The Panama Canal Fiftieth Anniversary; The Story of a Great Conquest
Panama Canal Zone: Panama Canal Information Office, 1964. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. vi, 122 pages. Illustrations., Ink notation on fep. DJ has some wear and soiling. The publication date of this book is August 15, 1964. On this date the SS "Christobal" set sale at Cristobal, Canal Zone, on a very special journey. Its reenactment of the first transit of the Canal, 50 years after the SS "Ancon" formally opened the waterway, has significance for trading nations of the world, large and small. This historic event marked a moment when thousand of people glanced back to remember the courage of those who built the Panama Canal. With this journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, the Panama Canal began its second half century at the crossroads of world commerce. This volume differs from other books on the subject in two major aspects. First, it has adopted a dramatic approach, using photograph to carry much of the story line. Thousands of photographs in the Panama Canal Company archives were carefully screened. The second way in which this 50th Anniversary volume is unique is in its broad view of the subject. The narrative begins with the first ideas on construction of a canal and developed the efforts of the French to build it. the story of the American success follows. But the story of this project would be incomplete without the inclusion of the Canal operation today, its leaders and workers and its major facilities. Therefore, its operations and the vitality of that operation are important parts of the book. The Panama Canal is an artificial 51 mile waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, cutting across the Isthmus of Panama, and is a conduit for maritime trade. Canal locks at each end lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial freshwater lake 85 feet above sea level, created by damming up the Chagres River and Lake Alajuela to reduce the amount of excavation work required for the canal, and then lower the ships at the other end. In 1850, the United States began construction of the Panama Railroad (now called the Panama Railway) to cross the isthmus; it opened in 1855. This overland link became a vital piece of Western Hemisphere infrastructure, greatly facilitating trade. The later canal route was constructed parallel to it, as it had helped clear dense forests.[citation needed] An all-water route between the oceans was still the goal. Theodore Roosevelt actively supported the separation of Panama from Colombia. Shortly after recognizing Panama, he signed a treaty with the new Panamanian government under terms similar to the Hay–Herrán Treaty. On November 2, 1903, US warships blocked sea lanes against possible Colombian troop movements en route to put down the Panama rebellion. Panama declared independence on November 3, 1903. The United States quickly recognized the new nation. After the revolution in 1903, the Republic of Panama became a US protectorate until 1939. In 1904, the United States purchased the French equipment and excavations, including the Panama Railroad, for US$40 million, of which $30 million related to excavations completed, primarily in the Culebra Cut, valued at about $1.00 per cubic yard.[37] The United States also paid the new country of Panama $10 million and a $250,000 payment each following year. In 1921, Colombia and the United States entered into the Thomson–Urrutia Treaty, in which the United States agreed to pay Colombia $25 million: $5 million upon ratification, and four $5 million annual payments, and grant Colombia special privileges in the Canal Zone. In return, Colombia recognized Panama as an independent nation. In 1907, Stevens resigned as chief engineer. His replacement, appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt, was US Army Major George Washington Goethals of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Soon to be promoted to lieutenant colonel and later to general, he was a strong, West Point-trained leader and civil engineer with experience in canals. Goethals directed the work in Panama to a successful conclusion in 1914, two years ahead of the target date of June 10, 1916. Condition: Very good / Good.
Keywords: Panama Canal, Fiftieth Anniversary, Commemoration, Canal Zone Government, Panama Canal Company, Pictorial Works, Gatun, Miraflores, Pedro Miguel Locks, Culebra Cut, Charges River, Gamboa, Balboa, Thatcher Ferry Bridge, Isthmus, Engineering Project
[Book #87571]
Price: $75.00