The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-26

~~<>>~f"~~s~s.f 49,
hundred 1ousand francs for sae S'' year. BY which
/, 1852, was reduced; and this premium was
To be increased hundred thousand francs for zach
year by which term Of fifteen years was as reduced
government, however not complete the work within
twenty ave years from the date OF the convention
should they give the enterprise the French govern
ment absolyed from any further payment. Should
the tunnel completed in ten years from the 30h June
1853 the French government Is TO pay 3s 900 francs
for the construction OF one half the tunnel or st the
rete Of $3.50 francs the metre. @
WAKING EXTREMES MEET.
The first point be settled before commencing actual
operations was the axis of the tunnel II would be .
very serious Joke IT, after working twelve years
upon either side Of the tunnel should be found that
the two tunnels had passed each other in the depths OF
the earha serous joke even than that attributed
70 an Irish railway company, which commenced rail-
meeting that one was broad and the other narrow gauge
and that OF course, the wheels which fitted one would
not upon the other II was necessary 70 mark be-
fore commencing the tunnel line TO be followed, which
should assure the impOsslblity Of deviation
This was done by competent surveyors BY tn
angulation. and the length OF the gallery, the
shortest line between Bardonneche and Tourneaux,
was found be H. go metres 6932 miles In order
at present 70 guard against any deviation from straight
line two little houses have been erected the opposite
sides OF the valley looking directly into the mouths Of
the tunnel Once In three months mathematical tests
have been applied in order TO ascertain whether there
has been any detection but as yet not that OF hairs
breadth has been discovered and Is anticipated that
when the last blast Is blown out OF the wall which sepa
inch Of variation between the axes OF the TWO tun
nels.
The motive power employed In piercing the tunnel
through the Alps Is (as have already mentoned) COM
air compressed by hydraulic pressure TO the sixth
OF ordinary bulk and consequently when permitted
10 escape possessing itself pressure equal 70 six at
mospheres Tn fact that compressed air could DO used
as motive power was not idea TO N. Sommellier
who has applied il to the present work; but the mode
of COMPRISING and the mode OF application are with him
entirely original 1t grand idea TO utilize the tor
nttUtt hnip fnpv
heart l shall not here describe the compressers but
leave that until my visit to the other side OF the tunnel
but will simply state a, present with regard 70 them thar
by the pressure OF column Of wafer pouring down the
mountain side common air Is driven into reservoir,
after being compressed to onesixh its bulk then con-
veyed through iron pipe to the end OF the gaey where
the workmen employed, and applied to the machine
which perforatng the solid rock at the same time
supplying air for them TO breathe When Sommellier
suggested his plan the 'earncd pundits" were gener
ally agreed upon the fact that 1t was unprecedented nrs
because In being conveyed to the place where was
10 utilized would lose its force; and secondly that
its compression such quantity OF caloric would pc
dsengagcd heat he machinery to white heat ana
even to melt it, Prectica operations however. nave
air loses but onetenn OF Its force FOR each XII
ometre OF distance conveyed and d. S0mmeicr IS OF
opinion that the centre of the tunnel nearly four
m les from the reservoir, he will be able to
apply a force Of five atmosphercs and hall,
which will be amply sufficient Tor al pr ,ha sn
pressed the end of the tunnel is common iron
pipe eight inches in diameter and In sections about
u USsn6
made use Of perfectly air tight at the joints
This pipe, which goes at first underground from the
reservoir which is an eighth OF mile from the tunnel
itself road and Is then lad upon the tops or
stone pillars till 1t opposite the mouth Of the
tunnel, when 1t makos sharp turn and crawls like
huge serpent up the side Of the mountain Into the tunnel
where Is conveyed along the side to tho end, where
flexible tubes uniting and the perforating machines,
convey to the latter the compressed air.
TIE TUNNEL.
