What TL needed for the Panama Canal to be built much earlier

[Aozhouhuaren]

One of the greatest engineering marvels in modern history, the Panama Canal took thousands of workers lives, was abandoned by the French and the project was only revived a decade later by the US. It took another decade to complete construction with other additions such as Lake Gatun coming years later. What kind of ATL or at least a major alteration to OTL
would be required for the canal to be built much earlier , at least 5-15 years earlier. One alteration i can think of is changes to hygienic practices and the set-up of clinics to treat workers with malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases.

 

[David S Poepoe]

I would speculate that as early as the beginning of the Victorian period the canal could be built. It is a perfect 'Brunelian' project to think about. I did an ATL once where Nelson's attack in Nicaragua succeded and the British annex Nicaragua. They first build a trans-Nicaraguan railroad then a canal.

 

[Tocomocho]

The problem were the tropical diseases. Cuban scientist Carlos J. Finlay proposed in 1881 that the vector were some species of mosquitos, but nobody took this idea seriously till 1900. If only the French had hear about him...

 

[Electric Monk]

As David S Poepoe refers to, if obliquely, building a canal in Nicaragua would have been much easier than Panama. Not least because of less disease, easier terrain, less locks, etc…

Both New Spain and the Federal Republic of Central America thought about a Nicaraguan canal. Just have them get funding or be more adventurous or some such.

 

[Glen]

One of the greatest engineering marvels in modern history, the Panama Canal took thousands of workers lives, was abandoned by the French and the project was only revived a decade later by the US. It took another decade to complete construction with other additions such as Lake Gatun coming years later. What kind of ATL or at least a major alteration to OTL
would be required for the canal to be built much earlier , at least 5-15 years earlier. One alteration i can think of is changes to hygienic practices and the set-up of clinics to treat workers with malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases.

The New Granada timeline, of course....