Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-08-06
From Black,cood'S Magazine.
THE THAMES TUNNEL.


This extraordinary work is now on the
point Of completion; and the boldnes of the
enterprise, the indeiatigable labor with
which it has been prosecuted, and the re.
markable skill which has been exercised in
bringing it to this point of unquestionable
success, place it among the most remarka-
ole scientific performances of the age. We
know that any thing may be laughed at,and
that the world is fond of laughing the most
at the gravest things; but we have no Incli-
nation to join in ridicule of a work which
exhibits so singular combination of the da-
ring and the practical--of the lofty specu.
lation and the profound science, both so
characteristic Of England, and so honorable
to the national character.
1t is true that the chief engineer of this
stupendous work is Frenchman, but we
see much less ground for national jealousy
in his origin, than for national employment.
England boasts, and justly, of her attracting
the talents Of the world. A nation can
give no higher evidence of its superiority,
than its disregard of littleness Of all kinds.
The Roman never gave clearer evidence
of his being marked for the master Of the
world, than when he borrowed the arms Of
the conquered nations when he adopted
the lance Of the Samnite, the shield of the
Volscian, ard the ialchon Of the Tarentine
We only wish that our adoptions were lar
ger and more frequent, that we had the
power OF calling to our country the talents
Of every great soul ptor, architect, and
painter Of Europe, and that we had thus
molly monopolzed Thorswalsden, Canova
and the building Of the Pantheon of Paris
and the still lovelier Madeline.
The Tunnel has now completely reached
across the rivera distance Of 1900 feet
and the protector and engineer had the gra.
LITIGATION a short time since, of being
first who walked from bank to bank, to the
shaft on the London side. Those shafts on
both sides of the river, which are intended
for foot passengers, are really grand things
They are a succession Of STAIR cases going
round avaSt circular eXcavacation, between
seventy and eighty feet deep, and when they
shall all be lighted with gas will be among
the most extraordinary parts of the whole
structure. Even now they strongly realize
the poetic conception Of the descent into
the caverns Of the Egyptian mysteries: anc
the view of the interior, nearly quarter o
mile in extent, lighted with long success
sion Of melancholy flames, would probably
have suggested to Greek the image Of ar
entrance into Tartarus.
But, in our day, the sublime is we'll ex
changed for the practical, and this vast ant
formidable looking cavern will be stript o
its poetic associations by the passage of car
tiers and wagons, bales of goods and herd.
Of bullocks. Still it will be almost impossi
sible to divest ourselves of tina recollection
really attaching to this work. We hav,
before us altogether new attempt to con
Qser nature-a great experiment to maxi
rivers passafe without boat or bridge
new and capable contrivancc for expedl TIM
the intercourse of mankind. The ston
bridge is at all times the most expensive ed
ifice in the world, AID the bridge Of boat
is always liable to accidents, and almos
certain 10 be broken up in every instance C
a. flood. Waterloo Bridge cost upwards O
a miion-London Bridge about as nue.
more-Westminste and Blacklriars Bird
ges, which were built at a cheaper rate an
in cheaper times, SO constantly demand re
pairs, that they probably have cost NOR
than either OF the modera ones; bu
The Tunnel has the advantage of giving
passage from side TO side Of the Thame!
where from the breadth Of the river, a slon
bridge would have probably cost neare
two millions than oae, and where no bridg
could be thrown across without blockln
out the most important part of the Thame!
that portion which may be called the grea
wet dock of London. Yet the expense c
the whole has not amounted 10 more tina
E4OO,OOo; and even this is TO be remen
bered, as an expense greatly increased b
the utter novelty of the experiment, by dl
ficultes unforeseen in the commencement
by several irruptions Of the river, by tn
dearness C MOI kmen's wages arising fror
the peculiar peril and singular nature of tn
labor connected with an undertaking ca
ried on at al! hours and wholly by arilicI
light All this, too, ia constant hazard
IN influx of the river, and the various dit
culties belonging to working in MIN
The weight ola vast body OF water aboV
acting alike during summer and winie
which at any moment might break ln' an
against whose ncursions It was as necess
ry to fortily the outside of the tunnel as Il
interior, added greatly TO the difficulties
the undertaking,