The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-07
Doast eone distance from tho mouth OF the

coast come distance from the mouth Of the
The lining Of the tunne, necessary fol
the security Of the train from chance fall
anR iumps vaa to havs been Of concrsts.
Lhe shingle necsasary i found ON tbs
would have been made from the chalk mari
cut IN process Of construction, Il 10 this
Chalk mari which 10 used by the extensive
cement works At Boulogne, and IL makes a.
good cement AZ any to be found in France.
The cost of the work would be about go,
oOo,00O, and the tunnel could DO completed
in four yearA
In the early stages Of the work the Eng
lish press and the public were loud in ita
praise. not doubling its value commercially,
but heeitatin9 only to pronounce an
opinion on the practicability Of 20 gigantic
an undertaking. Both the conservative
and liberal governments gave an emphatic
approval to the principle Of tunnel, and
in concert with the French Joint commits
sion was appointed, and met to settle GER
tain generalities concerning the interna-
tional character Of the traffic. After much
money had been spent by the French on
the faith OF the English governmental ex.
preston of sympathy. if nothing more, the
English changed their mind. stopped the
work on their end, and once again gave oo-
casion for Gallo uutcry against la perfide
Albion,
OF course it is recognized that the Eng
lish government is pOwerlesS unless it car
ries parliament with it, but neither liberal
nor conservative governments have done
other than themselves oppose the scheme
IN the face of their previously expressed
opinions in favor of it. The objections are
entirely raised by the military authorities,
who say they were dormant SO long az the
matter looked to them impossible, and only
woke up to form an opinion when the work
was we'll advanced. Their argument ID
that though they concede that with twelve
hours notice no danger need be appre-
hended. they think that the mouth Of the
English end might be taken by coup de
main, which If the French were aided by
treachery, would be feasible operation.
This would appear to be poor compli-
ment to their brother officers. and any
thinking person would realize that it is q
simple impossibility. We're symptoms of
war to appear without previous strained re-
lations, all railroad managers know that,
before any unusual development of traffic
could be provided for, the requirements
would be known generally along the line,
90 that warning must necessarily be given
before aven a lot of school boys could be
transported. OF course, arrangements for
flooding the tunnel or blocking the en-
down the incline on either side and fred .
mile from the shore would 90 damage the
land approach that it would be quicker to
construct q new line than to returned
through the broken ground.
An to the commercial aspect Of the ques-
tion, If it was found to pay to construct the
Forth bridge to connect by a shorter line
than already exists two comparatively in
significant parts of Scotland, can there
be any doubt az to the value of line that
would cost but little more than double
that Of the Forth bridge and JOIN two of
tho largest railway Systems Of the world2
The value of the tunnel az commercial
undertaking appears to be conceded.
The work on the English side was done
by q limited company. Of which Sir Ed.
Watkin ia chairman, and that on the
French side by similar organization, in
which the Rothschilds are largely inter
ested.