The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-07
Possibilities of Engineering.
IN. Y. World.l

A few years ago Congress granted a
charter TO company proposing to build u
tunnel under the North River to- connect
the cities Of New York and Jersey City.
We are not informed as to what more was
done about it. but we believe that there are
wise persons who entertain an opinion, like
that which the late Mr.. Havemeyer had in
regard to the Brooklyn bridge, that such q
feat of engineering is impracticable They
will be undeceived perhaps when the great
tunnel between England and France is
completed. That gigantic work is about
to be begun. The money is provided, the
tools and workmen are ready, and within a
few weeks, we are informed by the English
papers, the boring will be started simu
taneously on both sides of the Channel.
The great tunnel will be cut through q
stratum of chalk which lies under the
waters of the English Cham mel, and extends
from the shores Of England. in the neighbor-
hood of Dover, to those of France, at Calais,
distance of % miles. Careful geological
surveys and trial seundings and behring's
have revealed a chalk bed 100 feet aver
age below the surface of the sea, about 500
feet deep throughout it's whole length.
There is every reason to believe that this
chalk is continuous and compact. While
it can be easily cut with proper machinery,
its impermeability to water is perfect, as
has been ascertained by experiment. The
line of the tunnel will be nearly through
be at least 200 feet of chalk above it,
! roofing it from the turbulent sea. The de-
scent to the openings of the tunnel on
either side, therefore, will be not less than
300 feet but it is probable that the ap-
proaches will eventually be by an inclined
vision will be made for ventilation, but
light will have to be obtained, of course,
by artificial means.
An interesting question in this connec-
ton is about the time that will be coz
sumed in completing the tunnel. Here
conjecture must be allowed some play. but
if the machine specially constructed for
the boring of the chalk, by Mr.. Dickenson
Brunton, bears out the expectations of its
inventor, the time will be surprisingly
short. Experiment has shown that this
instrument can cut through chalk similar to
that under the Channel at the rate of yard
and more an hour. Ifiti is equally efficient in
the tunnel boring, it is the calculation of
the engineers that the wonderful hole will
be pierced through from land TO land in
sir years. That is to say, that in about the
year 1882 through trains between London
and Paris may be running on a timetable
not much over five hours long. Or, to put
it more pleasantly, the Londoper may lunch
at his club in Pail Mall at 2 p. M, and
"assist" at debut in the new opera house
in Paris at 8 p. NJ.
The work will be sustained by large
financial means. Two companies have
1T in charge, the English company being
presided over by Lord Richard Grosvenor
and the French company by NJ. Michel
Chevalier. The chief engineer in control is
the eminent Sir John Hawkshaw, and 1850
ciated with him are Mr.. Brunlees and NJ.
Thome de Diamond. After all, remarkable
as this project may eeem, it is no greater
tax upon the engineering skill of the age
than were the Suez Canal, the Mont Gents
Tunnel and the telegraph under the Allan
tic Ocean. We may hope that as intelli-
gence of the successful progress OF the
work in the Channel chalk bed reaches US,
our capitalists may be inspired to revive
the plan of uniting with tunnel the me-
.tropoIis of the New World with New Jersey
and its outly ing dependencies.