The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-17
The Channel Tunnel.

and has ever since made a most exemplary
citizen.
The Channel Tunnel.
A VISIT TO TIL GREATEST ENGINEERING WORK
OF THE WORLD.
nondon Daily Telegraph
A tall shaft, a steam engine, IN air loco,
motive, and a 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 Lon
don and the EXTREMIST point Of the CONT
nrnt OF Europe i'm a continuous rail-
way journey and without change OF
carriages. Sir Edward Watkin ainly
calculates that the cost OF the enterprise
i'm which he is interested would amount TO
5000. 900 sterling, and that the tunnel would
allow the passage OF 80 trans each way
every day, at an average speed Of ~iorty-fiye
miles an hour. So that the tunnel of
twenty-five miles in length might be tra-
versed i'm half an hour-a speed, he it said.
very much higher than that kept up in the
longest tunnels OF the II. GOthaTd be-
tween Switzerland and Italy. At the bot
tom OF the shaft. at the mouth Of the
boring, no more than seven feet in diane
ter from end 10 e1d-eXcepting here and
there a somewhat wider square opening,
technically called a ''turn-Out"-w w found
a couple Of trOllies fitted with seats
on either side. after the manner OF the
tram-clrs of the military train familiar to
hobitueS OF Wimbledon camp. Running
along the sides Of the trolly, close TO the
ground, wa a foot-board like that attached
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 dropping wet or particles OF
falling dfbriS, hut not wide enough to save
the legs and feet. By reason Of the space
taken mp iSthe lower arc Of the circle, so
as to make a 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
jO%urncying to the face OF the tunnel and
back again.
A Rembrandt or a 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 sta!wart fellows who drag and
push the trOllieS-trudging manfully
along-haye enough to do to keep their
fOOthOld. The travellers, for the greater
length Of time moving through a dim twi-
light. cannot well make out the features
even OF those who sit beside them. Now
and again the little electric lamps. set in
rude inches OF the naked gray chalk, east
a brilliant but fugitive light on the
passing train. Then for awhile. all
is again but darkness visible. There
are shadows above and beneath and alt
around. Looking backward or forward
through the deepening gloom tile traveller
sees an eyer-receding. secmingly-endless
funnel-sbaped perspective, lit at long inter-
walls as with fiery eyes. Onward, and vet
onward-tO no sound save the splashiug
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 shin
gle and the sand OF the shore for a 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 a circle AZ round and true rs the
inside of a wedding-nng. So thoroughly.
indeed. Is the instrument adapted 10 the
work and TO the material that in dry places
il is possible to see the chisel-marks made a
couple OF years ago. At intervals along the
route, where 1t Is feared the water might
come through, the sides and roof have been
paced with lead or clay, and held UP with
solid iron bands. apparently about eighteen
inches wide. Sometimes In the fltful flashes
OF light the eye rests upon falling red riyu-
lets, like streams OF blood, pouring down
the damp walls. Ever and anon there
are ~"faults in the clayey chalk not vet
remedied. So we go on and on, moments
seeming rs minutes. until the electric
lamps cease altogether. and the long, awful
is enyeloped in a darkness that 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 from the mouth OF the shaft il is not
difficult to breathe; for the same machine
which works the bore-pumps drives "A con-
tinuous supply Of fresh air into the seven
foot pipe, which at present forms no more
than the nucleus OF Il tunnel. At a dis
lance Of 1900 yards from the plymouth
we come upon the simple and Won
derful piece OF machinery which can
pierce through the bed Of the sea with
extraordinary celebrity and Il cost cheaper
is required for the making Of an ordi-
nary tunnel under a bill. BY permission
the president OF the Board OF Trade the
engineer is allowed TO make IA couple OF
in order b show our party the method
is working. Presently we remount our
not too comfortable carriage and pass,
once more along the fearsome
way; pass 10y spaces OF horrible
shadows and glimpses OF welcome light.
And finally we are swung up through the
into the outer air, where the glad sun
'hine catches the tall cliffs face and bathes
he smiling and yet unbe!rayed channel in
IN atmosphere OF golden glory.