It had become apparent that the sea-level canal was physically impossible and the only workable plan would consist of constructing a set of locks leading to an elevated canal. Daily MailThe idea of building a canal between the Atlantic and Pacific was first planned by the French civil engineer and builder of the Suez Canal, Ferdinand de Lesseps. Daily MailTwo men stand on railroad tracks in front of canal locks gates. Daily MailWorkers taking a break fro construction. Daily MailTwo of the mud buckets of the U.S. Ladder Dredge ‘Corozal.’ Capacity of each 54 c.f., National GeographicPresident Theodore Roosevelt visited the Canal in 1906, where he spoke with workers at Bas Obispo about the project. Photo courtesy of the Library of CongressPresident Theodore Roosevelt operating a steam shovel at Culebra Cut, Panama Canal. Daily MailThe tug known as the U.S. Gaton was the first vessel to try out the newly constructed Gatun Locks in the Panama Canal. Daily MailThe S.S. Kronland crossed through the Panama in 1915, pulled by the U.S. Gaton tug boat. The canal now passes around 15,000 ships a year. Daily Mail
