Canal Correction

I, too, have made the passage through the Panama Canal and I enjoyed the article (“Rite of Passage, Sept. 18), but I would like to correct a statement (in the accompanying illustration) that water is pumped into the lock. The marvel of the canal is that there are no pumps; it is operated on gravity flow through valves that are opened to allow the stored water from the man-made lake to fill the locks from openings in the bottom of the locks and continue on its way to the ocean.

BOB HENDRICKS

San Diego

Editor’s note: Mr. Hendricks is correct. Our use of the word “pumped” was in error .