The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-07-08
A Wild scheme.
A Frenehman's Project for Bridging the
English Channel

A Frenehman's Project for Bridging the
English Channel.
Slight chances remain for the prose
cution any further of the scheme for a
tunnel beneath The English Channel
from Dover to Calais. Every military
man in the kingdom whose opinion
will be much listened to has pro-
nOunced against it, and even its most
ardent friend, Sir Edward Watkin, is
reported to be now interested mainly
in monument to commemorate the
digging in the chalk deposits already
achieved; he wishes the fruitless
scheme to leave behind itself at least
some memorial that may assure the
after ages that it once existed.
Meanwhile, there comes from
France ano her plan for uniting the
two countries by rail. but it provides
not for tunnel, but for bridge, and
instead of the DOver-Calais route, has
selected the one a few miles to the
westward, from Folkestone to Cape
Grisnez. One NJ Verard de Sainte-
Anne is the author of it, and he ap-
pears to have made considerable
progress IN bristol. board with its
elucidation and completion. HIS
office in Paris is said to be little pic
ture-gallery of plans and specifica-
tons. Some parts of his design call
for tubular structure, others for an
iron open framework, and still others
for vladucts of stone. He would build
the great bridge (its length will be
twenty three miles or SOY high enough
to permit of the passage beneath it of
ships, both large and small, and the
pictures in his Office represent them
bearing proudly away below the road
bed, with the union jack spread in
the flying breeze. Sometimes his
arches might rest safely on the bottom
of the sea, at others the foundations
would need to be made of stone, while
at stu others there are submarine
islands conveniently placed in the
way on which he might build.
M. Sainte-Anne has already laid
this scheme before President Grevy,
and has declared his intention soon to
make it familiar to the mind of the
English Premier. He is a true
Frenchman in his enthusiasm for it,
and processes to favor it largely, as a
measure greatly needed by the COM
merce OF France. Indeed, he is re-
ported to have declared that railway
communication such as he might give
is the only thing that can save France
from commercial ruin at the hands of
Bismarck, who has for years been
quietly arranging a Commercial Sc
dan" to shut France permanently out
of any share in The trade of England
with Asia and Eastern Europe.
AS things now are, at least twelve
days are required to reach Odessa by
way of Calais and Marseilles, against
the three or fou1 consumed by way of
Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Berlin.
Efforts made by France to meet this
competition through immense sums
voted to improve the Channel harbors
M. Sainte-Anne declares to be
patriotic but wholly unavailing. Hope
alone rests ip rail route to England
across the Channel, connecting with
a straight line from France to Trieste,
whence the way to Constantinople is
easy and brief as compared with Mar
settles. Moreover, the loss now invol-
we'd in transfer, and which would still
exist for the German route, would be
altogether eliminated from the prob
lem, since goods once landed at Man
chester or Liverpool could Re sent to
Trieste without charge, just as whea'
Is sent from the Northwest to Balti-
more and New York. M. Sainte- Anne
declares that the man who shall give
this bridge to France will be the true
savior Of her commerce, and with
many shrugs of his shoulders and
much warmth of manner, he shows
how the darling scheme might, in
time of wal, be blown to ruin in the
twinkling of an eye.