Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-08-24

LONDON, July II, lS43.
| have been through the THAMES TUNNEL. This is to
London what the Croion Water Works 10 New York,
the great achievement OF the 10Th century. There is
thing either of the Tunnel which indicates that
you the vicinity OF this extraordinary improvement
We passed II in steamer the morning, without be-
ing that other of fellow beings quietly
walking through subtcuanean passage below us The
visitor is directed "Ths way the Tunnel u" by n
board tho other corner OF street You descend u
winding stairway 100 steps, and enter into the Tunnel
which is lighted with gas, and afforded n COOL pleasant
walk after four hours 10 the The Tunnel
has each wide enough allow IL or l6 per-
walk abreast Half way through, printing press
is stationed By Royal Authority" which is throwing off
sheets continuing the Tunnel told the
would purchase of his sheets provided he would allow
10 "pull' them myself This upon learning that 81
knows the ropes they sea, he consented TO.
have, therefore, OF the Thames Tunnel printed
by myself standing midway between the London and Sur
~ sides of the seventy feet below its bed with
and ships passing directly my head
The Tunnel is two miles below London Bridge, where
another bridge which much wanted, would have prov
ed seriously injurious the immense of the
trcpols In 1923, after the failure and abandonment
several plans for unnelng the Thames, submitted
10y Mr. [now Sir j. NJ Brunei, which received the conf
dence OF capitalists, and S25 he commenced his opera
tons But hc encountered difficulties and obstacles, for
years, step of his progress that would have dis
heartened and appalled, any but whom the
gcncy had produced accomplish this mighty enterprise
Quicksand beds among the troublesome and
Ierlous obstacle with. The top OF the tunnels arch,
about the middle of the river, approaches within feet
The bottom Oi tie unes,
the tunnel and shafts filled with water and the rrup.
1897 threatened destroy the enterprise by the
most incredible efforts, all by It's ndomtabe
architect and i'll 1885 years afterwards, Sir j. NJ.
Brunei was enabled To resume the work.
The progress this great work necessarily very slow.
Sometimes, with favorable excavations feet would be
accomplished in twentyour hours, working they did,
with changes OF hands day and night where the excavation
difficult, only feet would he done in week. and
for the last three months CREST the labor and for
nidabe the distractions that only three feet and four inch
es' progress made In August ISL, fifteen years al
erhe ground broken the London side OF the Thames
Sir j. VI. Brunei descended shaft from the Wrapping side
and passed through small driitway through the shield
in the Tunnel" Less than years thereafter in March,
1913, the MAGNIFICENT WORK COMPLETED The whole
expense of construction is estimated $4,000 pounds
ling. The toll is only penny for passing through the Tun.
mel, and but for he getting up stairs" would pay WE'LL
Until passengers let down and taken up by engine
will nottake foot passengers from the bridges.
The Of Sir j. NJ Brunei, whose life in such emf
nent danger from swallowing half crown piece, was, with
three workmen, caught by the nbrenks and
carried by the rushing column through the Tunnel TO the
shaft and up the surface where he rescued. The
three who with him persisted. On the first pas
of the Great Western from London Bristol,
lie also met with accident which it supposed would
result fatally, but from which he recovered.