The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-02

Baldwin and rance, can HidAeA0oO' ~ NAcAO4no
and McDermott, Butte; Leland Hotel. Spring
field, III.
A CHANNEL TUNNEL.
Some wears ago the project OF sub
marine railroad tunnel between Eng
land and France was vigorously dis
cussed in the English press and by the
English people. Il its favor many ar
cuments were advanced. The channel
massage, If only twenty-one miles in
length, is VIGOROUSLY rough and un-
pleasant one. The passenger traffic be-
tween the two countries, especially dur
ING the tourist season, is enormous, and
the unenviable reputation for severity
that the trip bears would have been
q potent factor in swelling the receipts
Of the railroad company that carried
the enterprise to successful completion.
Comparatively few passengers, it was to
be presumed, would submit to loss Of
time and highly probable attack of
NAL de mar, if the speed and comfort of
a railroad journey were attainable. In
the handling and transportation Of
freight, the railroad scheme pos
sessed numerous advantages over the
present system, chief among them the
diminution Of risk and the acceleration
Of delivery by obviating the necessity OF
unloading and loading on both sides Of
the channel. The South Eastern rail
road took up the scheme with enthusi-
assn, experimental excavations were be-
gun, the tunnel was run under sea some
mile and half beyond Dover on the
English side and the entire feasibility of
tie scheme fully demonstrated. From
his seat in the house Of commons, Sir
Edward Watkin, the chairman Of the
railroad board, lost no opportunity of
publicly eulogizing the proposed tunnel
and no stone was left unturned by the
advocates of the measure to secure the
passage Of their pet bill through the
house. For a.tme tina tunnel works be-
came y kinaof showplaAe and parties Of
membsasf the commons were conveyed
to th6sscene Of operations, dined and
winedsh the electric lighted workings,
all without expense.
~ Tia British strategst wrecked all. A
nion OF heAxts between the two nations
hight be all very we'll from q senti-
mental point Of view, but it was impos-
sible to overcome his conviction that the
very existence of such means of com
munication constituted serious ane
ever present menace of invasion t.
England, without taking into account
the increased military expenditure thai
would have to be incurred for the pur
pose OF special defence. Various in
genions schemes were brought FORWARD
to meet the objections offered, but all t
no purpose, and in Difference to the ad
vice Of military experts the bill for tn
construction of the tunnel was throw
out by the house.
From France the telegraph brings u
news of yet another attempt to solve tn
international difficulty and we must sur
pose that interest in the question is X
viving. The author Of the latest schem
is Bunau Varilla, a French enginee
He proposes to build pier or viadue
half mile long on each side OF tt
channel. Between these points the tut
mel will extend and ascent and descel
are to be made possible by means OF 81
vators. In the event Of war he asser
that each country would be able to pr
vent the others use Of the tunnel
cutting Of connection with the pier.
The plan does not seem likely to me
with greater success thau its predece
sors, inasmuch as it meets mono of Il
difficulties brought forward. The on
persons concerned who are likely to
Csive it with pleasure are the unfortu
ates who suffer tram seasickness, al
the probabilities are that they wou
prefer to dispense with both pie
and elevators and have the tn
mel run from shore to shore. Int
likes and dialilkes, however, will me
with as little consideration as before,
the light Of the weightier interests
volved. So Ear as tho transportation
freight is concerned, there would be
tie. if any, gain in point of time a
none in labor, over the present syste
and the steamboat companies could
ford to underbid the railroad in the m
ter Of cost. From the strategist
plan is certain TO meet with cold
ception. It is not the custom of nj
ern warfare to send the enemy OF
morrow polite note with an announ
ment Of future intentions; in the pr
emit state Of was preparation on the G
tinent OF Europe the means of tran
could be seized, held and utilized in
hours time, for declaration and alta
to deserve success, must be simult
eouA.
No PRESIDENT ever lost grace "
the clergy 50 rapidly as Mr.. Harris
He had been in his seat only just K
enough to show the callbre OF man
was, when Bishop Potter, Of New Yc
with the president sitting before hin
the front pew, gave him snch sh