WI: Panama Canal with Eiffel from the beginning

[galileo-034]

Let's say that Lesseps dies while the construction begins. If Eiffel succeeds him and implements his idea of a canal with locks instead of a sea-level canal, it could prevent the wasting of millions of francs, and despite heavy losses of lives, could be ended.
It could also prevent the famous scandal to occur, a political consequence among others. What other consequences would this trigger?

 

[mowque]

I still doubt it can be built.

 

[wolf_brother]

I still doubt it can be built.

Why? Its not like the modern canal was built upon plans all that different from Eiffel's.

 

[mowque]

Why? Its not like the modern canal was built upon plans all that different from Eiffel's.

The simple lack of understanding on yellow fever, let alone the shallowness of French finances make it very hard to have a successful French attempt. Panama, in the end, is simply a vastly greater project then the Suez (which is a glorified ditch).

 

[wolf_brother]

The simple lack of understanding on yellow fever, let alone the shallowness of French finances make it very hard to have a successful French attempt. Panama, in the end, is simply a vastly greater project then the Suez (which is a glorified ditch).

The US didn't exactly have a stellar record dealing with yellow fever and malaria either during their canal construction, and they actually knew about the connection between mosquitoes and those diseases.

 

[mowque]

The US didn't exactly have a stellar record dealing with yellow fever and malaria either during their canal construction, and they actually knew about the connection between mosquitoes and those diseases.

But they actually made strides in dealing with (some rather extensive ones) the various vectors. The French had no clue and could do very little to combat it. It was a virtual massacre. Not to mention, the French lacked the heavy earth-moving equipment that the USA later relied on.

 

[galileo-034]

Lesseps worked for 8 years before Eiffel intervened to rethink the sea-level canal into a canal with locks, too late however to implement it because of the liquidation of the Panama Canal Company. These 8 years have been very costly in lives of workers because of yellow fever and malaria, but Lesseps didn't halted the works because of that. These 8 years which were lost by Lesseps in attempting to build a sea-level canal would surely not be wasted by Eiffel. As for the equipment, Eiffel was an inventive man and he would have the means.