The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-10

great wonders have been accomplished
within the last half century. In engin-
eering tubular and suspension bridges
have been thrown across impossible
chasms, great mountains have been
pierced as with gimlet, or their steep
sides made as passable as a level plain
Science has made of the lightning 4 IA
miliar plaything, but also very useful
servant, doing marvellous wonders. 1t
has made the bottling up of all sounds
the human voice or instrumental-to be
reproduced months, years or ages hence
and in the antipodes, an amusing pas
time.
The proposition to tunnel the Straits
of Dover, and to connect the two oceans
at Darien, can almost be classed amongst
the "faits accomple" of this generation.
But it will be for some succeeding genera
ton to witness the completion OF the
new projects of distinguished French en-
gincers. The first is that of NJ. Venard
de Ste. Anne who has originated a plan
to bridge the Straits of Dover from the
Folkstone to Cape Grisnez, distance OF
q miles. The plan has been submitted
to the French and Belgium Chambers of
Commerce, and has received the appro-
val of large number of these members.
1t is to be laid before the British scientific
societies, and if it meets with their ap-
prevail the aid of the Government will be
asked. The reason Of selecting the afore-
said route is that about nine miles from
the. English coast and twelve from the
French lies Narne Rock and near that
the Cabbort Reef. The former is solid
plateau from two to three miles broad
and is mostly only fifth feos under water
and in some places it is only seven feet
Here it is proposed so construct an eN-
tensive halfway station or island of ma
sonry. This will reduce the enterprise
to the mere construction Of two bridges
Of nine and twelve miles in length re-
spectiyely.
Soundings show that the greatestdepth
!, along the proposed route is one hundred
and eighty feet, and this for only one
ninth the distance; but the protector, NJ.
de Ste. Anne, thinks it useless to attempt
: to erect the columns Tor the bridge on
: foundations Of more than sixty-fye feet
5 under water lie proposes to create foun-
dations at the deeper points by dropping
, huge masses of rock into the channel and
cementing them together. Tie spans are
not to exceed six hundred and fifty feet,
giving about one hundred and seventy
five to the entire distance from shore to
, shore From this statement the enor-
, nous cost of the work can be approNi-
mately judged of; but still greater dill
fculty arises as regards the obstruction
to the navigation Of the channel.
The Straits Of Dover are essentially
= the highway of all the nations of the
earth. To obvate this objection the pro-
!. iector proposes to carry the bridge floor
h 50 high that all vessels can pass under
: The French marine authorities have pro-
q nounced one bundled and fourteen feet
sufficient for that purpose. The form OF
the bridge is to consist where practicable
of stone arches, and elsewhere of the
grider and tubular system. This vast
= enterprise seems to have inspired suf
. icjent confidence to enable NJ. de Ste
5 Anne to raise 100000 for preliminary
: expenses and experiments.
e The second grand project of the day
! also the creation of the French brain, il
:, bridging the Atlantic At the presen
moment it isn't necessary to burden tht
. mind with the details Of this vast projec
u any more than it would be to estimate
S the cost of a railway to the moon. Th,
# main item, that of grading the track
d will give some idea of the magnitude 0
:, the Job. 1t will take only about 1906
4 cubic miles of earth to give dry lan'
: from shore to shore, mere trifle, so t.