Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-01-16
r.nm navnr 70 calais.


of all nations to learn that a project for
tunnelling the British channel is actually
under grave and scientific deliberation.
From the days of the Sentimental
Journey to that of the Shah Nasr-ed-
din this narrow stretch of obstreperous
waters has been the pet topic OF the
tourist anathema. From Dover dis
tant view may be had, on clear day, OF
the long, dim line of French coast across
the pitching and tossing and chopping
Channel, which is cauldron of woe and
a spell Of wretchedness to the landsman
who ventures upon it. There IS some
thing so boisterously and impishly ma.
lignant about this twenty odd miles OF
mingled Atlantic and German ocean,
that he who has traversed both without
swerving from q firm perpendicular finds
himself at this point, where the two
oceans are in perpetual conflict for
passage through, reduced in twinkllng
to a Illuminating and irresistible hori-
zontal. The Channel, too, is siren-lke
deceptive; its surface is, oftentlmes, as
fair and sunny as an inland lake; the
joeund crowd Of voyagers hastens on
board the ugly tubs which the English
are pleased to call steamers, with much
laug liter and high spirits and lusty appe
tites; the sea air braces and impels to
prattling and free hilarity; the boat
shoots of amid the CHEEKY din which
comes from the expectancy and csrios-
ity of travel; already are the young
ladies' involved in incipient iirtations,
the gourmands are deep in dishes OF
whitehall and mugs of Bass, the
timid have become bold, and the
most bilious perch bravely on the ropes
and aft-sides for views of sea life.
Horribly sudden is ths change. that
comes over the too soon reassnred trav.
elers. A lurch, followed by another,
and vet by more and more, till the
lurching becomes perpetual, clears the
deck, prostrates some Hat and prone
upon the boards, sends others to lean
limp and eonvulsiVe over the pitiless
waves, plunges the dowagers and young
girls into the gloomy cabins below,
ELECTS shrieks of wretchedness and hand
writings from French ladies and their
maids. and leaves the fat German COM
mercial traveller, ~ solitary possessor|
of an imperturbable stomach, to pace
alone the space just now so full of joy
GUS hops end fond forgetfulness OF the
strange distemPer of the sea.
To how many thousands the Channel
has been thus made an insuperable bar
rier to invasions of the Continent, it is
hard 10 say but q pean of gratitude
will rise from the four corners Of the
tourist world, to the beneticent genll OF
seienee and humane hearts who shall be
able practically TO abolish it, A tunnel
would be defiance TO all the ragings OF
the Channel, and the trains, as they
passed beneath it, would be filled with
ehuckling multitudes, exulting in their
triumph over the bubbling turmoil over
head. Such q thing is not only pro
iected. bat is pronounced feasible by
scientific experts. Mr.. Prestwlch, a
distinguished English engineer, has just
read q paper in London, in which he
declares that the geological difficulties OF
piercing the Channel bed are not insur'
mountable. Dismissiag the idea OF tun-
neling in the upper strata OF this bed,
composed of clay, chalk and tertiary
formations, he finds the lower, or pale
ozoic bed, consisting Of slate rocks and
coal measure, being from twelve to if
teen thousand feet thick, and found, be-
tween Calais and Southern England, at
depths varying little from one thousand
feet a safe region for tunneling, rs far
az the possibility Of gster reaching the
tunnel is concerned. The gsqlt and
chalk above are, moreover, impermesbie
by water. While English scientists are
thus applying practical tests to the de-
sign, the French, on their side, are not
idle. A commission appointed by the
q Government met recently at Arras to
hear plans, examine tunneling machines
and consider lie costs Of the enterprise.
Both nations will eontg;5gte 10 its execu-
ton, and the tourists Of the neat gcper-
alton, II least, may be able to laugh al
the sea sick tsTrors of the British Chan.
mel as q tradition Of the past.