Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-26

| the British Channei-some of the OBJ
Jcctions that are Urged.
The "missng linkn of a railway commune
cation between France and England-pro-
vided always that England is wilhng-seems
to be on the eve of realization, not by means
OF the channel, as most people suppose, but
by means of a viaduct, 10 which Vice Admiral
CLIQUE, formerly French minister of marine
and member of the bureau of longitudes,
lends the authority of his name.
"What kind of a bridge we propose to
buildr said tho admiral 'NVell, not a sus-
pension bridge, as some bright genius sug-
gested. The first norwester would blow it
clear away from its moorings. No. BuC n
solid viaduct, built up on stout piers from
the bed of the sea, with massive super
structure
Tho starting point would be Ambleteuse,
which has the advantage of a small road
stead on the French coast. The bridge is to
form ono continuous way, and to extend in a
northerly direction as far as FoIkestone. Its
lengthf Thirty-flvo klometcrs, A slight
bend will occur at two points, where reefs
afford splendid opportunities for abutments
and cantlevers. These reefs are in mid.
channel, and indicated on our naval maps aa
the rocks of Colbart and Varne.
LAS you see, we do not take the shortest,
but the best and tho shallowest route. The
sea depths vary between fifty and twelve
meters, the deepest water being on the French
side OF the channel. The piers are TO be built
of hard concrete and masonry, and to meas
ure each about fifty meters long by thirty
meters wide. They are to rise ten meters
above the waves, and to support lofty pier
towers, on whose iron framework the super
structure will rest. The interval between
two piers will be from 500 to GOO meters an
enormous span, since the superincumbent
weight of the ironwork would amount at
least to 5000 tons. 1 don't know added
the gallant admiral, with smile, "whether
you quite realize what such mass of iron
may mean. AT any rate, you may remain
convinced that all the four winds of heaven
combined may blow upon it in vain.
NEW FEAyURE.
"Injure tho piers, did you say9 Oh, dear
no. In this connection may instance a new
feature in the construction, which / have
worked out myself. Instead of having re-
course to the usual system of projecting or
undorhanging girders and instead of grad
ually constructing from the pier outward
one half of the span until it meets the other
half midway, where both halves are con-
Joined, got n whole span of ironwork manu-
factured on shore. This section of the super
sITuCtuTo Will tHeu DO transported In talr
weather on four elevated, air-tight pontoon
cases, each Of which is able to support a
weight of 10000 tons, and when brought
into position, that is, when placed on a
parallel line with the stone piers (whereon
some kind of elastic body has been placed to
deaden the shock and prevent injury to the |
masonry, water is allowed to flow into the |
poutoon cases, which, on slowly sinking,
bring the superStructure at both extremities |
on q limo level with the fiat surface of the |
piers. The whole mass is then gradually |
raised as the iron pier towers are built up |
under it,
Tho bridge, then, will be thirty meters
wide, and have four railway lines beside u |
road for foot passengers, vehicles and in
Spectors. Boxes for guards and shunting
lines will be established at stated distances
Each pier will be provided with a powerful
electric light, beside sirens and alarm bells
for foggy weather.
"The superstructure on tho pier towers
will, of course, rise to a height sufficient to
allow the tallest ships to ride under 1t at ease
say between fifty and sixty meters Buoys
like those used in tho Suez canal will be
placed at regular points to show the way at
night to approaching ships, so that these may
'ail through the broad arches without danger
of colliding with the piers.