New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-08

have appealed to few novelists, Alexandra
Dumas, the elder. being. so far as know. the
only writer Of any eminence who has ever given
them place in his books. Equally unpleasant
Is the feeling that the ground on which one
stands and the house in which one lives are
undermined and likely to give way without
warning at any moment i.tt
ANARCHIST BORROWINGS
It Is n matter for surprise and congratula-
ton that the Anarchists and the Nihilists In
their efforts to terrorze that social system OF
which they are the relentless foes should have
neglected until now to avail themselves of the
unrivalled opportunities afforded by the under
ground portions of the capitals OF Europe for
the preparation Of outrages. They are fond or
burrowing. At least half dozen Of the at
tempts upon the life Of the present Car. OF his
father and Of his grandfather have been made
by means of tunnels beneath the railroads or
streets which they were 10 traverse and be-
meath the churches and palaces in which they
to be present at stated time The pur-
pose in each instance was to use the excavation
thus made for blowing the imperial party into
eternity With tunnels and subways passing
beneath royal palaces and public buildings, as
is the in so many European cities, one can
not help wondering why the Anarchists should
not take advantage of these subways already
made. instead Of burrowing afresh on their own
account. a bomb dropped from the window or
a carriage in the underground railroad that
passes beneath the House Of Parliament, In
London. from the window of the tramway
that will speed beneath the Quirnal Palace at
Rome. would be sufficient to reduce either Of
these two editices to ruin Yet, curiously
enough. attempt Of this kind has ever yet
been made. Is this to be attributed to the rem
nant OF scruple and to unsuspected sentiments
Of humanity on the part of the Anarchists or
merely to lack Of enterprise?
ROYAL SECRET sUBwAYs.
1 know of but two sovereigns in the present
century who have displayed any taste for sub
terranean passages, namely Napoleon III and
the present Kaiser of Germany Napoleon III
had secret underground passage constructed
at Paris leading from the Elysee Palace. beneath
the Rue d'Elysee. TO a private house on the
other side Of the street This house belonged
to his chamberlain. Count Bacchiochi. and
whenever the Emperor wished to undertake
some secret excursion without the knowledge
II his jealous consort he would proceed from
the Tuileres to his former residence at the
Eiysee for the alleged purpose of working quiet
wifes spies remained watching at the gates Of
the palace he would quickly pass from his pr-
vate room through the subterranean passage to
Count Bacchochi's house. enter the latter's car
riage, and drive off. Eventually Italian con-
spirators found out the existence of this under
ground passage. and on one occasion toward
the close of his reign an attempt there
made to stab the Emperor by an Italian car
bonari. who was himself Immediately killed by
the Emperor's Corsican bodyguard, Baron Girls
cell.
Emperor William has In the same way spent
a considerable sum OF money recently In the
construction Of his subtcrranean passage ex
tending from the opera TO the ."Zeughaus."
where a strong military detachment is always
on duty Thanks to this. the Kaiser Is able to
reach his box in the opera and TO leave it with
out being observed. The subway in question af
fords a significant demonstration of the little
confidence which the Emperor reposes in the
loyalty OF his Berliners Possibly he recalls the
fact that his granduncle, King Frederick Will
lam " was forced by the people Of Berlin TO
stand bareheaded on the balcony OF his palace
while the corpses OF all those who had been shot
down by his soldiers In 1S4S were carried past
him to the cemetery; while his grandfather. old
Emperor William. then Prince of Prussia. was
compelled by these same Berliners to fee for his
life to England.
TUNNELLING FEATS OF THE CENTURY.
In conclusion it may be well to call attention
to the extraordinary feats In the way Of bur
rowing that have been achieved during the pres
ent century. In England alone there are.
elusive OF the various subways in London. no
less than seventy tunnels considerably over
mile in length. The Alpine Mont Cents tunnel Is
seven and half miles in LENGTH the Arlberg is
a little over six miles long. while the st. Goth
ard tunnel is nine and half miles in length.
These tunnels. however. sink into insignifcance
,,bor co,uporaH with fhe CrotOn tunnel from