With nv letter Of introduction from N. Copcl0, the
Engineer this side Of the mountain TO senor
Genesio the captain of the w0rkmen started up the
mountain side about nine O'Clock In the morning The
mouth OF the tunnel Is not. as would naturally DC OK
pected upon level with the valley, Da. s,ora
than hundred yards above II on the mountain side
The reason for this is the difference Of elevation above
the level Of tho Of the two valleys that OF the north or
French side being 202 mercs while that Of the south
1856 1.-THE metre Is thirtynine inches and fracti0n)
There s tn reiore difference In tho level OF the TWO
valleys as COMPARED with the mountain TO be attacked
of one hundred aud thirty three mctrcs one hundred
and six OF which Ia by commencing the tunnel
on this side distance above the level and the re-
mainder BY tho difference OF the incline from tho oppo
site entrance OF the tunnel to the centre. The Bardon-
nech entrance Of the tunnel Is a. the base OF the noun
TAIN and, incline being necessary TO carry OIL TN
water remaining difference between the heights oil
the two entrances overcome by an incline Of two hum
rcd twenty to the metre from the north
or Frc side 10 tho centre OF the tunnel while there
dosce OF but eth0usnndtis from tho centre 70 the
exit the south or Italian side There Is WIND ng road
which loads from the valley the tunnel but feTcd
ombins up by the side OF the steep incline on which
there double tramwsy, ustd for conveying up tue
the machinery and all other nccessaary MATERIAL
The wagons used upon this road present q
worry singular appearance tho lore wnee,s DsIe
the look OF kangaroos and indeed they arc known as
skangaroo cars The object OF this arrangement Is
as the plane is very steep, TO keep the contents OF
the cars on level during the ascent Four hundred and
fifty steep stone steps brought me- somewhat out OF
BREATH upon the mmenss platform or plateau OF debris
which IL brought from the tunnel In wagons aud
shot down tho mountain side Here number OF ma
chine and carpenter shops have been erected and here
number OF diiapdaed machines worn out In this hard
service, and numbers of fourcts, or drills broken In
their encounter with tho solid rock lying around
EoUIPnSG FOR xxlL0aArIoS. N#
Sgnor ceneso invited me into his bureau, where he
kindly shed me with caoutchouc ovecoat reach
ing nearly ray heels and which, he suggested would
find valuable protection against We! ana art ana ,nen
accompanied me 10 the entrance Of the tunnel, only
few yards distant
The mouth of the Alpine tunnel presents popularity
OF appearance resembling In all respects that of any
other The arch IL nearly circle. and the tunnel
here twenty-five fcet three and half inches wide At
wide ut the broadcast part and twenty four feet seven
inches high On the Baronneche side the height has
been increased eleven and three quartcr inches Here,
a. far as We can see &C. the tunnel Is built up with
solid masonry and this Is continued rapidly ~ II ad-
Two lines Of rail lead out OF u and into 70 the
advanced gallery where tbs machines 1T work, and
into which my guide and myself were about advancing
STARTING FOR THE INTERIOR.
iron lam spendcd by long WIRE 80 that Il hangs,
when carried few inches only from the ground, we
commenced Journey Along each side Of the tunnel
here Is toor ,r sidewalk OF flag stones, on which we
walked lighting path for feet with the lamp, which
hing near thc,1 Looking into the distant darkness
there but spark Of light, gas jet, kept con
sta tfy burnnp sbeut hundred yards from tho en-.
trance as guide the observations have spoken OF
aao upon the other side Of the valley with the OF
ing Assher any detection from straight lne
The conduit the air Is ranged along the side OF the
gallery while in the middle OF the tunnel between the
lines rails canal has been dug through which the
gas pipes conveyed 10 the end OF the gal
lery and which Is wide and deep enough 20 afford n
refuge for the workmen and means eut In case the
tunnel should be Ged by fall Of the cfumbng rock
above Overhead do not sec the mason work oil the
vault but wooden partition, dividing the tunnel into
about two equal galleries. above and below The object
this which merely temporary, is TO create current
Of air the raricd air from the lower gallery rising and
rushing through the upper gallery while fresh ar IS
the lower and supply Its place AS yet
this partition only extends short distance, and IS not
Of much practical use.
~ rus Bowus THz EARrH.
wcpasscd the gas let and before ~ nothing but tho
most inpenetable darkness; and, looking behind, OBJ
served that the entrance OF the tunnel itself was grau
ally growing snaer and smaller Occasionally turning