The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-01
Talk Of Project Comes
With Passing of
War Scares.
CONNECT ISLAND
WITH CONTINENT
Many Oppose Underground Tube
Lest It Be Menace to Country
in Case of Hostilities-Little
Now Is Heard of Lloyd
Georges Land-Tax-
ing Scheme.

London. May Slater months OF
the excitement of the Balkan war. am
bassadors' conferences. threatening Eu-
ropean crises and Marconi muddles. we
seem to have once more got into smooth
political waters. and but for the SUI
fragettes. the German editors of our
Germanophobe sensational press would
have terribly dull time.
War scares have been played out,
principally because 1t has been shown
that wars can be avoided II we keep
faithful watch on the agents provo
cateurs OF the International Arm Man
ufacturers, Ltd. and the only success
In that line has been a protest against
the channel tunnel scheme. which has
come to life again.
1t seems ridiculous that country
like England should be afraid that a
mere underground tube connecting 1t
with the Continent. should be enough
TO endanger it's existence. when II Is
evident to anybody that nothing would
be easier than make II impossible. But.
Az matter OF fact we are afraid that
the part OF the press which seems to
believe that II owns a copyright OF
patriotism is constantly telling us that
thu channel tunnel never must and
never will be constructed until all the
nations of Europe. from Germany to
the little republics of Adorra and San
Marino. have laid down their arms and
oisbanded their armiee.
Tunnel of Great Value.
II Is nevertheless fact which can
not be denied that channel tunnel
would be OF great value TO US and II
does seem strange that not a single
one OF our heroic generals or military
experts has come forward and told us
that as Leonidas did not consider II
disadvantage that the pass OF Their
mopylae was narrow opening in the
projecting mountains. so EngIishmen
should not fear an opening connecting
them with the Continent. through which
an enemy could never advance but six
abreast. Besides. Leonidas knew moth
ing about dynamite, and could cioHe
the pass only with the breasts Of him
self and his men. while we might easily
treat an invading army as the army OF
Pharaoh was treated in the Red Sea.
by exploding single dynamite mine
under the channel connected with Eng
land by electric wires
Evidently our courage is no: of the
l>eonidas order. AID perfectly happy
we shall be only when the genius OF
some English inventor provides US
with gigantic armored dome under
which we may place ourselves and our
tight little island soon as q Mar
conigram informs Us that German
battieships OF the air are steering In
our direction.
OF Lloyd Georges land-t taxing
scheme. we ere hearing very little
now, and, contrary TO all expectations.
II has so far failed TO drive any or
our titled plutocrats TO suicide or caused
single one of them TO emigrate 10
avoid the disgrace Of bankruptcy.
My American readers must not be-
lieve, however, that our aristocrats
have entirely ceased kicking. There
are sim plenty or them who are try
ing TO arouse the .sympathies of a lord
loving public
Chief among these squealers is the
poor Duke OF Devonshre. who feels
like panic stricken passenger on a
doomed vessel Some time ago he
threw overheard. with tears streaming
from his noble eyes, his whole racing
stable, and now his famous foXhounds
are going the same way. II never
seems to occur TO him that there are
quite few people in England who
have managed not only to live, but
even to find life quite pleasant with
out race horses and foxhounds.
Fortunate Individual.
Yet the Duke OF Devonshire is one
of the most fortunate individuals in
the world, without ever having done
a hands turn for II, he went up from
being plain Victor Christian William