DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL


 Mr. KAY. Do you think night operation should be permitted in this canal?
 Captain MYl& I hardly believe so; It may be necessary under very urgent
drcumstances or conditions of tremendous expense to lighting.
 Mr. KAY. If you were navigating a vessel from the North Atlantic or from a
European port and the weather was very inclement, would you use the canal?
 Captain MyIma No, sir; it is not likely that I would and especially on cer-
tain routes, unless the saving was a considerable amount, due to the fact in
approaching or entering the canal where a fog or thick weather may hamper
your operation, or cause a dip, the difference in the saving would be that
much less an advantage.
 Mr. KAY. Would a vessel have to reduce speed approaching bridges and
 vessels?
 Captain MYa. Suspension bridges whose abutments are considerably back
 from the bank, no, but drawbridges or one-way bridges would have to be ap-
 proached at a moderate speed and I would say lift bridges also, because a
 master of a ship or pilot of a ship approaching a lift bridge is not going to
 enter within danger distance until the bridge is nearly lifted, due to the fact
 that the failure of machinery may cause some delay.
 Mr. KAY. Will you be so kind as to explain this to the board: The principle
 upon which certain types of vessels using this canal according to size, draft,
 speed, etc., would meet, approach, pass, or follow the different vessels?
 Captain My ra Yes.
 Mr. KAY. What would be the navigable effect on these different types passing
 through this canal?
 Captain MYas. The smaller vessels or vessels of light draft possibly would
 not have to reduce speed, but vessels of 300 feet or more in length and
 vessels of greater depth, or the larger-type vessels, where the suction from
 banks and the suction between vessels would have a tendency to cause sheer-
 ing in passing, would necessarily have to slow down to a very cautious speed.
 We find in the 200-foot canals, we must reduce our speed to possibly two knots
 an hour and every precaution must be used in passing. That is beside the
 question in this case because it is to be 300 feet in width, but in a 300-foot
 canal it is also necessary to reduce speed, and most of our canals are inland
 open waters. In other words, the total depth on the banks or outside of
 the canal is 12 or 18 feet, and in this case we still have to slow down to very
 slow speeds in meeting or passing two loaded vessels, so that if we meet a
 loaded vessel he can diverge outside or go clear.
 Mr. KAY. I do not think you entirely covered the point. What is the suction
 there with relation to two heavy vessels meeting and passing?
 Captain MYas. Suction is not only created by the pushing of water by both
 vessels, but as a vessel is approaching alongside of any bank, the pressure of
 the water against the bow of the boat has a tendency to force the vessel into
 midstream, and for that reason they always have to slow down in canals of
 any description to a speed where all the suction is reduced; and by putting the
 helm over one way or the other and increasing the speed of the engine at the
 moment of passing, the danger of sheering and collision is reduced. All vessels
 in passing bridges will have to use caution in approaching the trestles from
 either side, which will perhaps make a little longer delay.
 Mr. KAY. I want you to cover more fully the feature. of two heavy vessels
 meeting and passing each other as to what the tendency would be as to suction
 from the center of the channel rather than from the banks.
 Captain MrTm. I tried to explain that because of the pressure between the
 bow and the bank of the canal, both vessels are affected the same way, and
 the pressure shoving both vessels toward midstream and the pull of the suction
 between both vessels will have a tendency to draw them together and without
 materially reducing the speed this sheering or collision cannot be overcome.
 That is the reason we always maintain very slow speeds in passing through
 narrow entrances such as bridges.
 Mr. KAY. Do you think it will be necessary to have three or four pilots
 assigned to each transit?
 Captain Myws. Yes, sir; I do. Of course, that is only approximate so far
 as I have knowledge of canal operation; but from the testimony so given, the
 passage would be 24 hours, and that would require at least two pilots, 13 hours
 each, and it is quite possible that for the operation through the portion of the
 canal at each end of the locks, it would require an additional pilot, and the
 man who does that should be more familiar with the locking than the average
 pilot In open waters.