S. Army, and Mr. Jackson Smith, Commissioners.  This change of authority and direction went into effect on April 1, without causing a perceptible check to the progress of the work.  In March the total excavation in the Culebra Cut, where effort was chiefly concentrated, was 815,270 cubic yards.  In April this was increased to 879,527 cubic yards.  There was a considerable decrease in the output for May and June owing partly to the advent of the rainy season and partly to temporary trouble with the steam shovel men over the question of wages.  This trouble was settled satisfactorily to all parties and in July the total excavation advanced materially and in August the grand total from all points in the canal prism by steam shovels and dredges exceeded all previous United States records, reaching 1,274,404 cubic yards.  In September this record was eclipsed and a total of 1,517,412 cubic yards was removed.  Of this amount 1,481,307 cubic yards were from the canal prism and 36,105 cubic yards were from accessory works.  These results were achieved in the rainy season with a rainfall in August of 11.89 inches and in September of 11.65 inches.  Finally, in October, the record was again eclipsed, the total excavation being 1,868,729 cubic yards; a truly extraordinary record, especially in view of the heavy rainfall, which was 17.1 inches.  In fact, experience during the last two rainy seasons demonstrates that the rains are a less serious obstacle to progress than has hitherto been supposed.

Work on the locks and dams at Gatun, which began actively in March last, has advanced so far that it is thought that masonry work on the locks can be begun within fifteen months.  In order to remove all doubt as to the satisfactory character of the foundations for the locks of the Canal, the Secretary of War requested three eminent civil engineers, of special experience in such construction, Alfred Noble, Frederic P. Stearns and John R. Freeman, to visit the Isthmus and make thorough personal investigations of the sites.  These gentlemen went to the Isthmus in April and by means of test pits which had been dug for the purpose, they inspected the proposed foundations, and also examined the borings that had been made.  In their report to the Secretary of War, under date of May 2, 1907, they said:  “We found that all of the locks, of the dimensions now proposed, will rest upon rock of such character that it will furnish a safe and stable foundation.”  Subsequent new borings, conducted by the present Commission, have fully confirmed this verdict.  They show that the locks will rest on rock for their entire length.  The cross section of the dam and method of construction will be such as to insure against any slip or sloughing off.  Similar examination of the foundations of the locks and dams on the Pacific side are in progress.  I believe that the locks should be made of a width of 120 feet.