DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL


liminary report on the geological and ground-water conditions in Florida in
their relation to the Atlantic-Gulf Ship Canal, issued by the War Department on
December 18, 1935, that in the preparation of that report extensive use was
made of this manuscript and of earlier reports by the United States Geological
Survey and the Florida State Geological Survey.
 It would appear then that the understanding of the Geological Survey's rela-
tion to this problem, set forth in your letter of February 13 is substantially
correct, except that it perhaps does not take full cognizance of the broad back-
ground of experience with ground water problems and of knowledge of condi-
tions in Florida, that underlay the informal Survey opinion presented in Mr.
Slattery's letter.
 Sincerely yours,
 HAnoLD L. ICKES,
 Secretary of the Interior.
 In September 1935, by direction of the Chief of Engineers, a
special board of experts was constituted and appointed to continue
the study of this question.
 Under date of December 18, 1935, this board, after a most ex-
haustive reexamination of all existing data and development of much
new data, confirmed the findings of the Board of Review to the effect
that the damage to the underground water supply resulting from
the construction of a sea-level canal would be negligible.
 Under date of December 28, 1935, in a letter transmitting the above
report to Senator Fletcher, the Acting Chief of Engineers states-I
quote:
 The findings of the Board at this time definitely indicate that no serious
adverse effects on the underground water supply need be anticipated from the
construction of a sea-level canaL
 Under date of January 17, 1936, the Chief of Engineers stated
before this committee his opinion that the rather generally expressed
fears in central and southern Florida with regard to extensive dam-
age to the water supply are wholly without foundation.
 The above is a recitation of the record. The attention of the com-
mittee is again invited to the fact that no survey or special examina-
tion of this question has ever been undertaken by the Federal Geo-
logical Survey or by the Geological Survey of Florida or by any
other public body except the Special Board of Survey of the Corps
of Engineers; the Board of Review, comprising Army engineers,
engineers of the Public Works Administration, and an eminent engi-
neer from private life; and a special board of experts designated
exclusively to examine into this matter by the Chief of Engineers.
There is no formal report nor any formal expression of opinion in
the recoFd from any competent source that the construction of this
canal at sea level will seriously affect the ground water supply of
any portion of the State of Florida.
 In fact, there is only one expression, formal or informal, to this
 effect, and that is an avowedly informal opinion emanating from the
 Geological Survey and based upon general data and not upon specific
 examination of this question. On the other hand, all agencies of the
 Federal Government which have made specific studies of the matter
 are unanimous in their conclusions that construction of a canal at
 sea level would not be attended by any extensive damage to the water
 supply.
 It may not be inappropriate to point out that the very history of
 this matter, as shown in the record recited here, indicates strikingly
 the inability of even expert geologists and engineers to form accurate


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