The Panama Canal The history of the Panama Canal goes back to the 16th century. After realizing the riches of Peru, Ecuador, and Asia, and realizing how long it took the gold to reach the ports of Spain, someone suggested to Charles V, that by cutting out a piece of land somewhere in Panama, the trips would be made shorter. A survey of the isthmus was ordered and subsequently a working plan for a canal …showed first 75 words of 556 total…

…showed last 75 words of 556 total…of cargo and paid US $ 419.2 million in tolls. * The highest Canal toll was US $ 141,344.91 paid by the Crown Princess and the lowest toll ever paid was 36 cents by Richard Halliburton for swimming the Canal in 1928. * The average time spent in transit from port to port is approx. 8 - 10 hours. * Until Lake Mead was formed by the building of the Hoover Dam, Gatun Lake, the lake formed by the Panama Canal was the largest artificial body