A few words concerning the Panama Canal will not be amiss here.
The canal was opened to smaller vessels on August 5, 1914, but the official opening did not take place until much later, being attended with elaborate ceremonies.
The canal is about fifty miles in length from deep water in the Caribbean Sea to deep water in the Pacific Ocean. It ranges in width from 300 to 1,000 feet with an average bottom width of almost 700 feet. The Gatun dam along its crest is 8,000 feet long.
The construction of the canal is considered one of the greatest feats of engineering of all time and was accomplished at a tremendous cost. The land was secured by treaty from Colombia at great expense and resulted in considerable trouble between the United States and the South American republic.
It is provided by treaties that the canal shall be open to the vessels of all nations, merchantmen, or ships of war, in times of war as well in times of peace; but strict rules of neutrality have been provided for the passage of war vessels.
All this Mr. Willing explained to the others during the day. With the coming of night, the passengers began to go aboard the Yucatan for the ship was to sail at an early hour and it was deemed advisable to be aboard the night before.
Therefore, when Shirley and Mabel arose and went on deck, the Yucatan already had started its passage through the canal. The girls stood upon the upper deck aft and looked about with interest; but after an hour of this they grew tired and went down to breakfast.
The passage of the canal would require about ten hours and Shirley remarked to Mabel that she would be glad when they were on the Pacific and sailing up the coast.
“And so will I,” agreed Mabel. “Of course it is nice to see all these things, but they don’t interest me a whole lot.”
“I feel the same way. To tell the truth I shall be glad to get to San Francisco. From what I have heard, the Exposition must be beautiful.”