A FRENCH GENERAL ON THE CHANNEL TUNNEL SCHEME.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2523, 10 May 1882, Page 4

A FRENCH GENERAL ON THE CHANNEL TUNNEL SCHEME.

[From the Paris Correspondent of the ‘‘Standard.’’]

One of the most distinguished generals in the French service has written me a letter on the subject of the Channel tunnel scheme, the substance of which appears to me likely to interest English readers. For obvious reasons the writer’s name is withheld at his own request, bnt it is a name that would carry weight. Here is what he says, put into a condensed shape ■ “ What the advocates and opponents of the tunnel say is very suggestive, but it appears to me to go beyond or to fall short of the mark. Those who eay that the existence of a submarine bridge between England and the Continent would be perfectly useless for the purposes of invasion go a great dral too far, and those who imagine that the tunnel alone would very materially increase the liability of England to invasion seem to me to have little practical knowledge of modern warfare, and to attach to the tunnel, as a strategic road, an importunes which would not belong to it. The invasion of any country is a military operation of no small magnitude. The resources which General Wolseley himself thought necessary to accumulate for bis march against the Aahantees denote on the part of that officer a sound appreciation of the difficulties an invading force has to contend with oven against an enemy utterly contemptible in a military point of view, end therefore I can. not believe that he really committed himself to the utterances attributed to him, to the effect that privates in plain clothes, commanded by officers in plain clothes, could cross over by the tunnel as mere excursionists, and once they had landed could secure the head of the tunnel on the English side, take the garrison of Dover prisoners, throw up earthworks t protect their tete de pont, arm them with guns, and at the same time take up ground enough to enable reinforcements to be brought up in sufficient numbers to hold their own against a determined attack by such troops as the English regulars used to be in Crimean days, and 1 believe are still. To throw np earthworks requires trenching tools, and it seems to me difficult that soldiers in plain clothes could very well travel with dynamite bags, picks, spades, shovels, and muskets, without soma intimation of the fact reaching England before they had got into the train, I should be very well pleased if I cou.d think that there were a body of soldiers in France at all capable of such a rash venture, but I should be greatly surprised if on landing 500 men should not utterly annihilate them as they got out of their train. It seems to me that the people of England lose sight of the fact that their country has been liable to invasion ever since the introduction of steam has virtually destroyed England’s command of the sea, This danger was pointed out some thirty years ago by the best soldier England ever had—the Duke of Wellington—and he specially pointed out that the advantage of steam would bo to give the invader an unlimited choice as to where he might effect a landing. He might make a demonstration off Deal, while the bulk of his force steamed up the Severn, and another detachment landed at some point on the Essex coast, or at Scarborough, while a couple of ironclads, or three or four ironclads if necessary, might sail up the Mersey and reduce the docks to ashes. This might be done to-morrow without any declaration of war, just ns much as a force might be sent through the tunnel when it is opened for traffic, which can only be in four or five years. If yonr countrymen think that the tunnel is likely to be the chief road through which an invading force will penetrate into England they ought to consider thorn stives lucky. Forewarned is forearmed. As Dover would in thac cate be the only ttte de pont, the English would only have themselver to blame if they allowed themselves to be surprised. I may add. since you ask aay candid opinion, that if Fiance had success-

b«noh and a rads canvas bed, with one coarse heavy ooanterpane, there being neither pillow nor mattress. Fatigued with his j .urnoy and the saoceediag excitement, he soon fell asleep, being compsratlvely easy in his mind, as he felt assured all would be made right on the morrow. Mr Huntly would not have dropped rff to sleep so composedly had he known what was going to happen to him, and that soon too. While giving up his revolver and knife in the guard room, my friend had resolutely refused to pcrni't hht captors to search his pockets, and the oleepy official, to avoid trouble, had allowed him to have his own way in th's respect; the serenes protesting meanwhile that their prisoner most have many valuables upon him, as ho was si fearful of being seirched, Mr Huntly had gone to bed without undressing. The night felt oompara'ively co d a f ter the g-eat heat rf the summer day, and, besides, the bed had only one covering, and did not appear to bo very clean, Hia sleep had not lasted 1 ng ween he became consci >ns of being slightly moved to one side ; then, as sleep quickly left him, he felt) the hot breath of some one directly over his face. He fortunately, had sufficient presence of mied to keep perfectly quiet, and cautiously raising an eyelid, there, to his horror, bending closely over him, was one of the serenos who had belted t ' disarm him in the guard room. The wretch held a long double-edged knife, or rather dagger, close to his throat, while with the other hand te was feeling unfertile bedclothes lor Mr Huntly’a pockets. On per eeivi g his perilous pos ticn, my friend could not check himself from starting a Ishtly ; and although the movement was almost imperceptible, it was sufficient to make the robber suspicious, and holding the dagger closer to hia victim’s throat, ho watched Intently for any sign cf wakefulness. It was only by almost superhuman effjrts that Mr Huntly sucoeded In refrain lag from making any more visible s : gn of consciousness; and his unwelcome visitor g adually regaiaed confidence, and re nming the search, was successful in appropriating to himself my friend’s handsome gold watch and some fifty dollars, This proceeding occupied a considerable time, the sereno using every precaution to avoid disturbing his human p-ey. as he carefully felt In all the pockets of the clothes which Mr Huntly then wore. Certainly it was very trying for roy unfortunate friend ; the time passed so slowly; and then to lie there, quietly sub mltting to snob an outrage, and that terrible dagg r with its keen sharp noint resting on his throat. The slightest downward move of the sereno’s hand, and the weopon would kill him. Tne suspense was becoming too awful to be borne. Poor Huntly w«s a wild careless fellow, and full well he knew how little fit he then was to meet hia seeming doom.