The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-02-13
NEWS FROM
FAR PARIS
Day Dreaming of the
Frenchmen.
MEO|TERRANEAN TUNNEL
Also Canal That Will Garry War
Ships Far InIand--WouId
Cost Vast Sums.

PARIS. Jan. 6.-(By Mail.) -Those
who believe that the twentieth century
is to be marked by long line of gi-
gantic works, for which the discover
les OF the nineteenth are the prepare
ton, see in 1.-THE Canal of the Two
Seas" and the Mediterranean tunnel
the first examples Of the coming won
ders France heads the projects
France, that has shown the way SO
often, only to be outstripped by other
peoples; France of the Suez canal and
Panama. This time, however, the work
is for herself and not for others. The
tunnel that, by the courtesy OF Spain
and Morocco, Is to unite her to her
African possessions may have a mill
tary and industrial outcome undreamed
of now, while the canal that is to open
up the Mediterranean to her as to no
other power may make France inde-
pendent of Gibraltar. The possible ef
fects of the latter are 80 revolutionary
that it Is easy for Frenchmen to be-
lieve what an English statesman Is
pretended to have said: "If France is
willing to spend SOO,O00OO0 to make
! the Canal des Deux-Mers, we will be
willing to spend 100000 900 to prevent
herr"
From Paris to the Soudan without
mi nrgtp ie. to . !, N
tunnels partisans. 1t is the answer of
France to Cecil Rhodes conception,
| From the Cape to Cairo"
Finance and Engineering.
When Spain and Morocco grant the
privilege, the work becomes a simple
matter of French finance and French
engineering. On clear days you can
see Gibraltar from Tangiers; and while
the spot has not yet been made public,
it is said that the European end of the
tunnel is to be not many miles from
Englands stronghold. The consent OF
Spain and of Morocco? For long
time all the European nations have
had their eyes fixed longingly on the
| land of The Sick Man of the West. .
His policy has been to play one off
against the other, yet 1t has always
been acknowledged that Spain has a
vague kind of claim upon him. Spain
persuaded, and France backed up by
the Gear, the concession of the tunnel
becomes almost probable. 1t is said
by the French that the chief work of
Count Muravieff, Russian Minister Of
| ion, ffnir 1,n
| through Paris, was to make plans for
the time when France should make
her claims in this direction. AS for
Spain, It is said that she sees indus
trial salvation in this scheme that
would place her on the direct line Of
the immense development OF Africa,
and the persistent rumor that she has
given to France and Russia permission
to fortify Ceuta is looked on as espe-
| cially significant.
What the Project Means.
From Paris to Soudan without
changing cars!" 1t is difficult at first
hearing for even the enthusiastic
French to realize all that it means.
This twelve-mile tunnel underneath the
narrow strait of Gibraltar is to unite,
in the most intimate way. all Frances
African possessions with the mother
country. France is to be extended
practically to the utmost confines of
her long-cherished expensive colony of
Algeria. Half of the objections to its
colonization by French farmers, arti-
sans and industrials-all the worst
kind of ay-at-homes-must lisap-
pear. The French horror of sea voy-
age-something ineXplicable to Amer
leans and English-is no longer to
stand in the way of tourists, settlers
and spectators.
But this Is only beginning" says
the Frenchman glibly. THE projected
railway line along the northern coast
OF Africa will extend to meet the line
OF Tripoli and so continue to Cairo and
the Isthmus of Suez There another
tunnel will be cut under the Suez canal
itself, and the railroad will continue
on triumphantly along the shores Of
the Persian gulf, on, on, across the con-
tinent of Asia to-Bombay!"
Mr.. Berlier, engineer OF the Gibraltar
tunnel, declares that the work will not
ccst more than 123,0O0,000 francs
When the channel tunnel was pro-
posed-and they actually bored mile
and more of 1t before an invasion scare
in England put stop to everything
the engineering difficulties were the
easiest disposed OF. NJ. Berlier's expe-
rience with the Seine tunnel and the
Metropolitan Underground has put in
his hands new methods and corps Of
experienced lieutenants, and the fact
that the work is so near home will give
the French investor confidence that he
might lack since Panama.
Canal of the Two Seas.
1t is proposed, by taking advantage
of the present waterways of the inte-
rior OF France, to make e ship canal
from well-guarded port on the Allan
tic coast TO as well-guarded n port on
the Mediterranean. From Bordeaux. up