The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-22
BRIDGING THE CHANNEL.
NJ. vERARD DE sAINTE ANNEs PROJECT FOE
BRIDGING THE SILVER STREAK.
ha

NJ vERARD DE sAINTE ANNE's PROJECT FOE
BRIDGING THE SILVER STREAK.
from the London Standard.]
It will be remembered that some years ago two
schemes for crossing the Channel the one by means
Of tunnel under it and the other by viaduct
it. were warmly discussed. and an international
ciey for the erection of the latter registered
in 1870. NJ verard de Sainte Anne the author Of tho
viaduct project. now mantans that his scheme mus
necessarily have the preference for he estimated that
its execution would not cost than 800 O0Of..
whereas the tunnel could not be constructed for
less than 100000 00Of. NJ de Sainte Anne. more.
over aiirms that his viaduct could be constructed
in a much shorter space of time than the tunnel.
The viaduct is to span the Channel from Cape
Grisnez to Foikcstone Acco riding to the Admiralty
soundings the greatest depth of water to be found
on the passage is ftyhve metres, and this Is only
for distance of some four Kilometres about half
way between the Varne Rock on the French coast.
This Varne Rock and its neghbor. the Calbart
Rect destined to play an important part in tho
scheme before The former situated ut fifteen kilo
metres from Folkestono and twenty kilometres from
Cape Grsnez. is some four kilometres broad covered
with more than from two to fifteen metres Of
water Being OF solid rock. and in direct line with
the projected viaduct offers itself natural half.
way resting place. This rock has till now consti.
tuted of the greatest dangers to the navigation
OF the Channel. NJ. de Saiute Anne, however, pro-
poses only to turn it to account by using 1t as
the for portion of the vsduct but also.
III conjunction with the Calbart Reef. for the
construction OF free port III which vessels
of the greatest tonnage will be able to
seek shelter from the storms frequent in the
Strait which separates England from France. Both
for the construction of this port and for reducing
the depth OF the water to twenty metres in those
places where he will be obliged to construct his coli
NJ de Sainte Anne proposes to adopt the method
employed in the construction OF the Cherbourg
breakwater. which consists in dropping huge
masses of rock into the sea, and in consolidating
them by means of Roman cement. Knowing.
however, how continually the Cherbourg breakwat
was destroyed by the force OF the waves 1t may DO
permissible to doubt whether NJ. de Sainte Anne
will ind it easy ~ he imagines TO carry out the
construction of his port Of refuge in mid-Channel;
but the objections which apply to the super
structure OF tho break water for the port do not,
however hold good when the same system is en-
pIoyed to reduce the depth of water. On the foun.
datons thus established it is intended to raise solid
masses or masonry to some forty metres above the
level of the sea. This is of course gigantic work,
the iinmensty OF which will be seen NJ glance,
when 1t is remembered that 81. de Sainte t.nc does
not contemplate attempting in his valuct any span
exceeding two hundred metres. The distance from
FolKestone to Cape Grsnez being thirty-ave kiio-
metres. it will therefore. be necessary 70 construct
ut the very least IT'S immense blocks of masonry
which to place the suporstructuro.
No IuNDnAScE TO SHIPPING.
The details of the scheme are not yet decided
upon. At the present moment NJ dc Sainte Ammo
confines himself to the assertion that II tx practically
demonstrated by the Chcrbourg Brcakwster that Il
is possible to ind solid foundation for many
columns 1t may be ultimately found necessary to
erect to support tho viaduct. As to tho super
structure itsor he proposes to employ three sys-
TENS On the Varne rock and ut the two extremities
where the water is shallow and the oxigcncies
OF navigation permit, he proposes to construct
solid stone arches which Will have nothing
to lear from the fcrccst tempest. This massive
masonry is to bo followed by the dcr-brdgc sys-
tenn. such employed in the Charing Cross railway
bridge. But to span the deep water he has recourse
TO the tubular bridge system applied by Sir Rob-
ert Stephenson in the erection of the Mena bridge.
With these three systems combined the eminent
originator of this gigantic scheme believes that he
is only certain to succeed crossing the Cham
mel, but also in satisfying the demands OF every
government concerning the precautions to he taken
20 prevent the navigation OF the English Channel
being rendered more dangerous than ii Is nc
present. Taking the Bretagnc. which bears higher
masts than any other vessel in the world he has AL
ready applied the French Admiralty to know IL IL
considered that this vessel would experience I'm.
convenience i'm having to pass under his viaduct
raised 10 thirty metres above the level OF tho
sea. Tho he received was that with 100 me-
between the pillars anu the platform OF the Wis.,
duct raised to the altitude OF hirty-hve metres ne-
ther the Brctagne any other vessel would be inn
pcded in it's passage. Surprising this scheme TO DO
practicable there still remains much to be done Do
lore even the works can be commenced. M DO
Sainto Ammo promises, however, to commence ope-
rations without delay. He informs us that he Will
not require more than six or seven months Tor tho
scientific experiments and the thorough elaboration
of his project and that sum of l,OOOOOO francs Will
suffice 10 pay tho preliminary expenses.