Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-10
JOHN BULBS CowARDIoE.
The Proposed Tunnel Under the straits
of Dover.
IRON the 81. Louis Republican.


to be used for drainage; the upper was to
be a roadway through which horses could
gallop IN an hour.
In 1884 another Frenchman, Thome dc
Gamond, proposed to lay an iron tube on
the channel bed and TO organize traffic as
by a ch road. Later he abandoned the
tube and adopted the plan Of tunnel
and railway. In 1851 he visited England
and lsld mis- plars before English engi-
neers. capitalists and statesmen. He met
with great favor on all hands, the only
prominent opponent he met with being
Lord Palmerston. then Prime Minister.
His opposition was shown ia connection
with remark peculiarly trying 80 the
prince cons0rt. GamOnd had an inter-
view with Prince Albert at which Pal
merstOn was present. The Prince was
greatly pleased with the project, and gave
II his enthusiastic approval. Lord Pal
merston gravely shook bis head and said !:
"You would think quite differently if
you had been born in this island"
This ungTsciOus remark was a great
surprise to the Frenchmau, VINO yelled his
disappolntmentunder regret that anyone
should call in question the Princes we'll
known loyalty TO England. The Prince
himself turned of the remark as only an
innocent sally peculiar to pam" At
that time the queen cordially favored the
construction OF a tunnel, though her en-
dorsement was OF little value.
From the time u GamOud the tunnel
scheme became popular. In France it
has found no opposition from either engl-
neers or statesmen. In England its for
tune has been checkered. Sir Edward
Watkin, the President Of the London and
Southeastern railway 20 Dover and
FOlkestoue), early became the English
champion ana ne is today the leader and
chief advocate OF the submarine tunnel.
Tie first step was TO demonstrate its en-
tire practically 20 the satisfaction Of
eminent engineers. This has very thor
oughly been done The material OF the
channel bed has been examined by bOrings
and every hing has been found exceed
ingly favorable. The best location Of the
tunnel is little south OF the narIOwest
point Of the straits, where the distance
from shore 10 shore is about 20 miles. The
approaches would be about miles long
al each end.
The next step was to show how the tun-
mel could be drained and ventilated when
in fun use. THIS has also been shown 10
be quite practicable in variety Of ways.
Next, as to the abundant uses OF the tun-
mel for tranep0rtlOn of passengers ana
goods, capitalists seem 10 have been fully
satisfied, and there is plenty of money in
London available for building the tunnel
the moment parliamentary consent is OBJ
tained. The capacity OF a dOuble-track
tunnel with a small side tunnel for
drainage ard ventilation has been shown
TO be 100000 people and 400, 600 tons Of
merchandise per year.
Some estimates are much higher than
these. Now the number of passengers
crossing the channel Counting those
twice who TecrOss is only about 100000
per annum, hence, il the number of pas
sengers should increase eight-t0ld, the
tunnel would accommodate them all if
they were evenly distributed through the
year. At any rate, II is abundantly clear
that the present passenger traffic and all
light, perishable articles would readily be
carried through a single tunnel.
In 1910 tunnel company obtained an
act OF Parliament empowering expert
mental operations; but that company has
done nothing.
In 1874 French company obtained a
concession from the French government,
and the English government
through Lord Derby, consented to the
tunnel scheme as follows
'Of the utility OF the work in question.
If successfully carried out, there appears
no room for any doubt, and her Majesty's
government would therefore Oder no OPP
position to it, provided they are not asked
for any gift, loan or guarantee in cOnnec-
ton herewith"
The French company has made thou
sands OF behring's and constructed some
shore-works, but has pushed out no tun-
mel.
In 1881 the South Eastern railway OBJ
tanned authority TO make borings and ex-
perimental works, and began operations
at once.
Three shafts were sunk, one near the
waters edge at the east end Of Shakespeare
tunnel on the road from tOlkestOne 20
Dover. From the bottom OF this shaft a
tunnel was started under the water. The
boring machlne was tested and modified
until ii took permanent shape "a a most
efficient instrument, and the experiment
tai tunnel was carried rapidly forward.
The reports Of progress were most en-
cOuraging, when suddenly there arose a
"panic," a disease 20 which the people Of
England seem 20 be periodically subject,
mortal dread OF the French. Some 300
years before the historian Camden b ad
spoken u the English channel az pro.
Vidential arrangement by which peace
was TO be preserved between Britain and
Gaul; and now the builders Of railroads,
not content with burr0wing under Eng
fish hills and shaking the foundations OF
the old barOnlal Mills, proposed TO bore
their way under the diyinelY appointed
''moap' Of their proud island. and con-
vert Great Britain into a peninsula Of
France.
The Nineteenth Century came out with
a strong protest" and its managers pro-
cured great petition cal ing upon the
gOYernm MT 10 stop the work.
Ia April, 1852, Mr.. Cham berlain, then
President OF the Board Of Trade, and
representing the crown. called upon the
company On discontinue operations, pend
ing an inquiry into the whole project. To
an outsider not born on the island, the
objections urged against the tunnel by
military and naval men in England, ap-
pear altogether fanciful and groundless
They are OF piece with the opposition on
the part OF military men TO the railroad
from London TO southampton, on the
ground that It would bring London dan.
gerOusly near France" and % the obiec.
tons urged against the international ex-
position In London IN 1891. that IL would
bring over the French in dangerously
large numbers!
Under the same terror Of French
army, Lord Palmerst0r had once protest.
ed against the tremendous progress OF
steam navigation on the ground that II
had practically nulllheC "the silver
streaR OF water which makes Great
Britain an island. IN fact AS long ago as
1850, be had said that there was "steam
BRIDGE across the straits.
The objections OF the Duke Of Cam
bridge and Lord WOlseley and the host Of