Blogging School

Over half a century has passed since the day in August 1914 when the 9,000 ton ship Ancon became the first in history to sail direct from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean through the new 50-mile-long canal.

Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer, built the  Suez Canal. The French, certain that de Lesseps could repeat his triumph, made plans for the canal across Panama. Work began in 1888, but the engineers were beaten not by engineering problems or financial troubles but by a small winged insect, the mosquito. There were millions of theme there and they carried the deadly yellow fever against which, in those days, medical science was helpless. So many of the workers died that they could not continue.

The French wanted to build a sea-level canal. But, when the Americans finally decided to build the canal, the route demanded twelve locks. Canal locks are doors in a canal which can be opened or closed so that the level of the water between two locks can be raised or lowered. This makes it possible for a canal to take ships up and down hills. This is one reason why the Panama Canal is now considered out-to-date. If war should come and these locks were bombed, the canal would be out of actions for months.

In 1956 Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal and now people in Latin America are beginning to say the Panama Canal should also be nationalized. This would mean that the Americans no longer be able to control it. The USA is considering building a second canal – a sea-level one which could not easily be put out of action because there would be no locks. The engineers planning this jpb have one great new idea, to move the earth and rock for the canal by using atomic explosions.