The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-02-17
From the London Times
English Channel steam-Ferry Project.

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The French government has appointed q
Commission, which will sssemble in few
days at the Prefecture Of Arras, to report
upon projected line OF mammoth steamers.
which it is intended to run between the
\ Admiralty Pier, Dover, and a new harbor
to be constructed at Calais.
The new scheme is brought out under
the auspices Of NJ. Depuy de LONE, the
celebrated French naval architect, as Pres
ident of the Conseil d d'Etude, NJ Dupuy de
LONE acting both in his own name and in
the name of the Societe des FORCES ct Chan
tiers de La Mediteranee, Nm Droun de
Dhuys, Scott Russell and Others
I The leading features in the new project
are the construction of three large and pow
erfully -engined steamers, the dimensions of
which will be Length over all, 45O feet !;
breadth at water line, 30 feet depth from
deck to bottom of the hold, 80 feet deck
house, 8 feet /; draught Of water when load
ed, Is feet inches; displacement, 1900
tons diameter of paddle-wheel, 40 feet :;
immersion Of paddle-wheel, 10 feet. Each
wheel will be driven by an engine Of 700
horsepower nominal, capable of working
up TO $500, giving an aggregate Of 1000
HOADCb W cnCu Nch5tl. Inc TWO wheels Will
be distinct from each other, this allowing
them to be worked at different rates Of
speed, or in opposite directions, to assist in
bringing the steamer alongside the wharf,
or to turn the ship around in little more
than her own length. On lower deck will
be double line of rails, each line being Of
sufficient length to receive fifteen railway
carriages and wagons, making in all train
of thirty carriages. The estimated rate Of
speed will be eighteen knots an hour,
whereby it is hoped to perform the passage
in one hour and ten minutes in fine wealth
er, and IN one hour and thirty minutes in
bad
BY using two steamers, and having one
in reserve, the projectors would be enabled
TO make six passages each way daily, thus
carrying 2,680 passengers and 2, GAO tons Of
goods per day, or 978, 200 passengers and
963, 600 tons Of goods per year. The cost
Of these steamers is estimated at about
9136, 200 each, OF in round numbers f40O,-
600 for the three.
To receive these mammoth steamers it
will be necessary to construct a new herbor
or dock The site selected is mile and a
quartz to the northeast Of Calais pier head,
and at a distance Of three-quarters Of mile
from the shore The dock is intended tC
be built in the form of quadrant, with its
convex or north side toward the sea This
sea-wall will be constructed Of very solid
masonry, 52 feet inches high, with par
apet 10 feet high and feet thick. The
extreme measurement Of this sea-wall will
be 5000 feet. From the northeast ex-
tremity stockade l 500 feet long will run
in a slightly convexed line toward similar
stOckade 40 feet in length, starting from
the northwest hJrn. Between the two
stockades will be space 262 feet wide, to
serve as an entrance. These stoekades will
be made Of wood, like the existing jetties
at Calais. The area Of the dock will be
l47, ,O94 square yards. The northeast horn
Of this dock will be connected with the
shore by an iron bridge. on arches of 10
feet span, and carrying single line Of rails
in connection with the Northern of France
Railway. The height of the bridge at its
junction with the dock will be % feet. 1t
is the hope of the projectors that by having
such wide span as 10 feet, a current will
run between the dock and the shore, thus
preventing any sitting up. Trains arriving
by this bridge will continue on an inclined
line Of rails running around the outer circle
VI eiAO oe'iO wan, yOO pioCcCtcu Dy sOOHe
parspet.
furthest horn Of the dock, will then be
pushed backward on the line of rails in
connection with one or the other of the
three landing stages (which are adapted for
different heights of the tide) and these, by
means of a movable gangway, will connect
the line of rails on shore with the rails on
Il
alongside stage, with their sterns backed
into small dock, which will form the end
Of each line Of rail the train on board, the
steamer will Immediately get under way, and
the passengers will be at liberty to leave the
carriages and walk about the vessels deck
The steamers will be fitted with saloons and
ladies' cabins for first and second class
passengers, as also with state cabins for
those who desire privacy.
The projectors ask of the French govern
ment four things:
1. The authorization to construct gar
emeritime or dock at their own risk, such
dock to remain their sole property in per
petuity.
q Tha. le bridge to connect this dock
with q shore and the Northern Of France
Railwa Y, shall be made at either the cost Of
the F. ench government or the Northern OF
France Railway.
8. That the French government will use
their good Offices to induce the English
government to execute the necessary
works at Dover for embarking and dis
embarking the trains brought from the
steam-ferries.
4. That the French government will enter
into mail contract for 20 years, with an
annual subsidy of 42O, 900.
The projectors hope, if all these are
granted, to obtain a similar contract and
subsidy from the English government for
carrying the English mails. The projectors
calculate on two years and half to put
their plans into execution, and propose
that the contract Of twenty years begin to
run two years md half after the State con
cessions shall be granted.