Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-01-28
From The ChrOnoiype.
Thames Tunnel.


The first thing an American rushes TO see
in London, is the Thames Tunnel. Compar.
atively few Londoners have ever seen II. 1t
is not at the Court end of the town, and it
makes no show at all. Indeed, it is a thing
not easy 10 be found. Most intelligent Lon
don people have an indistinct remembrance
that some few years ago there was a talk
abont digging under the Thames, and of one
Mr.. Brunei who become Sir J. Nj. Brunei
from his connection with the business. They
have also seen omnibusses at certain seasons
with cotton painted signs, ITO the Fair at
Thames Tunnel" but that is all they know
of it.
Digging under rivers is no new thing in
England it had heen done unconsciously by
the miners Of coal in regard TO the Tyne and
Wear, and perhaps other rivers. They sank
down on one side and the first thing they
knew they came up on the other.
The need of a bridge below London Bridge,
had long been felt. But the erection of one
has been prevented by the dense mass Of tall
shipping which exteuds up to that. The
commercial part of the city extends at least
three miles below London Bridge, and the
crowd of vessels passing up anddown by sail
and steam, makes a ferriage extremely diff
Gull anu IdlHtI hdLhIuOuSs NlnuJ 1CdIo dBO
it occurred to engineers, suggested perhaps
by the feats of the miners, TO carry a road UNI
der the bed of the river. The first attempt
was made about a mile below the bridge, and
was soon abandoned as impracticable. The
engineer had gone TO work without the proper
tools.
But where there is a will there is a way.
Mr.. Brunei, an engineer, who, like Newton,
studied nature, observed that the teredo, a
worm with a shell on, eats its way through
the planks of ships, shell and all. The hint
was enough. He saw how a shell or shield
could be made of cast iron and planks. EX-
planning his plan 10 some of the governing
minds of England, he was promised the re-
quisite means, and commenced in 1885,
Upon the Sulry side a, Rotherhithe, he built
a strong cylinder of brick work, fifty feet in
diameter, carrying it up about forty feet high,
and securing it internally by stout beams.
He then placed men and a steam engine in
side TO throw out the earth and let the cylin-
der sink down bodily, which it did, and when
it sank more was built upon the top, till it
had gone down TO the depth of sixty-ive feet,
like a great well.
This being accomplished, Mr.. Brunei be-
gan his operation, a Ia t0redO. He placed
his great iron shell or shield at the bottom of
his well. This shield consisted of twelve
cast iron frames, standing side by side, like
books on a shelf, the front towards the dig
ging, covered with movable planks, three
tiers high. A hole was made in the brick
cylindrical wall, and the shield, about forty
feet wide and twenty high, was driven into
the clay under the Thames. The manner of
working was this. In each of the thirty-six
compartments or galleries of the frame, a
workman was placed, who removed the plank
and digging out the earth for IA foot or more
beyond it, which was thrown out backwards
and Immediately removed, placed the plank
against the earth and secured it with props.
All the planks being thus propped forward,
the shield was moved up to them by means
of screws at the top and bottom, one section
t at a time. This relieved a section of the tun.
mel for masonry behind, which was immedi.
r ately occupied by an arched wall with a sup
port in the centre, forming a double carriage
=, way. The wall is enormously thick and
, strong, leaving carriage ways that are f(teer
t feet high and wide enough for one carriage
= at a time and q narrow sidewalk for foot pas
t sengers. There are arches constantly com
. municating from one carriage way to the 9th
{ er. These are occupied as stalls for the sal,
I of all manner of confectionery and haberdash
n erp, being brilliantly lighted with gas.
t This wonderful shield | have spoken of
was in the. course of years, but not wi;hou
n the most terrible irruptions of the indignan
Thames, driven through to the London sid
q where it was taken up through another wei
sunk as that already described. 1t was car
a ried back to Rotherhilhe where it is nov
if shown al sixpence, and is worth seeing a
h that.
e The Tunnel is now complete only for foe
Ie passengers, who pass for a penny. Befor
E. teams can make use Of il, gradual spiral road
ways are TO be sunk on both sides, a matte
of some difficulty and expense, bu: triiin
it compared with the great achievement of dig
ging underneath the ships.
:, Contract friendship with a man who's
" heart is upright and sincere with a man tia
~ loves TO learn, and who can teach thee some
y thing in his turn. Other men are unwoTlh
ii thy friendship.
T. Desire not the death of thine enemy tho
e. wouldst desire it in vain his life is in III
I'd hands of Heaven.
=, The love or hatred Of people ought not I
be the rule Of thy love or hatred examin
tSS whether they have reason.
To sin and not to repeut, is properly
sin.