The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-08-26
A visit to the Thame, Tunnel is thus recorded ;

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with US.
A visit to the Thame, Tunnel is thus recorded
Monday, July II.
have been through the Thames Tunnel. This is
to London what the Croton Water Works are to New
York, the great achievement OF the I9th century,.
There is nothing al either entrance Of the Tunnel
which indicates that you IN the vicinity Of this
traordinary Improvement. We passed over it in a
steamer in the morning. without being aware that
other masses OF fellow beings quietly walking
through subterraneaD passage below us The yisi-
ter is directed ''Ihis way TO the TunnelI =" by a
board on the corner OF street You descend a wind
ing stone stairway OF 100 steps, ard enter into the
Tunnel, which is well lighted with gas, and afforded
us cool, pleasant walk, after four hours exposure
to The sun.
The Tunnel has two avenues, each wide enough to
allow IL or Is persons 10 walk abreast. Half way
through, Printing Press is stationed "By Royal Au-
thorty," which is throwing off sheets containing an
account Of the Tunnel i told the man would pur-
chase two of his sheets, provided he would allow
to ''pull' them myself This, upon learning that 81
knows the ropes, they say at sea, he consented to-
have, therefore, an account Of the Thames Tunnel,
printed by myself, standing midway between the Lon
don and Sury sides Of the river, seventy feet below
its bed, with steamers and ships passing directly
my head
The Tunnel is two miles below London Bridge,
where another bridge, which was much wanted,
would have proved seriously Injurious the immense
commerce OF the metropolis In 1923 after the fail
and abandonment OF several plans for unnelling
the Thames, was submitted by (now Sir J. NJ. J
Brunei, which received the confidence of capitalists
and in 1925 he commenced his operations. But he
encountered difficulties and obstacles for years, at
every step Of his progress, that would have dsheart
ened and appalled, any man but one whom the emer-
gency had produced 10 accomplish this mighty enter
prise. Quicksand beds were among the most perous
obstacles met with The top Of the tunnels arch
about the middle Of the river, approaches within ten
feet of the bottom of the river. -Four times, during
its progress, the tunnel and shafts filled with
water and the rruption of 1927 threatened to destroy
the enterprise, but, by the most incredible efforts all
was overcome 10y It's ndomtable architect, and in
1885, seven years afterwards, Sir J. NJ Brunei was
enabled TO resume c work.
The progress of this great work was necessarily
very slow. Sometimes, with favorable excavations,
two feet would be accomplished in "a hours, working
as they did, with changes Of hands, day and night !;
where the excavation was difficult, only feet would
be done IN a week and for the last three months,
great was the labor and so formidable the obsruc-
uuus, tho, V''ly f.si and 4 inches prosr~ss
made In August, IS4l, Is years after the ground
was broken on the London side of the Thames, Sir
J. NJ. Brunei descended shaft from the Mapping
SIDE and passed through a small " drf-way through
the shield into tie tunnel" Less than two years
thereafter in March, lSi3, the magnificent work was
completed. The whole expense of construction Is
stated at a6l4,O0O sterling. The toll is only penny
Tor passing through the tunnel and but for the get
tin up stairs ii would pay well. Until passengers
are let down and taken up by engine il will not
take foot passengers from the bridges.
His visit to the Bank Of England is thus described
We availee ourselves this morning Of the perms-
sion obtained by Mr. Wiggn, TO visit the Bank OF
England. An official (Alacer Usher) with laced
dress coat and hree-conered hat escorted leisure
y through an Institution that is potent in conroll
ing and regulating the money pulsations of Europe.
1t Is situated on Thresdneedle-st, but fronts upon
half dozen others, and occupies an irregular
Of eight acres. There are no windows through the
exterior Of the building, light being supplied by sky
lights and open courts within There IS a clock, by
which Bank time is kept, with dials indicating the
Tine in sixteen different Offices. The Bank with its
various Offices are open from A. Nj. TIL L. NJ
The Bank has ats Prnting-othce, Book bndery, En-
craving office, &c. &c.-Checks Blank books, sc
SC all printed within tie Bank as are the Bank
Notes. la the room where the circulating notes arc
printed there eight Presses, all constantly EN-
ployed, and which throw of about 5000 impressions
daily.
We saw two presses rolling off five pound notes
and others upon the various denominations up TO
$1,000, which is the largest note the bank issues
The dates and numbers OF the notes supplied by
smaller presses ia another room. The paper Is de
yered 10 the presses counted Tan hundred sheets at
a time) aud when worked aud returned another hun
dred sheets given. Freshmen work five hours and
earn from two 10 three guineas week. In the Of
fee where redeemed notes are examined, cancelled
&c, 1856 clerks are constantly employed. When we
entered this attendant was sharply repri-
handed for bringing strangers there but on being in
formed that IL "the Governors order" we were
allowed 10 pass Forty thousand different notes are
frequently sent TO this office, TO be cancelled, IN
day.
The bank, you know, never Reissues n note -
When returned 10 the counter for payment note is
canooiiod Glcd away, TO be burnt at the expiration
Of ten years. The armory of the bank contains a
hundred stand of muskets, with pistols, cutasses,
hand grcnados, SC, &c, and has a night watch 80
strong. In the office where the bauk notes are
counted into parcels, tied with Irvine and placed in
pigeon holes, found five staid, mothodica natter
oi-fact looking clerks, whom you would trust for
their faces. One OF these old chaps, with the pre-
csiou Of Z" ON Owes aud the good nature Of 'efim
Underwater" took his keys and unlocked the depo.
STORIES Of paper wealth. The "rags" Of each de-
nomination were in sc, arate parcels When we
came to the "bgh number" he placed four packages
in my hand, and remarked, you noie hold 81 900 900
sterling IN your hand SIR. Yes actually in pos
session Of Twenty MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, a sum much
larger than the whole estate Of John Jacob Astor -
But II all returned to its pigeon.hole and left
lar happier man than those who are encountered with
oyergrown fortunes
Another Of the old Clerks opened the golden dor
mitories, where reposed endless number Of bars
each containing eight hundred soyereIgns. We were
next and finally conducted TO a subierranean region
enriched by gold and silver bullion Here bars OF the
precious metals were pentifuliy heaped as those
Of iron and steel IN tbs stores of or friends Be
nedict, Townsend and Corning. The silver we did
not NEEDLE with, but We handled bars Of gold each
weighing eight thousand pounds sterling, that were
/ piled In barrow loads Of seventy thousand pound
sterling each. Much Of this bullion was recently re-
ceiyed from China, an insiaip,spf upon the sum
John Bull makes the Celestas pay for their obstinate
refusal TO "take opium" The Bank OF England has
now IN paper aud specie nearly trty-egh millions
Of pounds sterling. 1 re are eight hundred per-
sons IN Ms various departments constantly employed
within It's walls.
The Norfolk Beacon states that a sloop of war wos