The wharf south of the lumber dock is 775.45 feet in length, with a return 290 feet long, and, as the work had to be performed in water, the reinforced-concrete caissons used in the other dock were not suitable. The caissons for this portion of the work are steel cylinders 6 feet in diameter, in sections 5 feet long. In order to permit the construction of this portion of the wharf it was necessary to remove the sand-unloading cranes formerly used by the Pacific division, and the sand operations were transferred to Miraflores locks. A ladder dredge cleared the site and a double trestle was constructed longitudinally through the site for the handling of the caissons. The excavation inside the cylinders was performed by orange-peel buckets as much as possible, but the material overlying the hard rock was so firm that the greater part of the excavation had to be done by hand, using Star well drills as hoisting engines. At the close of the year 23 caissons had been sunk to rock.

The bulkhead quay wall, extending between the wharf and Pier No. 1, is 303 feet long and built on concrete cylinders sunk to rock in a manner similar to that at the wharf north of the lumber dock. Rock was encountered very much higher than on the greater part of the other quay walls, and it was necessary to do considerable rock excavation in the caissons to get them well below -45. Excavation was done by orange-peel buckets operated by locomotive cranes, but the removal of rock and cleaning out the bottom of the caissons required hand excavation. Sixty-five piers were required for this dock. They were all sunk to rock at the end of February, 1914. The superstructure was placed similar to that of the other docks. A similar bulkhead, extending from Pier No. 1 to Pier No. 2, was begun during the year.

The construction of Pier No. 1, 1,000 feet in length and 201 feet wide, proceeded in a manner similar to that of the wharf construction, both as regards excavating in the caissons and placing the superstructure. Most of the material excavated was soft, alluvial mud, rock being encountered at the upper end, which necessitated hand excavation in order to secure a foundation for the cylinders. During the year 184 piers were sunk to rock.

The division cost of this dock work in detail to date is as follows: At the quay wall north of the lumber dock there have been excavated, in connection with the concrete cylinders and the beams for the superstructure, 23,728 cubic yards, at a division cost of $2.2569 per cubic yard; 6,464.5 cubic yards of concrete have been laid in the construction of the caisson shells, at a division cost of $13.0343 per cubic yard; 7,945 cubic yards of concrete have been placed within the caissons, at a division cost of $6.6675 per cubic yard; 7,359 cubic yards of concrete have been laid in the floor system, at an average division cost of $24.2281 per cubic yard. In paving this dock 75,683

square feet of brick paving were laid, at a division cost of $0.3120 per square foot. This dock was completed during the year; it has an area of 77,403 square feet and the total division cost was $421,200.57, or $5.4417 per square foot.

At the quay wall south of the lumber dock, in dredging preparatory to the construction of this dock, 25,720 cubic yards of material were removed, at a division cost of $0.4689 per cubic yard; 669 cubic yards were excavated for and in the piers, at a division cost of $2.2929 per cubic yard; in filling the caissons, 1,487 cubic yards of concrete were placed, at a division cost of $9.3277 per cubic yard. To the close of the fiscal year there have been expended in the construction of this dock $107,956.85. In the construction of the bulkhead quay wall, extending between the wharf and Pier No. 1, 7,835 cubic yards of material were excavated in and for the piers, at a division cost of $2.4612 per cubic yard. In the construction of the caisson shells 1,657 cubic yards of concrete were used, at a division cost of $17.3458 per cubic yard; 3,563 cubic yards of concrete were placed within the cylinders, at a division cost of $5.9657 per cubic yard. There were 2,462 cubic yards of concrete placed in the concrete floor, at a division cost of $16.3920 per cubic yard, and 21 cubic yards in the concrete balustrade, at a division cost of $33.7429 per cubic yard. Behind the structure, 2,313 cubic yards of back fill were placed, at a division cost of $2.1406 per cubic yard. The total amount expended on this quay wall to the end of the fiscal year was $130,306.14.

