Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1866-11-03

SUBMARINE TUNNELS.

from Dover to Calais, a writer in Cham
ber's Journal goes back to the records o
half a century ago, to show that the idea
is an old one, and tina. half a dozen plaus
have been suggested for a channel rail.
way. We condense the leading passa.
ges OF this interesting article.
The first project vas announced by a
Frenchman named Matthew, Immediately
after the peace of Amiens-a time when
railroads were unknown-so that Matthew
proposed nothing more than the establish
nent Of a line Of diligences, to run under
the water from France to England thro'
O lighted and ventilated tunnel. Bona
parte and Fox discussed this project du-
ring the visit Of lle latter to Paris in
1902, but the resumption Of hostiiities
put an end to it.
A few years later, two other French
men, Franchot Mattray. revived the plan.
They proposed to place a cast iron tubu-
lar tunnel on the natural bed Of the sea.
An amended plan followed, suggested by
Payerne, who proposed to lay down a
smooth and regular causeway of concrete
on the sea bottom, and to build upon it a
tunnel OF DICK or masonry.
Soon after the Introduction ofrailways.
q French engineer, named Favre, caused
6oundlngs TO be made in different parts
OF the Straits of Dover, and then made
the first proposition for the construction
Of . submarine railway. He asserted
that .. submarine railway would be safer
than one built in the open air, as it would
be free from snow, ice aud destructive
agencies OF various kinds : he estimated
the cost at about SIS, 000, 900, allowed
forty per cent. for working expenses, and
protested 10 see his way clear to a divi-
dend OF fifteen per cent. yearly. He was
unable to convince capitalists Of the feas-
Utility of the plan.
Then came two Englishmen, named Nj
col and Austin-whose projects were an
nounced at different times-witb PROPOSE
tons for putting down an iron tube and
for building three distinct tunnels. Moth
ing came OF these. In 1851, another
Frenchman took up the problem. His
name de Gamond, and a quarto volume
Of two hundred pages was required for
the description and illustrations of bis
plans. He gained the ear of Napoleon III,
who appointed a scientific commission to
make geological Investigations in the bed
Of the channel Eminent geologists were
consulted. and all Paris displayed a live
~ interest in what the Steele called zee
beon reve-this beautiful dream Gam
ond proposed a series Of shafts, towers,
lighthouses, granite guays, a brick tul.-
mel with conical ventilators, and a con.
nection with all the railway lines of Eng
land and the continent, and estimated
the cost Of bis work at about $50, 000,.l
900. It is related that a friend inquired
Of Gamond what would be the result if
England and France were at war, would
the International tunnel railway be used
by the troops OF either country to invade
the other I No, was the reply /; the whole
tunnel could be speedily be flooded from
the Varne, and the water be pumped out
again when the war had ended
In 1851, Mr.. ]. T. Smith, an English
man, announced a new plaza gigantic
wrought-iron tube, large enough to CON
tain railway trains, at a level of about
twelve yards below the surface Of the
"otSi' Al ~ouiu fioat, SGIduSc IL WOufu
have air within and water without. I'll
would be kept from swaying to and fro
by masonry piers, built up at a mile or
sc apart, embracing the sides of the tube,
and steadied by cross rods over and IN |
der it. 1t would be kept from rising by
mooring chains and diagonal rods III va
rious directions. The tubes would be
made in lengths Of a hundred feet each,
and would be hpated out to their place
The iron of the tube would be two inches
IN thickness. Spiral staircases at each
shore would lead down to the level Of
the tube, which for some distance from
the shore, would be imbedded 10 a solid
eDbaDkment. This was a novel idea. and
the cost of carrying it out was put down
at $50. ooO, 900 the expenses Increase as
projects multiply.
IN all, six different schemes were pro
posed before the engineers now engaged
in estimates and calculations entered The
lists. These gentlemen are Mr.. Hawk
shaw, engineer Of the Charing Cross and
Cannon street stations and railway brid-
ges in London, and Mr.. Fowler. engineer
of the Metropolitan Underground Rail
way in the same city. The former is now
making an examination, BY means Of
borlnss, OF the strata beneath the Eng