The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-10-09


Of frssh cir beng ssnt In by Q fan at
m end and drawn out at the other.
The length OF the tunnel proposed by
MIR. BARrox would be NH miles, Of
which 3s would be under the sca. and
a II IL intended that the trains should
run ut q speed OF from sixty to seventy
miles m hour, the time spent In the
tunnel would be q little over thirty
minutes. According 20 the figures
submitted by engineers and contractors.
the oct Of constructing the tunnel.
exclusive Of interest during the prog
ross Of the work. would be $50. 1000. 900.
The expense could be exactly calculated.
IL a preliminary " heading or boring
should be run through the whole thirty
four miles, or at least from the Irish
side past the junction between the
sandstone and the slurian formations.
Il IL suggested by influential news
papers that the British Government
should guarantee the cost Of such pre-
liminary work, which would hardly,
In any event. exceed twelve and a half
million dollars.
II In evident that such a tunnel would
have the commercial effect Of an isthmus
connecting Belfast and other centres
Of industrial activity in northeastern
Ireland with Glasgow and other seats
OF manufacturing industry In tho Low
lands OF Scotland. Between the regions
thus brought into land communica-
ton the economic solidarity would be
speedily developed which unifies the
manufacturing districts in the North
Of England and in the Midlands. and.
so far as Ulster In concerned. an end
would be put to that concentration OF
thought and hope upon tho land which
renders II easy TO start an agrarian agita-
ton. II IL also manifest that h exist
ence Of a tunnel might draw Great
Britain and ireland together in a senti-
mental. as well ~ an economical sense;
for il would cause the Emerald Isle
to be visited by multitudes Of English
men who hitherto have Q kept away
by the discomforts incident TO Gross
ing the Irish Channel. We add that,
we're the tunnel 10Y advocated 10 be
constructed. a French invasion OF Ire
land. like that headed by Gen. Hum
BERT in i7es, would lose all its terrors,
since an overwhelming British force
could be placed in the island, even
though a French heew should he EN-
porhrily mistress Of the Irish Channel.
Would the construction Of a sub
marine tunnel from Scotland 10 Ireland.
and the resultan, existence Of q through
railway from London cause a concen-
tration of the transatlantic mail and
passenger service al some port on the
Irish west coast? Such a concentration
at Galway was contemplated during the
OF Lord C~ARSARvoS, and
the subject OF an elaborate in
quiry by a committee presided over by
Admiral Sir GEORGE MARES. There u
said &c be a CONSENSUS Of expert opinion
the establishment Of a trans
atlantic terminus on the west coast OF
Ireland. for the reason that the sea OF
this coast Is 10 a great extent studded
with small islands and points 81 rock.
which in the fogs that prevail there.
particularly in winter, render the ap-
proach extremely hazardous. No such
objection can be brought against Queens
own on the south coast. OF against
on the north. both Of which have
long been used as ports Of arrival and
departure for America
II Is suggested that. should Mr.. BAR
plan for a tunnel between the Goa
OF Wigtownshire and that Of County
be carried out and prove finan-
successful. a similar work might
be undertaken between Fishguard. i'm
mediately north Of Milford Haven and
Rosslare near Wexford, where the width
n the Irish Channel is only forty-hve
such a tunnel a. the last-named
wouid not only promote industrial de-
in the south Of Ireland, but
would make the Queenstown route u
London 10y far the quickest and most