Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-07-14
The Channel Tunnel.

shanties mark the SPOT destined, it NAV
be, to abut upon the English mouth Of
the channel tunncl-for there are other
schemes afoot to join London and the
EXTREMIST point of the Continent of
Europe in a continuous railway journey
and without change of carriages. Sir
Edward Watkins airily calculates that
the cost of the enterprise in which he is
interested would amount to $4,000, 900.
and that the tunnel would allow the
passage of $50 trains each way every
day at an average speed of fOrty-five
miles an hour. So that the tunnel of
twenty-five miles in length might be
traversed 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 in diameter from end to end
excepting here and there somewhat
wider square opening, technically called
turnout found couple of
trollies, fitted with seats on either side,
after the manner of the tram-cars of
the military train familiar to habitues
of Wimbledon Camp. Running along
the sides of the trolly close to the
ground was a footboard like that at
tached to a 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 q
level floor along which the rails were
laid, it was necessary that we should sit
with knees drawn up and heads bent
during the whole time occupied in jour
neying to the face of the tunnel and
back again.
A Rembrandt or a Salvador Rosa
might have done pictorial justice to
such scene. Under foot for a great
portion of the way the ground is al
most ankle deep in slush; and the stall
wart fellows who drag and push the
trollies-trudging manfully along
have enough to do to keep their foot
hold. The travellers, for the greater
length of time, moving through dim
twilight, cannot well make out the fea-
lures even of those who sit beside them.
Now and then the little electric lamps,
set in rude inches of the naked gray
chalk, cast brilliant but fugitive light
on the passing train. Then, for q
while, all is again but darkness visible.
There are shadows above and beneath,
and all around. Looking backward or
forward, through the deepening gloom,
the traveller sees an ever-receding,
seemingly funnel-shaped perspective,
lit at long intervals as with fiery eyes,
Onward and onward-to no sound save
the splashing made by the tall work
men 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 q time level with
the beach, and then down a quarter of
a mile deep, past low-water mark, un-
der 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 mate
rial that in dry places it is possible to
see the chisel-marks made a 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. apparent
ly about eighteen inches wide. Some
lines, in the fitful flashes of light, the
eye rests upon falling red rivulets, like
streams of blood, pouring down the
damp walls. Ever land anon there are
faults" in the clayey chalk not yet
remedied. So we go on and our mo-
ments seeming as hours, until the cleo
trio lamps cease altogether, and the
long, awful cave is enveloped in a dark
ness which would be impenetrable but
for the glimmer of a few tallow candles
stuck into the bare walls of the cutting.
Even a mile and more fsom the mouth
of the shaft it is not difficult to breathe,
for the same machine which works the
bore-pumps drives continuous supply
of fresh air into the seven-foot pipe
which at present forms no more than
the nucleus of a tunnel. At a distance
of $500 yards from the plymouth we
come upon the simple and wonderful
piece of machinery which can pierce
through the bed of the sea with extra
ordinary celebrity and at cost cheaper
than is required for the making of an
ordinary tunnel under hill. BY per-
mission of the President of the Board
of Trade the engineers allowed to make
couple of turns in order to show our
party the method of its working. Pres
emily we remount our not too comfort
able carriage and pass, STOPPING, once
more along the fearsome narrow way;
pass by spaces of horrible shadows and
glimpses of welcome light. And finally
we are flung 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