New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
Would Have Freed
Great Convoy Fleet

Great Convoy Fleet
Yet this is only the beginning of the
matter. We are not told how many
English warships were needed to pro-
tect that precious strip of water be-
tween Dover and Calais. The number
was certainly very great. What if
these ships could have been freed to
convoy food vessels or munition ships
from other lands? What if the Chan
mel merchant vessels could have been
used for other work when the civilized
world was crying for tonnage?
What, even, might have been the re-
suit of the Jutland naval battle if the
warships held to protect the Channel
had been ranging the North Sea?
Such speculations tease US out OF
thought. But since the facts are still
military secrets no observer dare
hazard even a guess.
The capacity of the tunnel, however,
would not be unlimited. With double
track "a single track in each direction)
as originally planned, it could hardly
have sustained the whole burden OF
munitioning France and victualling
England. 1t is estimated that the
single track could transport an Eng
lish expeditionary corps of 10000
troops, with equipment, but without
~, JoN OF tor
speed. But if it were carrying muni-
tions and essential merchandise, 1t
might be limited to 100000 a month
At certain times, when troop traffic was
feavy, the tunnel would certainly have
to be supplemented with ordinary
steamship transport.
Or, again, it is estimated that the
single track tunnel could carry 24,000,-
900 of the 2s,0O000o tons of foodstuffs
which Great Britain annually imported
before the war, providing it did nothing
else. But at harvest time, for example
much of the imported grain would
have to be carried by water. If, how
ever, the tunnel were the fcur-tracked
affair which is now projected, it might
very possibly have taken care of all
the essential war traffic.
lmpervious to
Air Attack
The defence Of the tunnel has offered
nice problem, though by no means 8
puzzle, to military men. 1t is now
generally agreed among the authori.
ties that the English terminal could
be captured by foreign force only
under a concatenation of events sc
singular as to be. for all practical pur.
poses, unthinkable. Better yet, the
tunnel would be virtually impervious
to any of the new forms of ATTACK
which the Germans have developed
Though the Germans were to gain do.
minion in the air and under the sea
they still have not yet extended thei,
Kultut beneath the earth.
Lord Sydenham, who may fairly be
called an expert in such matters, lays
down four types of defence which
would be necessary for the protection
of the tunnel, as follows:
Some means of holding up every
train for examination.
Some means (already provided for,
of flooding dip in the tunnel, actu.
ated from each of two Independent,
forts.
/ Two forts (situated on the landward
side Of the Dover cliffs) commanding
the exit Of the tunnel and 80 placed
that they cannot be silenced from the
sea.
Exposure of a portion Of the line Ia
fire from the sea.
The third condition would perhaps
be modified by the development OF
aerial warfare, but it has not yet been
shown that an airplane attack can put
first class fort out of business.
Possibly the forts would now be con-