The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-02-04
The Proposed Tunnel Under the English Clan.

! The London DAILY Wees saws: "Thc
project OF connecting England and
( France by a subma, inc tunnel said 10
have been the snbjct of conversation
, between the Lord Mayor and the Minis
of Public Works in Paris, and an ar.
rangrneat is reported To have bccn
come Ia between the 60 crnments ct
England and France sanctioning pre-
urinary experiments. The idea Is by
no means a new one, for as far back as
1888 VI. Thome de Gamond interested
himself in the subject, and spent bo,h
umo and money in studying on the SPOT
the nature OF the strata though which
the proposed boring would pass. In
1867 that gentleman exhibited plans
aud models of "a channel tunrcl, and
two years previously Sir John Hawk
shaw had commenced Il series OF prac,-
cal researches, causing horlngs 10 be sunk
on both coasts, and examining the bot
tom Of the channel all across IN Il great
number of places, by means OF apparatus
contrivcd for the purpose. Since that
periud-namely in lS,2-;he Channel
Tunnel Company has been incorporated;
and Sir John Hawk shaw. Mr. James
BrunlecS, aud VI. rhome Gamond have
been appointed the engineers OF The
undertaking. Mr.. William Low, gentle
man much interested in the scheme pre-
v.ouS To the formation of the company,
has, we understand, how ceased To have
any connection with il in an official
capacity. The assent in principal of tie
governments of England and France
has been obtained buI until the time
arrives for constructing functions with
the railways terminating at Dover there
will be 40 occasion 10 apply To Parlia-
ment. On the English coast, 81.
Margaret Bay, u depression in the chalk
cliffs, about four miles east OF Dover.
has been selected a. the point of depart
IRE and ON the French rid', q spot
ahoui midway between Calais and The
village of San-attc has been fixed upon.
By adopting this line, ii appears from
observations which have been made By
Sir John Ilaw eshaw that The tunnei can
be almost wholly cXcavated III the lower
bed of homogeneous chalk and ,his
stratum j. upwards of 500 feet deep op
each shnr from hich-watcr mark. II
il achieved, on apparently good grounds, i
that the chalk i continuous AMI that IL
stretches uairterrupte1.y across the /
straits The maximum depth al water
on lhc Inc ot the proposed tunnel no /
where exceeds $50 ieet below high water T
mark. The water beins deepest in the I.
center. and gradnallv diminishing in
depth towards the sides. The tanned
itself would be- placed by the engineers
a, -arh \ level the depth oi strata over II .
would never hc less than 200 feet, ami 4
this depth. which is amply sufficient for
security, wooil permit the railway APP /
proach a. be formed with i"lcTlb!v .
easy gradients. II ha. bcen asccrIained .
by actual experiment that, provided the 4
chalk be solid, the water will not per
neaic IL ; and il has also been shown oh .
more than ohc occasion That com
paraiively little sGhterraaean water ex-
i>ts m that formation. Bat tine il!u>tra .
ton at the possibility 81 tuuneiiu- be
meath the ga level = ~ Ice found NJ
Brighton. SIR John Hawks has there .
pIcielatan"e ltiveand quarter miles
~ length aiong The sea shore. aud IN Clu>e .
proXimiivto tho margIa Of the sea Tbs
iunncl j. wholly IN the upper halG,
where the material - not very com pact F.;
and il u twelve feet nj enc end. and
lwentv ttcr al the other end. below high
water mark. Considerable quantities - .
water, chiefly fresh. were encountered .
N the progress Of the work. and u mach .
D 10000 gallons per inmate had some
times - b. pumHc! ou;; bat the works
were not prevented from proreetIn--
As pumping power ;e, tines the Inacni-
tude Of tina, employed 4, Brighton c,'alf,
il necessary. BIC applied, The entry ri
small Quantities OF water daring the
OF the channel TUNE!
xoa.d not be IN the least dangerous.
y thing. probably, cnaii hinder tbs
af the work bat the existence
nj open, unhliesi assures, reaching from
the sea 10 u depth Of ~ least 200 feet.
II il believed ,har such fsSHres, II a,any
time exis,iag. viii be foanG IN have ,,Scn
ale, ap in lie .ar-~ as >xes."