Tunnel Under The English Channel Is Mooted

Taupo Times, Volume VI, Issue 285, 25 July 1957, Page 3

Tunnel Under The English Channel Is Mooted

An excited French engineer named Monsieur Mathiu approached the Emperor Napoleon with a wonderful idea — "Why not tunnel under the English Channel?" The year was 1804. The Emperor was much fired by the scheme. Napoleon noted with satisfaction that M. Mathiu had provided an artificial island half way so that post horses could come up for a breather. Difficuities ruled out Mathiu's plan — but his idea lived on. Recently the tunnel project was revived once more in all seriousness. Lord Mancroft, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, described it as "a realistic aim." A New York company approached the British and French Governments with a survey and research offer. Ninepenny shares in the dormant Channel Company promptly shot to 10s 6d on the London Exchange. In the heyday of Victorian capitalism the idea of a channel tunnel was enthusiastically taken up. British and French companies were formed and test galleries were driven about 2000 yards into the sea on either side. These test tunnels, built more than 700 years ago, still exist. The project was defeated by the objections of Defence Chiefs in Britain. They again objected in 1930. By 1955, however, asked whether there were still stragetic objections to a tunnel Harold Macmillan (then Defence Minister) told Parliament: "Scarcely at all." It is estimated that a tunnel would take about eight years to build and cost between £100 million and £150 million sterling. The 1930 plans, which may not need much modification, provide for a pilot tunnel, two main rail tunnels and a small drainage tunnel through the channel chalkbed, roughly between Dover and Calais. Motor traffic through the tunnel is ruled out because of the difficuities of ventilation for exhaust fumes. Traffic would be by electric railway. Questions which would have to be settled include the extent of Government and private participation in the project.