Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-05-20


the object of her bold attempt, Is alas more tn he
hoped for than expected.
! We had intended TO make some observations on
the state of affairs in Holland and BcIaum but tie
length TO which we have been insensibly carried in
the ahove remarks warn to delay them till an
other day-.Ne.o York Courier dnd ENQUIRER
THE TUNNEL OF SEMIRAMIS
II seems, by the annexed extract from the london
Court Journal that the Thames Tunnel after all the
ooasilus OF the English prints, will not be the first
nor me most magnificent work CT the kind that the
world has ever
All Europe is looking forward with anxiety 20 see
II the great undertaking, the object of which is to
unite the two shores of the Thames by subj crane
an gaey under the bed of the river will be compile
ted 1t so, 1t will be in the present times work of
truly singular in its kind Yet. Notwithstanding
TINS idea Inns brought much honor on the Enplls6
Engineer, the great Semirams, nearly 1894 wears
ago accomplished similar work of art en- an i'm
mense scale under the Euphrates, which Philostra
tus mentions IN general terms hut of which Dlodo
rus OF Sicily, gives a minute description which we
trust our readers will find interesting.
Alter the fortunate and highly off ed woman and
queen Of the Assyrian Empire, had. By The founda-
ton OF Bnbylon, IN The year 2O64 c., rendered her
name more immori al thnn that of her husband MINIS
who founded the we'll known city of Nineveh; she
caused Two magnificent royal palaces TO be erected
on the most elevated spots of either shore OF fine
Enphrates, which flowed through the midst of Baby
on from which she enjoyed splendid view over the
largest city OF antiquity. An arch stone bridge 400
draulic architecture of the present day. formed the
communication between these two palaces but not
saised with this open passage, the queen wished to be
aole 10 pass unseen from shore to the other The
plan OF subterranean gallery soon formed; but
Semiramls constructed an infinitely more expensive,
but much moro secure tunnel than MIR. Brunei Ono
OF the lowest parts of Babylon was chosen and reser
or excayated three hundred stadium hrty seven and
halt miles, square, and thirty feet Deep into
which the river was conducted when the erection of
the tunnel commenced dry ground and in open day.
Inc length of it YVES something about four hundred
tolses; ITS inner width feen and its height not reck
onng the arch of the valt twelve feet The arch and
SIDE walls were formed of burnt bricks which heinz
twenty bricks thick made at least twelve feet as Their
DICKS by all accounts larger than ours After the
completion of the work, the whole tunnel on either side
was smeared with boiled btumen, till it acquired a
coating five feet in thickness -four BabyIonian elIs
The river was then conducted mo its former channel
and the two outlets of the enclosed with brazen
gates which still existed in the time of CYRUS 55s
years. b. CO. or 1o56 years after their erection Dado
rus concludes thus: 1.-THE whole work was completed in
seven days" According therefore, to the simple cal
cuation at least fifty thousand skilfu worknen must
have been employed during these seven days But as
regards the excavation of the reservoir the dispositions
must have been much moro gigantic, being easy to
calculate that, with the employment of two millions of
workmen it would not be completed in less than ten
ycars.-Boston Courier.