Part 14 (2/2)

Ipictures are taken not by pressing a switch, or a rubber bulb, such as that which works a camera shutter, but by the continuous action of a crank, or handle, attached to the cale picture, but when a series, on a long celluloid strip, are needed, as in the case for the ”ement becomes absolutely necessary

The sensitive celluloid film must move continuously, in a soht ca some particular motion, is taken, the filoes on, to be wound up in the box, and a new portion brought before the lens for exposure

All this the crank does auto the film and all that is necessary

I wish I had space, not only to tell youpictures are made, but much about the Panama Canal As to the former--the pictures--in other books of this series I have done ive you a brief account of that wonderful industry

Now as to the Canal--it is such a vast undertaking and subject that only in a great volume could I hope to do it justice And in a story (such as this is intended to be), I aive you pretty dry reading if I gave you too ures

Of course many of you have read of the Canal in the newspapers--the controversy over the choice of the route, the discussion as to whether a sea level or a lock canal was best, and many other points, especially whether the Gatun Dares River

With all that I have nothing to do in this book, but I hope you will pardon just a little reference to the Canal, especially the lock features, since Joe and Blake had a part in at least fil those wonderful structures

You know there are two kinds of canals, those on the level, which are o over hills and through low valleys

There are tays of getting a canal over a hill One is to build it and let the water in to the foot of the hill, and then to raise vessels over, the crest of the hill, and down the other side to where the canal again starts, by means of inclined planes, or marine railways

The other method is by ”locks,” as they are called That is, there are built a series of basins with powerful, water-tight gates dividing the canals well kno locks work

A boat co until it reaches the place where the lock is

It is floated into a basin, or section, of the ay, and a gate is closed behind it Then, froher than that part where the boat then is, water is admitted into the basin, until the boat rises to the level of the higher part of the canal Then the higher gate is opened, and the vessel floats out on the higher level It goes ”up hill,” so to speak

By reversing the process it can also go ”down hill” Of course there her level waters fro into those of the lower level

Soher than other parts In other words, a vessel entering the Canal at Colon, on the Atlantic side of the Isthet to the level of Gatun Lake, which fore part of the Canal Then, when the Pacific end is approached, the vessel ain, first in one step of thirty and a third feet, and then in two steps, or locks, aggregating fifty-four and two-thirds feet So you see the series of locks at either end of the great Canal exactly balance one another, the distance at each end being eighty-five feet

It is just like going up stairs at one end of a long board walk and down again at the other end, only the steps are of water, and not wood

The tug bearing Blake, Joe and Mr Alcando was now stea over toward Toro Point break-water, which I have before alluded to

This was built to ood harbor at Colon, where violent storet some pictures of the breakwater,” Blake had said, since he and his chuh the Canal, and the breakwater was really the starting point It extends out into the Caribbean Sea eleven thousand feet

”And you are taking pictures now?” asked Mr Alcando, as Blake and Joe set up a ca Coive you lesson nu away at the handle ”I will gladly come!” exclaimed the Spaniard, and soon he was deep in the mysteries of the business

There was not et to the Canal proper, and into the big locks A little later their tug was steareat ditch, five hundred feet wide, and over forty feet deep, which leads directly to the locks This ditch, or start of the Canal proper, is about seventhe way a series ofpictures was taken

”And so at last we are really on the Panama Canal!” cried Joe as he helped Blake put in a fresh reel of unexposed fil ”points”

”That's what you are,” the captain informed them, ”and, just ahead of you are the locks Now you'll see so,' as you call it”

CHAPTER XII