The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-05-23

X " ii mel, connecting the British isles with
France. Away back In 1902 the idea
started, before Napoleons career finished ut
the battle Of Waterloo. And now than 100
years later, the plans being gone for the
hft1eth time, perhaps, and all indications point to
speedy beginning Of actual work.
Costing only SlO0,0OOOOO and being at most
seven years Job, the whole task Is being ap-
preached with confidence that is typcally Brit
ish- Compared to expenses the $1OO,OOOOOO
Is trfing. The French favor the plan
Napoleon himself first officially suggested the
plan OF connecting continental Europe with the
British isles by means of tunnel. According to
the story still going the rounds in Europe, Ma
poleon's inspiration came from engineer Of the
name of Matthew In the early days Of the cen
fury during the peace of Amens
Now members of the British cabinet and parlia
ment are trying to get operations started at
and for some weeks nterchanges of views have
taken place between the various interested ele-
ments In England and with officials of the French
government without any official cold water having
been thrown In sufficient quantity to dampen the
ardor Of the several promoters.
During the war tunnel under the straits of
Dover-the site approved by all promoters of the
plan--woud have been embarrassing to the Eng
lish, to say the least military critics state Twice
at least, before the Germans finally defeated
the whole progress of the war would have been
affected, to the disadvantage of the allies, had
the English field marshal been compelled to try to
protect the French entrance to tunnel
During the retreat from Mons to the Marine In
1914, tunnel entrance on the French side would
have placed the English general in the dilemma of
either retreatng toward the tunnel to save it or
Keeping in touch with the French in the general re-
treat and thereby preserving some kind of a con-
tinuous front against the Germans BY breaking
from the French and falling back on the tunnel
the British force would have been surrounded and
probably forced to surrender it is figured out by
prominent army In England
Before the war there was considerable army and
navy objection in England to the tunnel project.
And when the came 1t was found that pos
session of tunnel In the first stages of the war
would have been liability rather than an asset
Now. however, with the advancement of en-
gneering knowledge old difficulties are removed
1t is planned to install in the tunnel an arrange
ment whereby one mile of the tubes can be flooded
without actually destroying the whole structure
thereby preventing the possibility of invasion of a
hostile army.
Actual steps have been taken to sound official
opinion in France Bonar Law of Great Britain
has communicated with Prime Minister Lloyd
George in Paris, asking him to approach the
French government for its view on the subject
1t Is believed by official circles in London that
the whole proposition is one for the French and
British governments to settle, and not a subject
for discussion at the peace conference.
An Old Proposition.
Many years ago the first tunnel started from
the English side beneath the straits OF Dover At
the present time the old tubes still extend 1000
yards toward the French coast The newer plans,
however. will require two tubes. running side by
SIDE 300 feet beneath the surface of the sea One
tube would be used for French bound traffic entirely
and the other tube would be used for English
bound trains.
Investigation has shown that the water in the
straits of Dover Is from 100 1870 feet deep at the
most. The bottom of the is kind of chalk
formation that has been rendered watertght by
the inhltration of clay sediment This chalk bed
Is about 100 feet thick, that tunnel 300 feet
beneath the surface of the sea, following the chalk
strata, would probably be safe enough the
gineers believe.
At fairly close intervals the two tubes would be
connected with oblique cross tunnels which will
assist in ventilating the long tubes By using cleo
trio trains the great objection of smoke from the
usual coal-burning oilburnng locomotives is re-
moved.
On account of the formation of the chalk bed
Sir Francis Fox believes the two tubes should be
curved enough to keep both lines we'll within the
limits Of the chalk formation
London will be connected by rail with all the