66 THE "ANCON" AT CULEBRA CUT, THE FIRST SHIP PASSING THROUGH THE CANAL AT THE OPENING AUGUST 15, 1914 Use of Photo generously granted by the Pan American Union, Washington, D. C. THE PANAMA CANAL An Elucidation of Its Governmental Features By GEORGE A. TALLEY Connecting Two Oceans- Humanity Forging the Link REVISED EDITION This is a special work and distinguishable from other books A THE LEGAL NAME. The Suez Canal received its name from the Isthmus; why not the Panama Canal take its name from an Isthmus? The first company to begin work at Panama was the "Universal Interoceanic Panama Canal Co.," by abbreviation called "The Panama Canal Co.," and both de Lesseps and Bunau-Varilla used the term the Panama Canal. In the strenuous Congressional debate in 1902, over Nicaragua and Panama, some used the expressions the "Nicaragua route” and the "Panama route," but others frequently spoke of "The Panama Canal"; still Congress continued to place the head-line "Isthmian Canal" over all canal laws, and created the "Isthmian Canal Commission" to build the canal. A national law was passed August 24, 1912, declaring that the canal "shall hereafter be known and designated as the Panama Canal." The name has thus become common property and is made a part of the Congressional Documents; and all may freely use in speech and in print, the legal and geographical name of this national waterway. PUBLIC LIBRARY |