DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL


 First, a waterway affording a bottom width of not less than 200 feet, with suit-
ably sloping banks and with underwater berms in order that vessels of 60 to 60
feet in beam may meet without undue danger of sheering.
 Second, a waterway affording a usable depth of 33 feet, in order that vessels
having a loaddalt.*aterdaft of 0 fdet may ttmiht the escal. Allowaeen mst
be made for the lower density of fresh water and the corresponding increase of
draft. To accommodate all vessels in the Gulf trade the depth would have to
be not less than 38 feet.
 Third, a waterway as short and as straight as possible, to permit of rapid transit
and to insure a maximum of use and benefit. Elsewhere in this report it will be
shown that the elements of time and distance in relation to the large number of
vessels and in relation to the ton mileage is so great as to fairly justify the higher
first cost of construction involved in an alinement on long tangents with small
angles of deflection or easy curves, even though this alinement will necessitate
a gross yardage of excavation greatly exceeding that which might result from an
alinement following the lower and more circuitous valley lines.

 SAVINGS IN DzsTraNc, Tutz, AND MONET
 33. In calculating the savings in operating costs of vessels that might have
 used the canal had It been available in 1929, the costs were primarily estimated
 as for cargo vsels on the bsis of the efficaligures of the United States Shipping
 Board. These cost figures are roughly on a tonnage basis, and are indicated in
 the next succeeding table:

 Operatng Operating
 Dead-weght touna groups Dead-weight tons oats per r
 bour for
 tankers

 Group 1-......----......... ..-------.. 12,000 and over..-....- ...--. 371 $22.92
 Grou ...p-...-..........--------------- 10000 to ll......-------.. .. 19.17 22.08
 Group --..... .-----...-....----. ....-.----- 9,000 to 9,-------.. ---..-.. 17. 63 18.79
 op...--...-----------.....--.......----- .. 9,400 to ,--............----- 17.00 1879
 Group ---.......................................... --------------------------8,00 to 9,3----------...............----- 18.33 ............
 Group --...-....----.. ----........ ----....---- 7,9W to ,-----.............. 183 .--....-
 Group 7...----.........--.--.. ........-- ...-- .. 7,00 to ...........---- 18.17 .........
 Group 8--....--..--........---- ---...----- Under 7,00....--....--.... 1.83 ............

 34. The next succeeding table is a typical illustration of the distance savings
 to be accomplished by the proposed ship canal between ports on the Gulf and
 ports in the South and/or the North Atlantic. The distances are in nautical miles:

 Out-bound from Gulf In-bound to Gulf
 to- frm-
 Gulf ports
 Jackso New York Jackson- Nw York
 vine villn

 Penssolh........................................13 481 958 46
 Mobile..............-.................................. 462 579 449
 New Ore------------.......................------..--............---....------------. 0 398 515 386
 Beumnont---------................----...............-----------------------......... 04 372 489 350
 Houto.......................................----.-- 372 489 359
 Corpms Christ...----..--------... -------------. 48 336 453 325
 Tam.........------..-... -----.---.... ...----. 451 24 441 311
 Tamploo, Mexico................. --------------- 330 207 324 194