The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-12

A Solid Viaduct Carrying Four Railway
Lines-A Colossal Scheme.

Lines-A Colossal Scheme.
Paris Letter in Pittsbutg Dispatch.
The missing link"o railway communication
between France and England-provided always
England Is willing-seems to be on the eve OF
realization. not by means of the Channel tun-
mel. as most people suppose. but by means of a
viaduct, to which Vice. Admiral CLIQUE. formerly
French Minister of Marine and member OF the
Bureau of Longitudes. lends the authority of
his name.
This is not" said Admiral Cloue "the first
scheme put forward tobridge the British chan
mel. Any number of proposals have been made.
At the head of the list of inventors IS one
his plans for a bridge before Napoleon. Thirty
years after DR. Payerne offered to connect
France and England by means of long tube.
which. when submerged, was to be secured by
masses of sunken rock. Between 1881 and 1886
NJ. Frauchot, ana subsequently, NJ Tessie,
proposed another tube, in cast-iron; then
tube. but also tunnel. to unite the
two coasts. Various other plans were next
started, and among these most ingenious one
by means of a bridge, the originator of which
was III. Thome de Canon. This latter plan, in
fact, commanded so much attention at the time
that two very promising young naval officers
who have since achieved renown, were weil-nigh
induced to relinquish the service and throw up
brilliant career TO devote their energies to the
new enterprise. One was Ansart a son of the
wellknown geographer; the other was Pierre,
then a lieutenant, who, as you know, became an
admiral, and died at Madagascar.
.What kind of a bridge we propose to build9
Well, not suspension bridge as some bright
genius suggested The first 'norwester' would
blow it clear away from its moorings. No. But
a solid viaduct, built stout piers from the
bed of the sea, with massive iron super
structure.
1.-THE starting point would be AmbIeteuse.
which has the advantage of a small roadstead
on the French coast The bridge is to form one
continuous way, and TO extend in a northerly
direction far as Folkstone. It's lengthl
Thirty-fve kiometsrs A slight bend will
cur at two points, whore reefs afford splendid
opportunities for abutments and cantievers.
These reefs are in mid-channel, and indicated
on our naval maps as the rocks of Colbart and
Varne.
''As you see, we do not take the shortest, but
the best and the shallowest route The
depths vary between fifty and twelve meters.
the deepest water being the French side of
the channel The piers are to be built of hard
concrete and masonry, and to measure each
about fifty meters long by thirty meters wide:
they to rise ten meters above the waves
and to support lofty pier towers, whose iron
framework the superstructure will rest. The
interval between two piers will be from 500 to
GOO meters, an enormous span, since the super
incumbent weight of the work would
amount, at least to %, 900 tons. 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 al the four winds of heaven
com bined may blow upon it in vain.
sInjure the piers, did you say? Oh. dear, no.
In this connection may instance new feature
in the construction. which | have worked ont
system OF projecting der-hanging Orders,
and instead of gradually constructing from the
pier outward one half of the span until it meets
the other half midway. where both halves are
COMBINED. get a whole span of ironwork man
ufactured on shore. This section of the super
structure will then be transported in fair wealth
four elevated ar-Jght pontoon cases. each
of which is able to support a weight OF 10000
tons; and when brought position. that
is when placed on a PARALLEL
Kind Of elastic hody had haou placad to
deaden the shock and to prevent injury to the
water is allowed to flow into the
the superstructure at both extremities on a
line level with the fat surface OF the piers. The
whole mass is then gradually raised the iron
pier-towers are built up under it.
''The bridge, then. will be thirty meters wide.
and have four railway lines, besides road for
foot passengers, vehicles and inspectors Boxes I
for guards and shunting lines will be established
at stated distances. Each pier will be provided
with powerful electric light besides sirens and
alarm bells for foggy weather.
1.-The superstructure on the pier towers WILL
or course, rise to a height sufficient to allow the
tallest ships to ride ssnder it st eage--say, be-
tween fifty and sixty meters. Buoys like those
used in the Suez canal will be placed at regular
points TO show the way at night to approaching
ships, so that these may sail through the broad
arches without danger of coliiding with the
piers.
'.There is nothing absolutely extraordinary in
the construction of the new viaduct unless it be
it's length, which would make of it the largest
in the world. When. however, bridges have
been built two miles long, as they often have,
there is no reason why one thirty-Eve kiometers
in length should not be constructed. The only real
difficulty, regards tho construction, conssts.in
laying the foundation of the piers In deep water.
In comparison with that the raising of the iron
pier towers aud superstructure will be easy
work. AS, however, such engineering feat
has been done already, there is also no reason
why the thing should not be again accomplished
In Australia, piers have been sunk at Sc meters
\ greater depth than any to be found on our
way between Ambieteuse and Folkstone
"There is, however, one vital point deserving
our best consideration. The proposal to con
struct viaduct between France and England
raises a question similar to that put forward
gainst the boring of submarine tunnel. 1t
would pro tanto weaken the existing defenses
IF Great Britain. and no considerations, how
sver important. could justify the legislature.
t is alleged. IN making such sacrifice. Eng
and. in a word, is unwilling to throw away or
IMPAIR the great military advantage she |
possesses over ali her rivals.
what the advocates of the present project |
ask the British nation to do is, effect, to |
bridge over the chanel For the present the |
weight of military opinion is against the scheme.
The fear OF invasion is uppermost. Yet there is |
me very easy way of allaying the scruples of |
he most timorous. At each end of the viaduct |
as well on the English as on the French coast, |
end establishing a swivel-bridge. At the first |
iRnal of alarm You have only to swing the |
open to interrupt all communica-
ion between the two countries gap tines
'uilt. The advantage of such arrangement
yer submarine tunnel is obvious. as the tun- |
el, inter ALA, if it could be blocked by water in
hree minutes, could not be pumped dry again
or three months, an operation costly as that
boring new tunnel.
mo France is the least likely enemy of
England. just as the Golden treaty for twenty
ears hushed all contest between the two coun-
ries so the construction of great highway |
yer the sea, binding the two countries together
q unity, would do more to preserve peace and
ct up relations of mutual dependence than is
ossible by any other measure. There would be
10 more danger for England in bridging the
hannel than there is at present for Canada by
he American railway bridge over the Niagara.
he encouragement of international trade, al
rays important, was never more i'm portant than |
is now The construction of such viaduct
the grand work OF the century-would
i've to trade and industry an impetus such
8 Golden never contemplated In his widest
reams.
"A company has been formed to carry on
his gigan tic enterrrise, under the name of The |
'hannel Bridge and Railway Company. Limited