The Daily News. MONDAY, March 17, 1919. THE CHANNEL TUNNEL.
It is not surprising to learn from veeent cable messages that an agreement has at last been arranged between Britain and France for the construction of a tunnel under the English Channel, the work to he commenced from both ends. Had this step been taken half a century ago, or at any later period so that the work would have been completed before the war it would completely altered the transport arrangements. saved much valuable time and expense and left the shipping engaged in this great work of aiding our Allies free for other important services. Tho war demonstrated the great need of this tunnel, and its e-onstruetion may be regarded
in the light of a war memorial. The original suggestion to build a tunnel as a mean:? of submarine communication between England and Prance emanated from a Frenchman (M. Mathieu) who propounded the scheire to Napoleon 1. This was in the early part of the nineteenth century, and it may raise a smile when it is stated that it was proposed to work the traffic by relays of horses. How long it would have taken, with the primitive appliances then available, to eomplete the .seherr.p is impossible to conjecture, but to-day, with the latest mechanical inventions and by the aid of electrical power, the work should be speedily accomplished. That Napoleon was favorably impressed with the project goes without saying, and it was the fear of a French invasion by means of such atu I that raised strong opposition hereto in Britain. After the introduction of railways, some French and English engineers conceived the idea of laying a tube along the bed of ihe sea, but naturally that wild scheme came to nought. Subsequently (in 1867) Wm Lowe evolved a plan for two single line tunnels with connecting passages, and, in conjunction with the I'Yeneh engineer (M. Thorne de Gamond) an efforr, was made to popularise the project, their plan being approved by an international committee. It was then considered that the cost of the tunnel would not exceed ten millions sterling, and that the period of construction would not be more than twelve years. Shortly after came the Franco-Prussian war, which naturaliv enred the immediate prospect of undertaking the work, but on the conclusion of peace, negotiations were resumed between the two Governments, while two years later a joint comr'lission was appointed to arrange details of an agreement as to control and blocking of the subwav. A company was f.-rmed in 1872 to construct a tunnel through the impervious bed of gray ehalk from Sangatte, near Calais, to Shakespeare's Cliff, near Dover, and headways have been bored for 2000 yards on earh side of the Channel. The company, however, 1 ailed to secure the necessary capital, and strenuous opposition was experienced from rhe military authorities on the gvound that the tvnnel would maki> increased defensive measures necessary, the latest Bill for a tuanel being emphatically rejected in 1907. The undertaking is one that would severely test even present day engin eenng skill, for the distance to be covered at the narrowest point is /wenty miles. So lav as is known there are no e-uat difficulties to |, e encountered, " 1R obstacles to tunnelling have long since been overcome, but, all the same, it is a .wgantic task, and would afford cuipln; ment f-n a large nnml.-' 1 nf ex-soldiers, thus assisting to solve the after war problem of finding york for those who have beau lighting thei" country's battles. No a alid objection to the construi'.-t-ioL of this tunnel exists, and with France and Britain sharing the ■-'ost, the burden of expenditure would be light. Aircraft and submarines have completely changed the outlook of Britain so far as being isolated by the sea is concern etl, while long rawge guns have trought British territory within range from France. No more fitting memorial of Anglo-British friendship and the inauguration of an era of peace could be found than the construction of this transport link between the two countries. Electricity has made the work possible, both in the construction and the working stages so that the project should no long' er be delayed, but be prosecuted with confidence and vigor. The work would also be a precedent for connecting Gibraltar with the mainland—a project that has been much discussed and has now been brought within the realm of practical accomplishment.
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Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1919, Page 4
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739The Daily News. MONDAY, March 17, 1919. THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1919, Page 4
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