The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-05
UNDER THE THAMES.
A Marvellous Triumph Of Engineering
Skill.

The new tunnel under the Thames, which
but three years ago was laughed at as an idle
scheme, ahd condemned as Wanton waste OF
money, Is ready for public use, and Will De turned
to practical purposes when one or two necessary
formalties have been complied with. Mr.. Barrow,
the engineer Of the work, has kept his promise 70
finish the undertaking in year, and within
the cost Of 600. The nature OF the scheme
and Its progress se
privileged visitors yesterday 'inaug9Tated"
the trafic. little beyond the inland reve,
| nue. ofice on Tower-hill an exaggerated, :,
kind OF iron sentry box, rising apparently out OF
the wagons and carts which are occasionally
clustered on this historical eminence, guided the
stranger to the spot OF which ne was IN ques..
A small, open-m0uthed crowd, mostly OF the
sentinel to whom the gates Of the dark abyss
were entrusted. Some OF the gentlemen VINO had
been provided with tickets approached timldly,
heard the rattle OF the machinery, glanced nerV-
ously at the black pit which they would have to
descend, and hastily retreated. 1t need hardly
be added that these touching exhibitions OF anx-
iety were ludicTously groundless. Indeed, should
the Subway turn out TO be as financially prosper,
ous as i. is safe and easy, the shareholders will
pocke: handsome dividend. Tile mysterious
looking thoroughfare admits OF q very prlei de'
scription. 1t is well-constructed tubular iron
feet In diameter, sunk bodily II % the bed Of the
Thames, SO as to be snugly embedded In the Lon
don clay through its entire distance. Nowhere IS
the Subway nearer than % feet TO the water,
and la places it is as much as so feet dstant-an
important fact to bear in mind In comparing the
Subway with the old Thames Tunnel, over the
arch-crown Of which there were here and there
but four feet to the water. The subway, IN point
OF fact, dips at the rate Of one in thirty. AT pres
ent the Tower Hill station at the one end and the
Tooey street station at the other are more useful
than ornamental, especially when the cage oy
which passengers are taken down Is at the oot-
tom. We use the word "cage" because OF its pc.
culiar resemblance 10 that familiar object OF the
mining districts, but it is in reality rather nicely
padded little apartment semi.c!rcular IN shape
this the passenger enters and the doors are shut:
There Is a. a.rumble, rattle, consciousness OF
steady downward motion, and an intention, per.
haps, TO remark to your neighbor that 1t is all
very pleasant, but any such reflection 1s nipped
in the bud by the termination OF the journey,
which has occnpled about the time II would take
to count dozen. The distance Is only hfty feet.
Through small waiting room you enter long,
low carriage, with seats for seven each inside.
The signal Is given, the drum begins TO revolve,
the wire rope twines swiftly round IT, the pretty
omnibus answers to the strain, and 10 ABOUT Sixty
seconds the snbterranean passage OF tne Inames
shafts by an unusually powerful clip; In the Sub
way by the single line Of tramrails upon which
collision Is impossible. We walked through the
narrow, dark road yesterday, absolutely drysnod,
and without any inconvenience from delecuVe
ventilation. At times, listener in the centre OF
the Subway can hear strange noises said 10 Oe
the reyerberations Of paddles beating the river
overhead, and the sounds Of hammerihg and
humping on board vessels. This Subway is Inn
portant, as the establishment Of principle which
may exercise powerful influence upon our
metropolitan locomotlon. There is even reason
for believing that before long it will be applied
up and down the river to an extent but little
imagined just now. The next Subway win prOba-
bly, be between ST. Georges Church, In the
Borough, and Cannon street. The Tower hill
fares at present are liked at penny and two
pence, but they will probably have TO be reduced
by one-half.