The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-27

The project of tunnellng passage from hDg-
land TO France under Dover Straits is still
talked of in England The London DdIly NelCS
of December 25 says of it,
not altogether new one. Probably the success
with which the Mont Gents tunnel has been
worked through the solid backbone OF the
Alpine range has attracted new attention to a
scheme which on the face of 1t seems far
from being impracticable. 1t must be remem-
bered, however, that the difficulties TO be ell
COuntcred in tunnelltng beneath the Straits OF
Dover are of a totally different character from
those which the French engineers have had TO
meet with in tunneling through the Alps. The
soil to be traVersed in the former instance would
probably be the second chalk formation which
may be assumed TO extend in an un6roken course
from the place of its uprising IN England to the
place in which IL makes its appearance ln
France. 1t need hardly be said that the dlhl-
Guilty of perforatiug this soil would be very
much less than that of perlorating the hard
and complicated material which has been
encountered by the French engineers. On the
other hand, however, there are dangers and
difficulties in tunnelng under the Straits which
more than make up tor the comparative ease
with which the mere profess OF perioratlon
could be pursued. 1t needs but slight acqualnt-
ance with the history OF the construction of the
Thames Tunnel TO enable one to recognize the
fact that the workers in the suggested tunnel
beneath the Straits would be exposed to enor-
NOUS risks from the effect of the pressure of the
sea upon the stratum through which they would
have to work. Again and again the water burst
into the Thames Tunnel, and drove the work
men out Brunei himself nearly lost his life
during one of these irruptions. Now, if this
happened beneath the Thames, what might be
looked for from the effects of the enormous
pressure of the sea-to say nothing of tie in
creased danger during heavy storms? and then
the woTkmen in the Thames Tunnel had but
comparatively short distance to run, when
they were threatened with an irruptlon of
water II such an event threatened Workmel
engaged nine or ten miles from either outleJ of
the suggested tunnel, escape would be hopeless.
In a short time the whole length OF the tunnel
would be filled with the waters of the sea, and
the labors of years would be rendered useless.
1--WE urge these considerations, however, not
! as depTecatiDg the suggested attempt, Doubt-
| less the dangers which we have pointed out may
| be surm Oupted by a judiclOus choice of the
! stratum TO be worked through and by cautious
! pIogress- defenses being continually prepared
around every fresh portion tunnelled. The
! experience gained dUnng the tupnelliDg of tire
! Thames shows that much can be done in tins
| way; and we also have every reason to believe
! that once tunnel was constructed ii would be
as safe as the Thames Tunnel now is. There are
| difficulties In the way of ventilation, but such
| difficulties as these have to be dealt with land
! have been most successfully dealt WiHTiu the
! construction of the Mont Gents Tunnkl Three
! eminent engineers, Messrs. HaWkshaw, Brun-
! fees, and Lowe have pronounced the plan to be
feasible; and the estimated cost-nine millions
sterling-though large, is still reasonable when
! the value of the tunnel ie considered.
Certainly the idea is at once bold and au
attractive one. Natures barriers are being, one
! after another, overcome. Now a mountain ia
! tunneled, then an isthmus is cut through, next
! the Falls of Niagara are spanned by railway
! bridge. Hitherto, however, sea.straits have
not been successfully attacked, except where
very moderate extent. When voyagers can
! pass to France without encountering the terrors
! of sea-sckness, a veritable triumph will have
! been achieved over nature.