The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-25
UNDERSEA TUBE
To AFRICA FROM
SPAIN LIKELY
Old Project Of Tunnel Trains to
Cross Gibraltar Straits
Is Revived.

PARIS. Dec. 23.-Some reference
has recently been made to the old
project of linking up Europe with
Africa by means of a tunnel under the
sea. The tunnel would traverse the
Straits of Gibraltar. Such an under
taking would be enormous in itself
and still more immense In it's conse-
quences.
The French have always regarded
Mediterranean Africa as practically
forming a part of our own continent.
A direct railroad, say. from Paris to
Tangiers. and from Tangiers to point
after point in the African continent
probably, when the various schemes
now under consideration are executed
end co-ordinated, to Capetown-would
certainly, apart from its immediate
practical consequences, wildly strike
the ina gination and would help us to
realize how inter.related are countries
and continents.
In conjunction with a tunnel under
the English Channel-which Is a COM
paratively trivial operation-Or even in
conjunction with the Channel Train
Ferry from Calais to Marlborough.
which has been recently used, the Gil
traltar tunnel would make 1t possible
10 travel or send goods from London
to Capetown without changing con-
veyances at any stage Of the journey.
The conception Is audacious, but 1t
is technically sound. To show how
audacious 1t Is 1t is only necessary to
remark that the Gibraltar tunnel
would at it's lowest level be 1,254 feet
below the surface of the sea. In the
English Channel the tunnel would be
at nothing like such a depth.
Twenty -four-mile Crossing.
The work would be prodigious. but
it is believed both in Spain and in
France that 1t is practicable. There
are two schemes which are favored
by experts. One is by a Frenchman,
M. Bressier; the other is by Span.
lard, Senior Rubio Y. Bellue. They
differ from each other in many re.
spects. 1t seems, however, to be
agreed that the shortest crossing
which is possible, having regard to
the character of the sea bottom, is
about twenty-four miles. This Is by
no means the narrowest part OF the
straits.
A tube of about six yards in diane.
ter is proposed. There would be
single line with three stations at which
the line would be doubled to permit
the passage Of trains in opposite direc.
tons. The entrance of the tunnel on
the Spanish side should be ten or
twelve yards above sea level, but II
is only necessary to make the opening
on the Moroccan side seven yards
above sea level.
The slope is estimated at one In
forty at the maximum. Some OF the
difficulties of the task will be readily
understood. The weight Of the water
on the tunnel would be tremendous.
Ventilation presents problems which
have, however, been solved. 1t Is esti'
mated that the temperature will be
about so degrees Fahrenheit at the
lowest level.
Some Of the Dangers.
The congealment of the soil, injec-
tons of cement, protecting plates, are
methods well known to engineering
science. and it is held that the pro.
cedure adopted for the tunnels under
American rivers and elsewhere would
be sufficient. The danger of the in
filtration Of water Is certainly to be
feared but there are today enormous
pumps which would conjure that peril
Nevertheless, 1t is evident that q
geological study of the bed Of the see
OF the most profound character is in
6ispensable, for there are parts of the
Straits which are inadequately known
end there may be terrible surprises in
store for the hardy pioneers unless
much closer investigation than has
Hitherto been made Is undertaken.
1t 10 recalled that the earthquake
Of Messina in 1908 revealed the pres
ence of fissure which had not beer
suspected when in 1885 plans were
prepared for tunnel between Sicily