THE CHANNEL TUNNEL.
DETAILS OF THE SCHEME. As the Government’* decision with regard to the construction of the Channel Tunnel is expected to be made known quite soon, considerable interest attached'lo a lecture, delivered in French, by Baron Emile B..d’Trlanger, before a meeting of members of the Anglo-French Society. Lord Burnham presided, and Sir A. Fell was present. The approximate cost of (■(instruction was estimated, at present prices, at inside £36,000,000, to be found and disbursed over a period of six years. The Baron thpught that the offspring of the victory of Britain and France might well be the Tunnel. The conquest of .the air, and the advent of the submarine, had given proof that it was indispensable for England to be linked up with the Continent by an undersea line of communication, which she could close at will. Now that (he League of Nations had been formed, a Channel Tunnel should be registered under its aegis, and thus secure international protection.
Baron d'Erlanger, in the course of his exhaustive and interesting survey of the project, said its maximum depth under the sea will be 3!)f1., i.e., rather less than 120 metres (118 m 50) from the surface, and the greatest depth of water over it will he about 500 fl. (60 metres) at high tide. A diameter of 12ft. is proposed for the drainage and pilot headiftgs, and a lairing machine for piercing a hole of this diameter is now under construction.
As soon as the drainage and pilot headings have been successfully completed, the construction of the Tunnel proper will lie taken in hand. The boring can be proceeded with at several faces, and the work finished in a comparatively short time. Two circular tunnels or tubes will bo provided—one for “up,” and the other for “down” traffic. These will be about 25 metres apart. Each will be about 20ft. in internal diameter, giving ample room for the largest Continental rolling stock, which in size exceeds the English. The driving of two separate tubes instead of one large tunnel will be easier work, as well as more economical, and permanent ventilation will thereby be rendered less difficult. The tunnels will he lined throughout, and experiments are now be-, ing made with a view of employmentof a lining of reinforced concrete, m preference to one of east iron, which latter was used on the London tubes, as the chalk marl stands on the whole very well by itself. Such a lining will effect a considerable saving in cost, east iron lining being, in comparison, very expensive. The tunnel will always he kept well lighted throughout. The length of the tunnel from mouth to mouth on the line proposed will be 35i miles, and the quantity of chalk to be excavated will be about 6,000,000 cubic yards. Taking the average speed of the trains at -15 miles, and the interchange slatioiys'at either end as being Shinnies apart, the journey from one end to the other will be completed in considerably under the hour. It was calculated that the whole tunnel could be completed in abouf six years from the start of operations, but the time might be improved upon if circumstances were favourable throughout.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2130, 20 May 1920, Page 4
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534THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2130, 20 May 1920, Page 4
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