The Daily bulletin., 1893-01-14
UNDER THE CHANNEL.
Watkins Plan to Reach the Cont.
nent-His Tunnel Scheme to BE
Revived.

nent-His Tunnel Scheme to Be
Revived.
London, January IA good deal
of interest once more is being shown
in the famous project to construct
tunnel between England and France
and establish connection between
the two countries which shall be in
dependent of wind and waves. Sir
Edward Watkin, the father of the
idea, believes in "pegging away"
like Abraham Lincoln, but his "peg-
ging away" has thus far brought no
profit to him or to the shareholders
whom he has persuaded to join him.
They buried their money in big
hole and that seems to be the end
of it.
1t must be understood that the
tunnel has been carried for some
2200 yards, and all appeared to be
going on we'll when the Government
interfered and stopped the work.
The portion dug out has been kept
in good order and is always open to
inspection to those who take an
interest in it, and above all to men,
bers of Parliament, who have it in
their power to remove the block and
allow the sanguine Sir Edward
Watkin to go on his way rejoicing.
Sir Edwin Watkin tells us that the
French are very eager to have the
tunnel proceeded with and that they
have finished their 200 yards in ad-
mirable style. That is the very
point. The reasons which render
the French SO desirous for the tun-
mel are precisely those which make
Englishmen fight shy of it, The
silver streak is their protection and
they have built an enormous feet
chiefly to enable them to hold COM
mand over it.
Now it is to be placed at the dis
posal of an enemy who may want to
strike blow at England from the
continent, and the English are not
willing to incur that risk, but if it is
going to be made and seems likely
to pay there are plenty of people
who would be ready to find the
money. Patriotism will not deter
them from going into good specu-
lation.
Among the distinguished converts
to the tunnel scheme is Mr.. Glad
stone, to whom Sir Edward has paid
assiduous court for years together.
The last time the question was
brought before the House of Com
mons Gladstone spoke in favor of
the bill, but he had not much infu-
ence then. Now he is Prime Minis
ter, and that makes all the differ
.ence.
At the annual meeting of the COM
pany just held Sir Edward Watkin
boldly declared that so far as he
knew the Government was favorably
inclined to the company's enterprise.
What authority has he for making
that statement? Probably none; but
if rise of a turn or two in the
market can be secured almost any
assertion is lawful (such are the
ethics of the Stock Exchange), and
the great Sir Edward Watkin has
thoroughly mastered them.
believe the public generally dis
like the entire scheme and they are
greatly influenced by the fact that
all the military authorities are dead
against it. Lord Wolseley has warn
ed us that England would never be
free from invasion for twenty-four
hours after the tunnel was made,
and that it would involve the addi-
ton of 100000 men to the army, and
would deprive England of all advan-
forao ~ ro;nc l,x, &c ,p,,,l,r ,,1,;%;o,
and practically make it a part of
the continent. This has already had
great deal of weight with the
House of Commons.
Sir Edward Watkin has lost no
time in trying to fix the position of
the new Government. Of course,
Mr.. Gladstone has not been consult
ed about it lately. He has quite
enough to think about. The Dublin
explosion will oblige him to come
back to London much sooner than
he intended. There must be cab
met meeting to consider what shall
be done.
If the decision could be taken by
ballot on home rule Parliament
would not be troubled with the bill
next session, but the old man would
not give up his darling project even
though dynamiters were at work in
every street in London. The only
question is whether some provisions
of the coercion act which are still
unrepealed shall be put in force.
That is a knotty point. Public
opinion seems to demand it, but Mr..
Gladstone's Irish allies will leave
him at the first turn of the screw
Those who hope to succeed Mr.
Gladstone in command of the Lib.
eral party, would rather not be call
ed upon to show their hand on this
most unpleasant subject.