The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-19
LONDON TO PARIS BY RAIL.
THE SCHEME FOR TUNNEiLTNG THE
EAGLTSH CUINNIL.
The Dinirulfics Of the Enterprise aud it,
Prospects of Surcrss-iIow the ENGINEERS
Propose TO AccOwriis; thu t!rcnt WORK.


The Dinruifics Of the Ertrrprisc aud it,
Prospects of SuccrSs-ilow the ENGINEERS
Propose 10 Accomriish thu Great WORK.
LoNpoN, March AFTER the Isthmus Of
Surl achievement and the tunucllu., of Mont
Ccnis. li0o-ar. All 49, Go;hafl, the construction
81 submarine tunnel between Enllud nud
Franco Is no longer looked upon "a. dream
The best engineers or the two countries are
agreed a. to the feasibility of such an under
taking, and are now engaged in making studies
plans and experiments preliminary to its com
mcnccmcnt. Both the British Parliament and
the French Assembly have sanctioned the pro-
iect alsl granted special rights and privileges to
the company formed Tor carrying it into exc
cution.
As far back as i,j1 French engineers proposed
10 cut a subtcrrincous passnge, in order 10 ia
| ciliaic communication between the continent
| and the adjoining island. In i5i2 the idea was
! again taken up 10y Engineer Matthew, and formu-
Lated in the shape of detailed plan, the passage
to be lighted by lanterns, and used by stage
coaches for the conveyance of pa-.cn gers aud
freight. After the peace of Amicns, Fox and
Napoleon talked the matter over together and
the Emperor repeatedly remarked 10 the Minis
ter that 1t was one Of the great things which
might he accomplished 10y the two nations II
England would only sincerely leave of lighting
and stop getting up wars against him. Nothing
cane OF tho talk. and the bold conception again
-iurlhercd on into the empire II Napoleon III.
In 1853 another French engineer, NJ. Gauond.
Logan To study and sound the channel, and has
never since cca-si u maintain tho prlcicslility
81 "A tunnel and To Interest French and English
engineers and capitalists IN such n work. His
influence IN organizing the company now under
! Roadway has been powcrful and certainly,
when the great channel thoroughfTc shall he
,IHnI1 i'I nainc' ms tvitl'nhn WI tie en-
1'NeN 10 " i''-' part "i the ''cdit ~ It's SUCCESS
ri,e orirf.,t Ian of .r.p,iif.. ,.r,....s,i h, "
Gnrlond wa. mn IN nl., m fhr pari.' rxhU,iiinn
of l-n,. 10 Wa cstrritclv com, rated. and. II
mot ,uiterl, rrnln.'d imprwi i'lilc. was ~ least
"',.'"Ve ,n,Hl-" WI" Hl7'e4 on -halis 10y
n.'nI Wn,,h H. H. lT'i,n.ed 10 nhse ING
wlui~lfe nnlins.. me shhis were TO he sunk
h'3N-n thirteen 40. iN',il isles down INTO the
.'' ',''' i'ii l.'u W. ''' NO. -'fc no, uinF
~ W. !hrA- 'l ll'l 'ne l'ih' I' hii "i N'i-
uIilint H. aii'rWaldi IHe Vs. a. i"ht 81 the
'... 10y ~. ,l" ''g i' N""i'7' Hiiu W, 20
I. t timo tlnii' 20 only 700 Do n..rri lt n.d ~
shafts. Mont Gems was commenced only Ia
Nr. Lowe, m English en-'uoer. was tho fr-t
10 PROPOSE the bold plan u boring the tunnel
| ID. Il-nl Nlt'ei&i'lhd ii9in ci'h shore az once.
Mn, ine si-tcm nrllri in cutting through
'he mont TENS pass "t the Alps work was
ami tie ii,li,r XIX" ai'J on ne,D,, lar Al IN
precision Ia tic middle Of ne mountain. MIR.
