DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL


 Mr. BucKMAN. I have prepared a comment on that general ques-
tion, and if you will permit me, I will take it up in order.
 Senator VANDaNBERO. Yes; I did not want to leave the Department
of Commerce report where you left it; that was all.
 Mr. BUOKMAN. Yes, sir. And I will be very glad to return to it at
a later time.
 Senator VANDENBERG. All right.
 Senator FLWrcmz~ As I understand it, the project considered by
the P. W. A. on the application for a loan involved a lock canal with
two locks?
 Mr. BUCKMAN. A lock canal with two locks; yes.
 Senator FrLETCHE And the investigation by the Rivers and Har-
bors Army engineers took into consideration a lock canal with three
locks?
 Mr. BUCKMAN. Yes, sir; with three locks. There were also other
very material differences in the specifications for the construction
which caused wide variation in their cost estimates.
 Senator FiLEcHER. Yes.
 Mr. BUCKMAN. In the first part of 1934, in response to a request
made by all the Senators of the States of Texas, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Alabama, and Florida, the President constituted and appointed
a board of review, which consisted of two Army engineers desig-
nated by the Secretary of War; two engineers designated by the
Administrator of Public Works; and one engineer from civil life
designated by the other four. The personnel of this board was as
follows:
 For the War Department, Lt. Col. Warren T. Hannum, Corps of
Engineers.
 The CHAImAN. What was his name?
 Mr. BUCKMAN. Warren T. Hannum, Corps of Engineers. Maj.
Brehon B. Somervell, Corps of Engineers. For the Public Works
Administration. Clarence McDonough, chief engineer; Frederick
Fowler, consulting engineer.
 Fifth member of the board and chairman, Walter J. Douglas, of
New York City.
 This board of review was instructed to study and examine the
reports of the Special Board of Survey and the Public Works Ad-
ministration, and to make such further examination and study as it
might deem appropriate.
 On June 28, 1934, this board made a report to the President,
recommending the construction of a sea-level canal and estimated its
cost at $142,700,000, exclusive of land for right-of-way and interest
during construction.
 The CHAIRMAN. Now, is that the first time that the sea-level pro-
posal was made?
 Mr. BUCKMAN. The first time it was formally included in any de-
partmental report.
 The sea-level canal has been discussed off and on for a good many
years, Senator, but that is the first appearance of a sea-level canal in
any report which has been made public, a departmental report.
 Think that the committee agreed that it would be inappropriate to
call up the report of the Special Board of Survey, which has not yet
been presented to Congress. Now, whether it occurs in that report


227