A RAILWAY TO NORTH POLE.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 98, 26 May 1876, Page 3

A RAILWAY TO NORTH POLE.

A railway to the North Pole is one of the latest projects. The following plan is suggested by a correspondent of the ' Scientific American ' : — " I propose to reach the North Pole by the construction of an overground tubular railroad, under the auspices of several governments,.- which should -pay stiffly cieht 'money to construct 'suitable shops for the making of "a "wooden rube, bit to 6ft. in diameter, to bs made in light sections for transportation. After some suitable landing- place -has been chosen, the road /could' be commenced; at the dock. The section of the tube could -be placed on a car which would run inside of the tube, and ,be ; propelled by Jband, and furnished with a light, strong, con? venient dummy engine and boiler, to be used when required. Theoretically this idea has many points of great benefit to the explorers. A car can be made and furnished with nearly .-ill the comforts of a home ; and the tube getting covered with snow in the winter, would be quite warm With properly constructed stoves, plenty of provisions and fiul, a scientific party could pnss the winter in the tubes quite.comfortably. I have no doubt but that there or plenty if civil engineers who would jump nt the chance of construe ing a road of this nature if solid Governmei t support was £ruarant.eed If this idea proved feasible, and the barrier of 120 miles that is supposed to exist could be. overcome, and the unexplored supposed open sea found, this roadcould be' made the means of ram-ing material for the construction of fHiing-vessels. If th< opea sea does exis>t, there i.-s no doubt that whales are to be found i here in 'immense, number^ so ;»s to make theioaH profitable,, and furniah oil fur the peot>ie when the products of the oil-region co.uiii^nce to give out. Shelter in

nearly ,all, etnergericids .would Vh? found "in a road of this description. Who can tell of "'the'iben'efits^ that' might c< me to th^ nations if the mysteries of the vast unknown region could be brought to light ? The v outlay on a road of this character would be a mere bagatelle to the results thaVwnulfl pcwm '^viun it."