The idea of the Panama canal between North and South America dates back to 1513. By the late nineteenth century, technological advances and commercial pressure allowed construction to begin in earnest. Noted canal engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps led an initial attempt by France to build a sea-level canal. Beset by cost overruns due to the severe underestimation of the difficulties, heavy personnel losses in Panama from tropical diseases, and political corruption in France surrounding the financing of the massive project, the canal was only partly complete. Eventually on 7 January 1914 the French crane boat Alexandre La Valley became the first to make the traverse, and the canal officially opened to commercial traffic on 15 August 1914 with the transit of the Ancon.