Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-09
A TUNNEL UNDGe THE SEA.
The Plan to Connect Prince Edwards
Island with the Main Land.

Island with the Main Land.
MONTREAL, Feb. Premier Sullivan
and Senator Howlan, OF Prince Edwards
Island, have been busily engaged here for
the last week consulting engineers in ref
erence TO the tubular tunnel scheme to
connect the island with the main land.
The plans which nave been accepted by
the local government Of the island have
Deen submitted to committee OF engl-
neers here. On Monday the plans as ac-
cepted by these gentlemen were laid before
the Dominion government, and will form
the subject OF debate at the approaching
session Of Parliament. Four lines have
this season been surveyed across the
straits OF northumberland, which has
resulted in finding plane or plateau on
which the tunnel-tube can be successfully
laid. The proposal is to build on each
side piers inside the "bOrdice' into which
the tube is laid some 1900 feet, making
the ful length of the pipe or tunnel 81
miles, or about 5Z miles nautical be-
tween the piers. The bottom SHOWS a
very good rOadbed, varying in depth from
90 feet on the plane side, to about 80
feet in the centre, and thence ashore on
the New Brunswick side TO 10% feet.
The tunnel is to be Is feet in diameter; TO
De made OF heavy sections of chilled white
CNSS - Oh3 AOal lnGuts LuAIh VI az
cordlng 70 depth. Mr.. Hayden II. Hall,
OF New York. is the patentee of the pro-
cess OF casting the tubes, as we'll as Of the
white chilled metal used. At the present
market price the tubes would cost about
$l4 ton ready for use. bringing the cost
OF the iron for the tunnel up to about S84
per linear foot, or total estimated cost of
between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000. The
metal Is said 10 be non-corrO-
Giu In 49,. .k ~
its exposure for twelve years in
Sydney Harbor, Australia. The sections
are bolted together by inside fianges,
making a water-tight rust joint and
smooth exterior. A connection with the
surface can be maintained by vertical
shalt II desired, but as railroad can be
laid through the tunnel as fast as it is
built all the material used can enter that
way, aud plenty of air and communica-
ton be maintained with the shore. Where
the depth OF water viii allow Of the OBJ
struetion to the channel the tunnel will
be laid on the natural bottom, otherwise
channel will be dredged.
The advantages claimed for this method
over those heretofore used are that 1t
brings the grade much higher than any
tunnel through the solid, especially in
treacherous material. All excavation is
done from the surface, by dredging, and
no compressed air is used. The differ
ence, as explained by Prot. Bull, between
this tunnel and the Mersey and the Thames
tunnels is that in the latter cases the tun-
nels were dug through the ground, while
in the present scheme an iron tunnel will
be constructed resting beneath the straits
of Northumberland. Premier Sullivan
says this is the only scheme which
will secure an uninterrupted COM
municatiOn between the island and the
Dominion. Immense sums Of money have
been thrown away on the Northern Light
and other steamers which il was ex-
pected could force their waV during Win
ter through the fields of Arctic ice. They
have proved a failure, and the 125,000
islanders are practically shut off from
Communication with the outer world dur
ing the icy months of winter. When the
island entered the conft Iteration, one OF
the articles, of the agreement WAS that
communication should be kept up with
the main land all the year round.