The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-04-30
The Thames Tunnel.

This is one of the curiositics of Lon
don, which every stranger visits It's in.
terest arises not so much from anything
odd or striking in its appearance as from
the fact that it exists. To cross river,
the world is in the habit of employing
boats or bridges but here is a brick
arched double roadway extending under
the bed of the river aud thus avoiding
obstruction to navigation, as well as fur
nishng secure passage TO travel. The
project of such tunnel was put forward
more than half century ago, and ex-
tended progress was made in the work,
when the ground broke through under
the pressure of high tides and the scheme
was reported as impracticable. But the
present age does not recognize such i'm.
probabilities.
The existing Tunnel was projected by
Sir l. Brunei, 1928 1t is about two
miles below Loudon Bridge, between
Mapping and Rotherhithe The neigh.
borhood is commercial and populous and
a bridge would be too much in the way
of vessels. At the came time an in
creased facility of communication to.
tween the two shores was very much
needed. A company was formed and
chartered in 1924. Mr.. Brunei was ap.
pointed Engineer. lie began by erect
ing substantial cylinder of brick work,
SO feet in diameter, As feet high, and 3
feet thick, which was sunk en- mass into
the ground. Upon the top Of the cylin-
der was placed steam engine for pump
ing out water, and raising excavated
earth BY this means the cylinder was
forced through bed of quicksand which
had compelled the drill makers formerly
to suspend their work. The shaft hav.
ing been sunk to the depth of 65 feet,
another smaller one, 25 feet in diameter,
vas also sunk from this lower level, as q
reservoir for the drainage of water.
The excavation was commenced, then,
at the depth of 65 feet q powerful np.
paratus was used, called a " shield n" 1t
consisted of l2 great frames lying close
to each other ; like so many volumes OIL
the shelf of book case; these frames
were p feet high and three feet broad.
They were each divided into three stages
or stories, thus presenting Sc chambers,
or cells, for the workmen, by whom The
ground was cut down and secured in
front, and the brickiayers by whom the
structure was simultaneously formed"
The shield was placed in position at
the bottom Of the shaft January lst.
1896. The progress of the work was Of
course slow. 1t was necessary to proceed
cautiously y and to secure firmly every
foot of advance. With river running
above, it was only prudent to keep good
watch below. The first imped.ment
came early. On the 25th of January,
the stratum of clay through which the
excavation had been worked, broke off
suddenly leaving the shield " for up
wards OF six weeks open to a coDsidera-
BILE Influx Of land water. which flowed
from bed of sand and gravel that was
saturated anew at each rise of the tide.
This difficulty having been overcome, the
work proceeded, and on the 30th Of April,
1927, the tunnel had extended 400 feet
under the river. The next mouth, aud
again in the following January. the riv-
er broke in, and six men were drowned,
Mr.. Bruuel, Jr., having been carried by
the rush Of water up the shaft, Great
apprehension was now fsft for the success
Of the enterprise. Hundreds Of plans
we're offered for filling up the cavity, and
to prevent future accidents, But the