,we'' plan was suhtulttcl 90 NAPOLEON H.. ~
! when both engineers then resumed the study 81
The worN Zoo common. In the same wear another
/ English engineer. sir john lltwk-hHw. having
"ierr,itd himself 49, the nohlrin' caused sound
I.-- ln DEE nnde a. "is o"n expense on both the
line International comranv. subsequently or
g1'Iitoi awaited l'sUlf 90 400 tie cN l,riurut- and
! c4lrulatiun, IT these gcnl lemen. aud combined
all i..ic-tcd iu -eeluE the tunnel built. tho
80 TiNe committee being presided over IN
Lnshnd 10y Lord Richard Gro-yenor VI. F..
Of tho Institute. Experimental works are to
urerede the main work. as the question of the
moment is 70 secure au exact idea of tile dlfi-
cultie. Of the catcrpr-e ~ nc,In1ins with pre-
Ia fi.,d ,' M9r,, Mhirn may DC subsequently used
-, -..... .
'',N'L9 ~ 'hh fNNlH'
which occurred on tho earths surface. and
| MhmR leii Europe IN u, present shape. England
ana tho continent were united. According to
science It was only AT tho end Of tho tertiary
across the now hidden land. and formed the
silver thread separating England from her neigh
| bor-. and. 10y constant erosion ard di-lucatlon
and more. The channel il Therefore an ARTIFICIAL
stream So TO say, connecting the ocean with the
Nor'n sea. on both its sii"s the same super
| isunl .incatn tie same compact mass Of chalk
! which f"rni- me base UNDERLYING a part Of both
/ -idernlly less than commonly supposed. At It's
/ narrowed poir; the cad touches bottom nj 80
isei' - feet 10 feet, and the greatest deplh be-
s S,, - ~. IN. . A,I T. pny ID fyei II tie
! .uur'n ~ Notre Dame IN Paris was dropped az
! t I'M iil 81. tanner, t' .''NelS Wnuli sun
ID" =. icel "Ut or WAFER. Inc bed ~ chalk watch
! CONSTITUTES ne natran oi me channel "a very
/ tAeA On le Lhglish coast II Il ~ feet thick,
! a.9 GA tAe French coast 80 feet, extending Ia
/ wlltn - Jar a. ttt-l whers AZ depth NJ 100
Iest us pnttoln Is round.
ne uhI} alh my Is y ma ont precisely how
lar u'Wh the waters 81 me channel penetrate,
as chalk, which i9rmsits bed usually trayersed
! 10y lnnpMer3nle hs-ures. Al Dover straits three
gave water At a depth II 30 feet below the
! Water ley,L " CnlAis SHAFT was carried t. a
1 u"Plh on i.'' ieet without meeting water. these
en- "ilhrht- are regarded as tending 10 Indicate
! w. lini'r i'thlIity 81 the cAAlky plateau 10 bs
/ cu' 'hro"sh'
TWENTY MILES OF TUNNEL.
rho ,r,ci, 81 tho ,,,,,,,l will f,it.,, -..r, 49,
ur, ~ 10 IN ,,,',i,s u, ,d yin h a. ,'9
,rter,y nh a, ir, IN, 49, ~ ~, ~, "e nnol'
r"s,ry ,,snin,, ~, o,rb iIe vii h Mn, .uu &c
80, ~ IL 49, ' , :, ~, 10 i'. ~. o'
! Tbss tmrrel ,yiu - 49, lin, ,.V,,
frn,n sithe, "h"re t,y.ri 'en ~ am W.
se,,tro ,'r,nar ~ a,s H., -
recett,eics -. hirh =, m lao Ia, x h.,,s,i,,
noctinc ia d",,Ii ,r,,t Ill ~ Iii ,ss
! Win The Iondon' Chaihsn AMI nnver and
| Softhcas orn r,iir,,ds an the Tr,li "a sti, a,d
VIII tbe Vrrtl@r,, WsiirNol' az ~ Erer,r - az
! and when his il Northumberland il ia cnicuIated
tint i'm le.. fhan nine h,,rs n traIn viii r,,n -