In the construction of the pier, 31,666 cubic yards of material were excavated for and in the cylinders, at a division cost of $2.9495 per cubic yard. In the construction of the caisson shells, 10,773 cubic yards of concrete were used, at a division cost of $12.5772 per cubic yard, and 13,346 cubic yards of concrete were used in filling the caissons, at a division cost of $6.7139 per cubic yard. In connection with the floor system there were excavated 7,373 cubic yards, at a division cost of $1.4920 per cubic yard; 10,222 cubic yards of concrete were laid in the floor, at a division cost of $16.1893 per cubic yard, and 939 cubic yards of back fill were placed, at a division cost of $1.9287 per cubic yard. To the end of the fiscal year there were expended in the construction of this pier $511,749.14. The total expense in connection with these docks, including preliminary expenditures which have not been located to any of the docks, to the end of the fiscal year was $1,212,917.01.

Ancon quarry.-The Ancon quarry was continued in operation during the fiscal year-by the fifth division from July 1, 1913, to February 1, 1914; by the fourth division from February 1, 1914, to May 31, 1914; and from the latter date to the end of the year under the division of terminal construction. The greater part of the work has been carried on on the upper level, which is over 400 feet above

the crushers. Two shovels were kept at work until May, 1914, since which time one shovel has been operated and the other held in reserve. In July, 1913, the bank under the crusher building gave way and threatened to carry away the lower part of the crusher building and conveyor. The material in the slide was excavated by steam shovels, working day and night, and about 40,000 cubic yards were removed and hauled to Miraflores locks for back filling and to the Balboa town site. During this time the crushers were run 12 hours a day until the danger from the slide was stopped. The large crusher was relined once, the main shaft changed twice, and the main eccentric changed twice in order to be rebabbitted.

The larger output from the quarry is designated as rock No. 1 and the smaller as rock No. 2. The demand for the latter size was greater than formerly, and the crusher had to be arranged to crush the rock smaller, the screens being changed so that a greater percentage of No. 2 rock was produced. The total amount of crushed rock produced during the year was 502,798 cubic yards at an average cost of $0.8974 per cubic yard. In addition thereto 49,156 cubic yards of screenings were produced, which were utilized in the construction and repair of roads and in the manufacture of concrete blocks for construction of buildings.

Sand service. The handling of sand from Chame to Balboa was performed by the dredging division, and the unloading at Balboa continued under the dredging division until February, 1914, when the unloading cranes at Balboa were closed down, owing to the necessity of moving them off the temporary dock on which they had been installed. The unloading operations were transferred to Miraflores on April 28, and unloading was performed by one of the berm cranes still remaining at that point. A locomotive crane was subsequently added, and both machines worked during May and June. A total of 199,319 cubic yards of sand was received and unloaded at an average cost of $0.8233 per cubic yard.

Panama Railroad freight yards.-The Panama Railroad freight yards, extending from Diablo Hill to the foot of Sosa Hill, were practically completed at the end of the year. The filling and excavation for these were performed by the division of terminal construction. Material excavated from the inner harbor by suction dredges was deposited through pipe lines into the swamp lying between the site and the old Panama Railroad line, and a considerable amount of dry fill obtained from the dry-dock excavation and from Diablo Hill was added. The low, swampy area east of Balboa terminals and north of Ancon Hill was raised to a higher elevation by & hydraulic fill dredged from the inner harbor.

