The Hartford republican., 1918-09-13
PLAN TUNNELS UNDER
CHANNEL And STRAIT
Scheme Would Shorten Link
Between Europe And
Africa


construction of tunnels under tn,
Strait of Gibralter and the English
Channel with the building of rail
roads thru British and French Afri
can possessions has been started
again with vigor.
1t Is said that with these subways
connected with proposed railroads
the trip from Paris to Dakar, in
Senegal, could be made in three days
where now it takes from eight to ter
days; and that the journey from Lon.
don to Cape of Good Hope could be
covered in eight days, where now il
requires eighteen days by sea.
Petrograd and even Pekin, would
have a railway opening to Morocco
From Brussels to the Congo would be
a five days trip. The railroads would
connect the big cities on the coast OF
Morocco with Dakar, which, the
French argue, would develop into one
of the biggest world ports.
| NOulu SnOften IT'D.
From Dakar to Pernambuco is a
four days trip. Thus Daker would
for obvious reasons, become the big
southern French port, and all trans
Atlantic travel to South America
would pass thru the southern ter
minus of the proposed project. From
Paris to South America, thru Dakar,
would be seven days journey, three
on land, via the Gibraltar Straits
tunnel and four on sea.
From London to Buenos Ayres now
is twenty-five day trip by sea. Under
the proposed route this distance
would be covered in nine days.
The voyage from Paris to Rio de
Janeiro would require only seven
days and from Paris to San Diego ten
days.
Much Importance attaches to the
proposal in France because of urgent
counsel to prepare now for after the
war business. The commercial battle
is being Looked forward to because
the French know that Germany, once
the peace terms are signed, will
Immediately begin her commercial
war.
1t is argued that the construction
of the Strait tunnel would work a
most formidable obstacle to the mon
opolizing aims of Germany because
it would open up vast commercial
field for Russia and the allies.
Project Is Adopted.
The project already has been
adopted by the General Congress of
Civil Engineers of France, and it is
being examined by the government
The Campagnie des Chemins de Fer
d'Orleans" has submitted to the Min
lister of Public Works request for
the concession and the Spanish
government has appointed engineers
to look into the feasibility of the
proposition
The plan was put forward by NJ.
Fl. Bressler, who first pointed out to
the French government the immense
interest the plan should be given
from a commercial point of view.
Before the war in going to Dakar,
one left Bordeaux on a steamer. He
arrived, with favorable weather, at
the African port in seven days. By
tunneling the Strait, and with the
speed of the electric of eighty kilo-
meters an hour, the strait cauld be
crossed in twenty minutes, leaders of
the project point out.
Taking the cost of the Ariberg,
Mont Gents, st. GOthard and Sim
plOn tunnels as basis, it is estimated
by French engineers that the Strait
tunnel would cost 4,415 francs per
lineal meter, or about $3.50 per lineal
yard.
Bressler estimated the cost at TO-
900 francs a meter. This estimate,
however, includes the organization of
the port at Dakar at 100000, 900 |
francs.
1t is said that il would take five |
years to construct the Strait tunnel. |