'Hell's Gorge - Building the Panama Canal

A lecture by Hugh Willing for the Tennant Lecture Series

Tuesday 2 May 2023

Drinks in the E M Forster Theatre Foyer from 7.30pm

Lecture in the E M Forster Theatre at 8pm

This is the story of French and American efforts to build a canal through the isthmus of Panama to link the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean. The first attempt by the French was a disaster. In the tropical heat of Panama, the French found themselves facing impenetrable jungle, dangerous mudslides and deadly tropical diseases. The project proved to be an undertaking of nightmare proportions and was eventually abandoned. The resulting financial scandals not only ruined many investors, but it brought down the French Government.

In 1904 the United States took up the challenge. A concentrated effort succeeded in eradicating the causes of the tropical diseases, but the attempt to build a sea-level canal once again failed. Eventually the extravagant dream came true, but 25 years had to elapse before the oceans were finally united at a terrible human cost of 25,000 lives.

Hugh Willing gave a superb lecture on the D-Day landings at Tonbridge four years ago and this promises to be an equally fascinating evening.

This event is fully accessible.