Colliers. The successful operation of the coaling plants, as well as the price at which coal can be sold, is dependent in some degree

upon the ability to control the transportation of coal from the United States. During the year the cost of water transportation was $1.395 per ton. The coal is brought down in foreign bottoms. The conclusion was reached early in the consideration of the coalsupply problem that advantages would result from the ownership by The Panama Canal or the Panama Railroad Co. of the colliers bringing coal to the Isthmus. An estimate was therefore submitted in 1912 that would permit the construction by The Panama Canal of two colliers in accordance with the latest type of naval design, and would give The Panama Canal the desired control over its coal supply. The general plans were prepared by the Navy Department, and bids were opened for their construction on February 2, 1914. On April 9, 1914, a contract was entered into for the construction of the two at $987,500 each. Each collier is to have a coal-carrying capacity of 12,000 tons and a speed of 14 knots per hour loaded to full capacity. On June 30, 1914, the Secretary of War decided that these colliers when completed will be operated by the Panama Railroad Co. The company has submitted an estimate of the cost of transportation, which amounts to 97 cents a ton, not including depreciation or interest on the capital invested.

Tugs. As stated in the previous annual report, an estimate was included for the fiscal year 1913 for the purchase of four harbor tugs of suitable design and sufficient power to handle the largest vessel using the canal. The plans and specifications were approved in December, 1913, and bids were invited by a circular through the Washington office on January 6, 1914. When the bids were received it was decided to reduce the number from four to two, and the contract was awarded and entered into on May 8, 1914.

Floating cranes.-A contract was entered into on April 21, 1913, for two floating cranes of the revolving type, and of 250 tons capacity each, at a cost of approximately $837,500, to be delivered and completed on the Isthmus within 580 days, or by December 2, 1914. These cranes have been given the names Ajax and Hercules, respectively. The work has progressed satisfactorily, and the pontoons were brought from Germany and arrived on the Isthmus in July.

Balboa town site.-Planning of the permanent town of Balboa, together with the streets, water and sewer systems, was placed under this division. Previous study had served to determine the location of the Administration Building, and the formal mall of buildings on Balboa Plain as recommended by the Commission of Fine Arts. The main roadways have a width of 24 feet; the roadways of secondary importance have width of either 18 or 14 feet. The land which has been set aside for the permanent gold site at Balboa includes 29 acres on the north and northwesterly slopes of Sosa Hill, intended generally for quartering employees assigned to the shops and

terminals; an area of 724 acres on the southwesterly slope of Hill, which has been named "Balboa Heights." Employees ing in the Administration Building will be housed in this area third area, of about 55 acres, is on the low ground between t areas above mentioned, on which will be located buildings of a or semipublic character, as well as quarters. Construction was started the latter part of August, and the progress has bee erned to a considerable extent by the existing structures and t Sewers and water systems have been installed and a consid amount of grading and planting work completed. For the struction of roads asphaltic concrete was adopted as being economical. The total amount expended on the work was $409,1 Radio station-In addition to the foregoing work, the buildi the Darien radio station was placed in charge of this division $74,756.88 were expended during the year on its construction. For further particulars, attention is invited to Appendix B.

SUPPLY DEPARTMENT.

The supply department was organized, effective April 1, 191 combining the quartermaster's and subsistence departments u the old organization, and was placed in charge of Capt. R. E. W United States Army, as chief quartermaster. The department charge of the recruitment of labor; construction and repair o buildings; care, furnishing, and assignment of quarters; distribu fuel, commissary supplies, and distilled water; the operation hotels, messes, and kitchens; requisitioning for supplies of all ki together with the receipt and distribution of them on arrival; the ting of grass and disposal of night soil and garbage, as prescribed the health department.

During the year the work of the department was more ardu than that of any other on the Isthmus, by reason of the frequ changes in organization due to the consolidation of the work, construction of new buildings, the elimination of old towns their transfer to new localities, and too much credit can not be gi to those who have had charge of the work.

The force employed on the canal dropped steadily throughout year, being 29,673 on June 30, 1914, as compared with 43,350 at close of the previous fiscal year. Accompanying the decrease th was a large emigration from the Isthmus, and for the first time sin the work was started there was an excess of departures over arriv of about 15,000. Free transportation was furnished to 1,361 Ame cans, 1,173 West Indians, and 1,615 Europeans, at a cost of $12 765.80. The character of the force was radically changed during t year, due to the completion of dry excavation and the large increa