Chapter II: Preface: 5

DATE HISTORY OF THE CANAL 11

I. THE SECRET OF THE STRAIT 15

II. CANAL PROJECTS 23

III. THE CLAYTON-BULWER TREATY AND THE SUEZ CANAL 42

IV. THE FRENCH FAILURE 52

V. THE HAY-PAUNCEFOTE TREATY 64

VI. THE UNITED STATES AND COLOMBIA 77

VII. A MINIATURE REVOLUTION 88

VIII. THE BATTLE OF THE LEVELS 112

IX. MAN AND THE GNAT 129

X. LIFE AT THE ISTHMUS 153

XI. THE PROBLEM OF CONSTRUCTION 172

XII. THE CULEBRA CUT 186

XIII. THE LOCKS 195

XIV. THE COMPLETED CANAL 207

XV. PANAMA AND THE ISTHMUS 226

XVI. THE NEW OCEAN HIGHWAYS 242

XVII. THE CANAL AND THE AMERICAS 265

XVIII. THE CANAL AND THE BRITISH EMPIRE 284

XIX. THE NEW PACIFIC 316

APPENDIX I.--HAY-PAUNCEFOTE TREATY 323

APPENDIX II.--PANAMA DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 327

APPENDIX III.--HAY-BUNAU-VARILLA TREATY CLAUSES 1-9 AND 23 332