Official Handbook of the Panama Canal 1915 (With Photos and Tables)

The Official Handbook of the Panama Canal 1915 was printed and published by the Government Printing Office in Washington in 1915. This Handbook was used at the Panama Canal Exhibit during the Panama Pacific International Exhibition in San Francisco. It contains information for the first year of operation of the Panama Canal. (80 pages). It includes 18 Photos and Tables, located at the end of the book.

The Publisher has copy-edited this book to improve the formatting, style and accuracy of the text to make it readable. This did not involve changing the substance of the text. Some books, due to age and other factors may contain imperfections. Since there are many books such as this one that are important and beneficial to literary interests, we have made it digitally available.

CONTENTS:

DISTANCES SAVED
Distances saved in trade routes between important areas — Tables of distances and time saved by canal route

HOW A VESSEL IS HANDLED THROUGH THE CANAL
Methods of depositing Panama Canal tolls in United States and Foreign countries — Local agents unnecessary — Government pilots necessary — Time required for transit — Towing vessels through locks by towing locomotives — Handling of ships in locks — Tug service

FACILITIES FOR SHIPPING
Large dry dock at Balboa — Fuel-oil handling plants — Coaling plants — Water supply for ships — General supplies — Repairs — Hotel and hospital accommodations and cable connections — Method of application for supplies — Prices of supplies — Charges for services

SAVINGS IN COST
Saving in cost of operation by use of canal specific instances cited where vessels have used canal

TOLLS
Levied on cargo and passenger carrying capacity — Officials from whom tonnage certificates may be obtained — Time required to measure vessels at Isthmus — Panama Canal tonnage — Rates of toll — Tonnage measurement in commercial operations compared with Panama Canal tonnage — Tolls collected to May 1, 1915

SAILING SHIPS
Use of canal by sailing ships — Savings effected

THE CANAL AND THE NAVY
Effectiveness of Navy increased — Monetary saving to United States

FEATURES OF CONSTRUCTION
Location of canal — Principal features of canal construction — Gatun Dam — Gatun Spillway — Hydroelectric station — Gatun Lake — Gaillard Cut — Miraflores Lake — Locks

TRAFFIC ROUTES
First six months of canal operation destination of vessels and their cargo tonnage — Coastwise trade of United States — Nature of traffic between various points — Principal commodities shipped via canal — Tabulation showing distribution of cargo tonnage — Canal tonnage in terms of railway traffic

INTRODUCTORY:

.....Since the golden age of discovery inaugurated by Columbus the quest for an all-water way from Europe to the Far East, across Atlantic and Pacific, has been a world obsession.
.....The idea has possessed the minds of navigators, shippers, business men, admirals, and Governments. Dozens of projects for the forcing of the passage have been advanced; thousands of lives have been lost in the efforts.
.....On May 4,1904, the Government of the United States took possession of a strip of land 10 miles wide running across the Isthmus of Panama and called the Canal Zone. On August 15,1914, the Panama Canal was opened to commerce.
.....This began the era of operation. This is the time of realization of the actual condition to which we have been looking forward so long. To tell something of the canal in operation, how it is managed, the distances it saves, with the resulting economy in operation of vessels using the canal, and the ways the trade is moving, are some of the purposes of this handbook.