The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-26 00:00:00

EttopuIATAIITUNNEL LINICs.

Mt Committee of Lords and Commons
lad recently upon Metropolitan Commaaicatices
Aclusively of underground !lines. The line from
Hamptad.bill to Cbaring.crose is to be wholly
or, ai Colonel Yolland expremed it before the
" underneath everything." The line from Len-
der Victoria-street, under the Thames Embank-
under Sew Cannon-street and Great Tower.
'oser•hill, is to be underground. So will also be
m Finsbury-circus, under the Blackwell Railway,
Loodon Docks, under the Thames, by way of the
creel. to the south-eastern part of the metropolis-
ke given before the committee affords some
of the difficulty of making lines in this way, to
ould be well to point attention.

ropolitan way was made through a quarter of
▪ :requeozed than the peat thoroaghfares of the
yet few persons, during the years it was in
instruction, failed to experience the inconvenience
nor which resulted from it Eminent authorities
rat that could those annoyances and inoonve-
ie ken foreseen the construction of the hoe
er have been sanctioned. Mr. Fowler, the en-
he Underground Railway, was examined before
:onainittee u to these inconveniences. He &d-
-i there was great temporary inconvenient* in
1 during the construction of his works." Of
MPS very much interested in proving that the
inconvenience during the construction of works
r would be at a minimum. It is worth while,
o consider his answers.
you ever practically tunnelled under a house
orfering with the house!
we did that in several cases. There in no diffl-
iug it. It is only a question whether it is more
to do it or to pull down the huildiogs.
fact that applications have been made to the
su company for compensation for injury done to
r to the lice of maw, by the vibration!
since the railway was opened. During the exe-
had to buy property and to compensate for pro-
some cases it was fond to be better to tunnel
other cases it was found better to take it down ;
upon the value of the property.
Du not go wader a bowie in the neighbourhood of
ace

.
se passed under one house and very near another.
Liken by the company, and are the property of
subject to a lease to the Board of Works.
row that being an objection, the company have •
er of applications to take the houses at • larger
they expected, by which they will be secured
low. They have not determined upon letting
°sequence of the numerous applications they
I have been in the hones under which the line
rains have been pawing, and there has not been
we as would be caused by the pawing of a cab in
observed that Mr. Fowlar's answers relate to
of
considerations. The passage of the UM=
id is not, be affirms, a mourn of serious Moon-
houses constructed over the tunnel; but "it
in whether it is better to bey the property and
✓.
or to tunnel under it, when the works are in
instruction."

ply this to the line proposed to be coostractod
ropoLtain District Railway :

no difficulties of importance (says Mr. Fowler)
e Monument and Blackfriars-bridge (i. e. under
cau.street), and there are great facilities far
line. But there are, no doubt, considerable dil-
a consequence of the nature of the prerty)
insbury and the Monument; indee I have
a importance to it, that I have had three dif-
surveyed and valued with the most minute care,
labia me to ascertain which would be the but
. From the Monument to the east side of
Irene the property is of an important character,
in my opinion, require to be dealt with in •
saner. Some of the meet important buildinp,
e, must be actually tunnelled
n under, and the
'moied during the operations, and whatever
nes:emery for that must be incurred. The pro-
some cases sufficiently important to require such
haling with it.

lay average are the rails ander the buildup
t _'o feet.

far do you %tartan with brio ssouts and other

mle, the property would lure to be taken down

aid that you would pus nods, loco° buildiop
ing them down
Those would be exceptiooal oases. Then aro
aces in which that would appear to be the best
There would, however, always be interference,
satioe would be paid.
Isar the llosunient
md all the churches.

are the public buildings you refer to!
esa buildings, Janke, sod so on. In that district
Imost every room is a separate place of business,
I be a serious thing interfering with such build-
s ; and it would be worth the while of the emu-
cues to execute the works, where practicable,
curbing the buildings.
the cannot be considered an agreeable prce-
citizens of London. It,. Fowler, it will be
olds out no prospect of improving the streets is
widening existing thoroughfares, or improving
nhations. AU he promises to do is "to clear
tot, and to execute the works, where practicable,
turbing the buildings." But, having regard to
a in the comparatively open space by the side at
ad he was obliged to pun:babe and take down
at the top of Park-cresoent, Portland-place, it
unlikely that he will be able to go through such
is as Easteheap and Great Tower-street without
;If local and commercial inconvenience which the
Mee scarcely seem to have fully appreciated.

catty of mailbag • tunnel midway seems not,
be limited to localities which Sr. densely
/3 buildings. Vietoriaatreet, for example, is •
thoroughfare, and the buildings at each side of
ample* it might be thought that Victoria-street
ad line under which to construct underground
it it has to be considered that all the part of
scent to Thorny Island (Westminster Abbey)
e. Mr. Fowler himself, who lives in the loos-
en-square, seems fully alive to all the di/Scatty
a tunnel communiaatioo through this locality :
your line go down Victoria-street
r down it or by the side of it. Ify own impreo
it would be batter at the side of Victoria-street,
rould be at • very low level ?
but there would be no other difficulty there than
tend in the construction of the sewer. Then
ere, which is charged with water to a certain
tang affected by the tide (!) It would require
and care in the contruction ; but it would be
nod eddies something to the expense.
31:1 make your tunnels perfectly watertight?
In rr..iny parts of our circle, as for instance from
a-street, and extending eastward beyond Black-
mer part of the tunnel must be perfectly water.
ie, of course, " would be nothing beyond adding
o the expose."

ch, the engineer of the Metropolitan Grand
way, which proposed to peas through the same
e some further evidence u to the difficulty and
Lc under Victoria-street.

." be mid, "a little about the making of the
ict..ria-street. A few feet below the surface of
you come to high water level. The gravel is
Ith water. I am perfectly certain that it is
Power ..f any engineer to bead a tunnel them
:tinc up Victotia•street. It is below the level
r. and full of water. Yon must open it to build
and cover it over again ; and I thought that
st,h an obstruction to the traffic that I en-
^ avoid it by going to the north of Victoria.
then"

lit% of making tunnel lines is further illustrated
m, the ergineer to the East London (Thames
'way. He does not think there woald be any
ustructioglis line " in the day" 33 feet below
,ester mark. lle does not think be shall shake
,^I3R of any of the houses in the dense distriet
I, be passes " in the clay." " The only difficulty
the clay slipping."

- -
not,elpste Cy to the Thames Tunnel
'ratinn that world be from railway
g through q?