The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-26
THE CHANNEL TUNNM.

What May Be Seen at the Bottom of the
Shaft-Boring Through the Chalk.
London Telegraph.
A tall shaft a steam engine an air-locomo-
tive and couple of wooden shanties mark
the spot destined, it may be, to abut upon
the English mouth of the channel tunnel or
rather of a channel tunnel-for there are
other schemes afoot to join London and the
EXTREMIST point of the continent of Europe
in continuous railway journey and with
out change of carriages. Sir Edward Wat
kin airily calculates that the cost of the en-
terprise, in which he is interested, would
amount to f3, 000 900, and that the tunnel
would allow the passage of $50 trains each
way every day, at an average speed of forty
hve miles an hour. So that the tunnel of
twenty-five miles in length might be trav-
ersed in half an hour-a speed, be it said,
very much higher than that kept up in the
longest tunnels of the st. Gotthard between
Switzerland and Italy. At the bottom of
the shaft, at the mouth of the boring no
more than seven feet i'll diameter from end
to end-excepting here and there some-
what wider square opening, technically called
"turn-out'-we found a couple of trollies,
fitted with seats on either side after the man
ner of the tram-cars of the military train fa-
miliar to habitues of Wimbledon camp.
Running along the sides of the trolly, close
to the ground, was footboard like that at
tached to railway carriage and above the
seat was a semi-circular hood lined with red
baize, sufficient to protect the head and
shoulders from dripping wet or particles of
falling debris, but not wide enough to save
the legs and feet. By reason of the space
taken up in the lower arc of the circle so as
to make level floor along which the rails
were laid, it was necessary that we should sit
j
the whole time occupied in journeying TO
the face of the tunnel and back again.
A Rembrandt or Salvador Rosa might
have done pictorial justice to such a scene.
Under foot for a great portion OF the way
the ground is almost ankle deep in
slush; and the stalwart fellows who drag and
push the trollies-trudging manfully along
have enough to do to keep their foothold.
The travellers for the greater length of time,
moving through dim twilight cannot well
make out the features even of those who sit
beside them. Now and again the little cleo
trio lamps set in rude inches of the naked
gray chalk, cast brilliant but fugitive light
on the passing train, Then, for awhile, all
is again but darkness visible. There are shad-
ows above and beneath, and all around.
Looking backward or forward, through the
deepening gloom, the traveller sees an ever
receding, seemingly funnel-shaped, perspect-
i've, lit at long intervals as with
to no sound save the splashing
made by the tall workmen tramping through
mud, and the drip, drip of the water upon
the hood above our heads-we are dragged
and pushed beneath the shingle and the sand
of the shore for time level with the beach,
and then down, a quarter of a mile deep
past low water mark, under the bed of the
channel,
The bore has cut clean through the gray
chalk in circle as round and true as the
inside of wedding-ring. So thoroughly,
indeed, is the instrument adapted to the
work and to the material that in dry places
it is possible to see the chisel marks made
couple of years ago At intervals along the
route, where it is feared the water might
come through the sides and roof have been
packed with lead or clay, and held up with
solid iron bands, apparently about eighteen
inches wide Sometimes in the fitful flashes
of light the eye rests upon falling red rivu-
lets, like streams of blood pouring down
the damp walls Ever and anon there are
faults" in the clayey chalk not yet remedied
So we go on and on, moments seeming as
minutes until the electric lamps cease alto
gether and the long, awful cave is enveloped
in darkness which would be impenetrable
but for the glimmer Of a few tallow candles
stuck into the bare walls of the cutting
Even mile and more from the mouth of the
shaft it is not difficult to breathe, for the
same machine which works the bore-pumps
the seven-feet pipe which at present forms
no more than the nucleus of tunnel. At a
distance of 1890 yards from the pit
mouth we come upon the simple
and wonderful piece of machinery
which can pierce through the bed of the sea
with extraordinary celerity and at cost
cheaper than is required for the making of
an ordinary tunnel under hill. By permis-
sion of the president of the Board of Trade,
the engineer is allowed to make a couple of
turns, in order to show our party the method
of its working. Presently we remount our
not too comfortable carriage and pass, stoop-
ing, once more along the fearsome narrow
way; pass by spaces of horrible shadows and
glimpses of welcome light. And, finally, we
are swung up through the shaft into the
outer air, where the glad sunshine catches
the tall cliffs face and bathes the smiling and
yet unbetrayed Channel in an atmosphere of
golden glory.