Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1919-05-23

rho engineer. estimates will be possble-London
will be literally next door to Paris and In ohec'
touch with all of Europe all the time
This will mean two three days saved Dy 'ras
elers going from New York to Paris-to say no!n-
ing of the comfort of those who Will escape 'ne
rough channel trip from England to France wnen
even the sturdiest sailors frequently suner from
sea sickness.
There are many "Ifs" about the whole business
hut one "if' exists that has attracted lot Vi a'
tention from the public, and that Is II the tunne.
Is built it will cost more than one Gays Gust VI
war-and at most the cost OF two days vi wa.
One or two hundred million dollars EXPENDED Oh
anv worthy enterprise these days is considered as
trifipg sum by even the man In the street.
The announcement of the project causes no sur
prise on this side Of the Atlantic. America -
rather disposed to wonder that the tunnel was not
built long ago.
The truth is that when Bleriot few from French
soil to English soil just before the war; 'onn pun
opened his eyes wide and they have not closed
since. His mastery isolation OF centuries was
gone in a twinkling Much has happened since
then. The air Il darkened every day with Az
nayies passing to and from London to Par1s. DIT
tannia rules the waves under the new league al
right but the waves" are not all ana no one
knows this better than the lady with the trident
who is giving much Of her time to the new medium
Of communication. But the point IL that the con-
quest of the air has given the tight little island
new view Of things.
The distance between Dover and Calais-a DIT
Of choppy sea most Of the time on the surface
to be overcome by tuhnta, The government ieaoei
In the British house Of commons has 30 announcea
II will be a joint governmental undertaking 10 Dc
started rs part Of reconstruction. matter OF
hundred millions to two nations, innocenuy %
lieved to be bankrupt from the war. Is no barrier
l.. cfo md N
ment of peace covenants. Both nations are ias
becoming bilingual The tunnel will help along tn
"entente cordiale" after the war.
As sense of protection for both nations tn
channel tunnel will be Of avail. 1t Is main
tanned that II the bore had been In existence nv
wears ago things would have been different and
fouryear agony would not have fallen upon IN
two nations
Fifty wears ago. when the tunnel project wa
declared to be perfectly feasible from an engineer
ing point military men opposed It, 1t Is very anus
ing reading the debates of those faroh days. Fin,
land. they said, could never afford to take chance
with n tunnel the island would be no longer
island: some dark night the enemy would seize tn
two ends of the bore, and 10 and behold! Engan
would be invaded! Strategists condemned tn
man. much to the discontinue of business.
Before the war broke when the new discovery
aviation changed the perspective. tunnel recol
struction was being urged. Now as war measul
and France and Britain are still taking preca
lions in case the millennium is false aarm-ti
tunnel is approved by army men, Commercial
there never was any question about 1t. Fran
has sought 1t consistently for almost a centur
France has vision
International tunnel construction Is to be Il
order of the day. The nations are to be join
closer together The straits of Gibraltar are to
tunneled If plans carry. and very likely East. al
West-the Cccdent and the Orient-will be join
by tunnel under the Bosporus. And 1t Is w
within the bounds that this, continent may
linked with another continent by Boring STR
tunnel. first propounded by an early governor
Colorado.