The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-04 00:00:00

Proposed Tunnel under the Channel.

A writer in a contemporary says :
" During many years the scheme of connecting
France and England by means of a highway under
the Channel has from time to time been proposed,
but it has hitherto been generally regarded as too
extravagant for serious consideration. Projects,
however, which formerly would have been pro-
nounced absurd have in these days been carried
into effect, and we now wonder at the ignorance and
tardiness of our predecessors respecting inventions
which to us seem excessively simple and obvious
A few years will probably suffice to determine the
practicability of solving the great problem of a sub-
marine road to the Continek It is a problem
which may well inspire the boldest living engineer
with apprehension, for failure will cause enormous
pecuniary loss, and jeopardise even the most solid
reputation. Nevertheless, one of the most ex-
perienced and successful engineers of our time, Mr.
Hawkshaw, has resolved to grapple with this prob-
lem, and he is, indeed, actually engaged in the pre-
liminary explorations. Although war is the order
of the day, and the British public is eager for war-
like intelligence, yet the following condensed ac-
countthis ofour readers
rpeeaaceefu.l project may not be unaccept-
able

" 11fr. Hawkshaw has long contemplated the prac-
ticability of this enterprise, and has for about two
years been engaged in a geological investigation of
the localities. Borings are now being made at
considerable expense in the neighbourhood of Dover,
and, by permission of the French Government, be-
tween Calais and Boulogne ; and in the course of
this summer explorations will be made in mid-
channel. Such trials are essential, in order to obtain
knowledgeit concerning the nature, extent,
paonsdtirick ness of the strata.

" It is proposed to carry on the excavation for the
tunnel from both ends, as well as from shafts in the
Channel. At the top of the shafts powerful steam
engines will be erected for pumping,-for drawing up
the excavated material, and for supplying power to
the machinery by which excavation will be effected.
" The tunnel will communicate on the French side
with the Northern of France Railway, and on the
English side with the South-Eastern and London,
Chatham, and Dover Railways, so that there will
be an unbroken line of railway communication be-
tween London and Paris.

" Mr. Hawkshaw will not be able finally to de-
cide upon the details of this great work until the
completion of the borings now in progress."

A prospectus has been issued by the Credit Foncier
and Mobilier of England, to be presented at an extra-
ordinary general meeting at which the directors
will propose a reorganisation of the company,
in order to lessen the liability of the share-
holders, and thereby establish increased confidence
which many entertain with respect to calls.
The following are the proposals :-Ist. To hold
meetings in January and July in each year. 2d.
To limit the payment in the first half of each year
of any interest or ad interim dividend to an amount
not exceeding 10 per cent. per annum. 3d. To
limit the payment in the last half of each year of
any higher dividend and bonus than at such rate as
will, with the payment made in the first half-year,
be equal together, for the whole year, to not more
than 20 per cent. per annum, until such time as the
reserve fund shall amount to a sum equal to one-
third of the paid-up capital of the company for
the time being. 4th. That all sums carried to re-
serve fund shall be invested in Consols or other
British Government Securities. sth. The governor
during tenure of office to hold not less than 1,000
shares, instead of 200 shares, as at present. The
deputy-governor to hold not less than 600 shares,
instead of 200 shares, as at present. Each director
to hold not less than 400 shares, instead of 200
shares, as at present. 6th. The fixed remuneration
to be paid to the directors to be £6,400 per annum,
in lieu of the present maximum fixed remuneration
of £8,400 per annum. 7th. The commission pay-
able to the directors on profits exceeding 10 per
cent. on capital, to be reduced from 10 per cent, to
5 per cent. It is intended at the general meeting
to enter into full explanations as to the future
prospects and estimated: profits of the company.
which the directors are gratified at being able to
say are highly satisfactory. As soon as practicable
after the above propositions are approved, it is
intended to issue a three months' dividend warrant
at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum, arising from
interest on investments, up to 30th June, 1866. In
the new company the dividends will be paid half-
yearly, immediately after each half-yearly meeting

FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION.--A fatal boiler ex-
plosion occurred at Morley-hill Colliery, in the
county of Durham, on Monday. There was to be a grand
festival at the colliery village, and the lads and men were
set on earlier in the morning to enable them to get through
their work to attend it. Seven large boilers are employed
at the Andrew-house Colliery to drive the engine to keep
the pit clear of water, and at 2 o'clock in the morning the
lads were going down the shaft. Four of them —J. Naisley,
Robert Slater, Matthew Nicholson, and Robert Simpson—
before going down the shaft had run to the engine-house
to get their " bait," and while there the outside boiler ex-
ploded, lifting a portion of it a considerable distance, and
throwing bricks and stones in every direction, but fortu-
nately injury to the pitmen's cottages,
which were not doing any
tfaroff.The four lads whose names we
give abovo were buried in the ruins, and were dug out
dead ; but the engineman and fireman escaped without in-
jury. The fireman bad just examined the boiler previous
to the explosion, and he reports that the steam was 71b.
below the pressure at which the boiler was usually worked,
and the place where the boiler stood was flooded with
water after the explosion.

ROWING MATCH FOR £2o.—Yesterday morning
a scullers' wager for £lO aside was rowed between Buxton
and Gill, both of Limehouse. The start took placo from
North Woolwich, and finished at Limehouse-hole. Bux-
ton won by 20 lengths.

The Musical Standard, hitherto issued as a fort-
nightly, will henceforth appear as a weekly, publication.
" IT'S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD."
—I called and spent a night with an old acquaintance that
I had not seen for many years. He was a sexton and dug
graves for those who died in the village. It was a sea-
port, and the oldest son of my friend was a sail maker,
while the youngest son kept a small harness shop, mainly for
the purpose of accommodating a few farmers who traded
at the village. In the course of the evening I inquired
how the world had used my old acquaintance and whether
he managed to make the two ends meet. " It's hard work,'
he said, " the ' Yard' has been doing nothing almost all
summer. I never knew of a healthier season. It would
seem as if no more were ever going to die. But then," he
added, "we rub along in hopes of better times." The
sail maker remarked, " All kinds of business is dull ; I have
not had much over half work for a month, but I'm in
hopes the heavy blow of tha last two or three days wil
send in a few torn sails." Just at this moment the harness
maker came in and told his father that farmer Stubb's
horse had run away and smashed the harness all to pieces
" That's a job for you," said the old man with something
like glee, and added—" Have you heard whether Squire
Anderson is likely to live ?" "It is thought," replied the
son, "that he cannot live beyond a day or two." " Well,"
said the father, "I suppose we must all die sometimes.
The Squire has got a nice burial lot ; only it's a little hard
digging; but his folks won't mind paying a little extra."
I only stayed one night with this amiable family. I lefth
by the first train in the morning deeply impressed,
.°l.ll
the sentiment of the old saw, " It's an ill wind,' 0
TRAMP.
—The THE SUNDAY FUNERAL QUESTION
--IMPORTANT RESOLUTION OF THE .AUTHORITIES.
igat local
question of Sunday funerals has beeansti t
thegsneral feeling
interest in Liverpool for somootifmbeurping
; the dead on Sun-
being that the popular syst
an em
of faith with the poorer
days, which is almost
classes, is in every way has been finally taken b;
and decency. The subject
local t • -
come ehes and burial
ultimately resolved that
to discuss the question at
g...oundr, w
the authorities
Town-hall yesterday. The mayor was in the chair,
place on Sundays after
the Town- lodft the various
emVniaLet
to:utnisg: g
and the majority
no funerals should in future take
•orithoef

nine a.m.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS.—An official
return has just been published, which gives particu-
lars respecting the ten Royal Commissions which, since the
year 1852, have been appointed to inquire into corrupt
practices at elections. The expenses of these commissions
have been as follows : —At Canterbury, £1,675 18s 5d.;
Kingston-upon-Hull, £5,335 14s. 10d.; Maldon, £l,OlB
19s. 10d. ; Cambridge, £2,159 ss. 11d. ; Barnstaple, £1,989
17s. 7d. ; Tynemouth, £1,735 18s. sd. ; Galway, £1,114
Bs. 11d. ; Berwick-upon-Tweed, £2,362 15s. 7d. ; Glou-
cester, £2,275 12s. ld. ; Wakefield, £1,797 14s. 10d.—total,
£21,466 Gs. sd. Eight prosecutions were consequent upon
the inquiries made by the Commissioners, a judgment of
nolle prosequiwas entered in each case, and the total amount
of costs was £4,952 3s. 4th