Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-13

pletely overpower any advantages that may lie
in the fact that branch lines would have to be
constructed to the respective land ends OF the
tunnel.
WOULD COST S5O0O0000.
The scheme that finds greatest favor among
engineers is to construct the tunnel from the
Island of Magee off County Antrim, to Portpat-
rick. The distance from land to land is only
twenty-five miles. So far as the sea bed is con
cerned, that Is comparatively level, but slight
deviation would be necessary to avoid the deep
chasm known Beaufort Dyke, The average
depth of the water between the coasts is 40 feet
and the geological strata are such that serious
leakage from the need be expected during the
work of excavation. Fifty million dollars, it is
expected, would cover the cost of the undertak
ing.
And what are the advantages of the tunnel
when it is made? Firstly. it would bring the
people of England, Scotland and Ireland into
closer touch than they have ever been. 1t would
throw open the scenic beauties OF the Emerald
Isle to English tourists who have hitherto been
held back by the horrors OF a sea passage. II
would practically make the fishing industry on
many parts of the Irish coast, where at present
it now lnguishes for lack of swift railway com.
municaton with Great Britain. For commercial
men it would shorten the distance between Bel
fast Glasgow. London and many provincial towns
by several hours. And last it would establish a
new route to America, whereby steamers calling
at Moville would save $50 miles on the present
journey between New York and Liverpool. 1t
seems pity that these benefits are to be denied
for the sake OF a few patry millions.
The question of the proposed tunnel under the
English Channel is also again to the front, and
Parliament is to be asked to grant permission to
allow the enterprise TO be put in hand. The
suggestion of tunnel between England and
France is aS old as the hills.
THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TUNNEL.
When first proposed there were certainly sew
cral commcndabe reasons for not desiring such
al communication between England and her
ncighbors across the sea- England was not
friendly with France, and then there the
question of Germanys relation with the French
/ Republic Today things have changed. Great
Britain and France are the best OF friends. They
have agreed TO stand by one another by treaty
and to preserve with France ,he peace OF Europe
The old objections to the scheme now fade away
ON close inspection Enaland's Splendid isoa-
! ton" is no longer boasted about az it once was
nor is this isolation now desirable. This is the
era OF tubes, and by means of electric hauage
and lighting, the dread OF a long tunnel journey
/ has given place to a feeling of ease and comfort
as compared with the vagares Of the sea jour
ney.
The military objections are mainly Hypothetical
The fears of invasion are largely discounted by
the designs adopted for blowing up and flooding
| the tunnel in case of need The prospects of a
hostile army attempting to invade England by
means Of the tunnel would be analogous to those
of Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, and It's
fate would probably be the same The safety Of
our country would be amply secured in any pro
ject put forward