feet, slopes of 1 on 1, and superior slopes somewhat flattened, without any berm. These computations gave 229,000,000 cubic yards of excavation.
 Under the instruction of the Commission, some six to ten months ago, topographic work was inaugurated on the Isthmus for the purpose of securing an entire resurvey of all the topography from ocean to ocean. The work was begun at Culebra and was under the direction of Mr. W. B. Ruggles, topographer. Up to 'the time when the last reports of his work were received, he had completed the survey of the section from Obispo to Paraiso, a length of 71 miles. In that portion of the work where the slopes are changeable, his cross sections were taken at very close intervals; in those portions where the grade is nearly uniform and the topography unmarked by notable features, the cross sections were considerably farther apart. The quantity to be excavated had also been computed in that section and was based upon a cross section of 150 feet bottom width, depth of water 40 feet, and berms 50 feet on each side of the canal, and dry slopes of 1 on 1. The total amount to be excavated could not be given at the time, but the data were in the office and available for use, and the chief draftsman assured the Board that when it should be ready to embark on its visit to the Isthmus he would have those two maps ready, and also the computations of the excavation on the whole line and on the whole line as modified by the interpolation of the data collected by Mr. Ruggles, so that that would then be ready for preliminary discussion. Mr. Harden had not, however, computed or made any attempt to compute the excavation due to the diversion channels, a matter which the special committee would give attention to, but it must be quite evident to all that to collect data in regard to these diversion channels would involve first accurate maps to be obtained only by surveys, which would require considerable time.
 The Board discussed the coming trip to the Isthmus and decided to take such documents and data as would likely be needed. It was also the sense of the Board that three stenographers, instead of two, should accompany them, and that at least two draftsmen should be included in the force of clerks.
 The Board then took under consideration the invitation of Mr. Stearns to visit the Wachusett reservoir. Mr. Randolph offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
 Resolved, That this Board visit the Wachusett reservoir at Clinton, Mass., for the purpose of inspecting the dams and other hydraulic works, oyi Wednesday, September 27, and that the fact of our intention to visit this place be communicated to the Isthmian Canal Commission with an invitation, on behalf of this Board, to accompany us.


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