Sketcher

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1598, 30 September 1882, Page 2

Sketcher

THE SEIZUEE OF THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. It only wanted one minute find a half to the time of the staining of the train when there was a suddon irruption on the platform, and a largo party of neaily two dozen prepaied to take their places in the tram. My friend regarded thorn with his usual steady scrutinising look. " You are travelling with rather illustrious company, to-night, Mr. Arundol. Unless lam greatly deceived, there goos the French Ambassador." Then he walked a little further on, to steady his vision more certainly beneath tho electric light. " Good gracious 1" he exclaimed, " this is the first Attache, and tho second Attache", and the thiid Attache, and the Sccrctaiy of Legation, and most of tho memb rs of tho household. There is a completo Embassy from Albert Gato. I wonder if they have got wind of this at our office." Just then the call' was made "take your seats, gentlemen I" A paiting salutation, and I lost him for ever. Just as I was about to enter the tunnel leading to tho channel station, I turned back to give a parting glanco in the moonlight at tho noble- range of hills and clowns in the background, and heio something of a most puzzling and extraordinary kind met my view unawaies. I rubbed my eyes', and could hardly believe my sight. Either my senses woie mipau'Cd, which had served mo faithfully, and to which I had ti usted so implicitly, or I was altogether offiny mental balance. Could it be possible, indeed, I saw aright ? Far away down a hill sicto, moving noiselessly on tho spring grass was a long file of men, three abieasl, marching rapidly towards Dover. In another direction moved a piecisoly similar column, with equal piomptitude and stillness, On they trooped, that spectial army. It seemed to me as if a few men were thrown in front as pickets. On the brow of tho farthest hill I distinctly traced, in the moonlight or thought I traced the head of » a third column. What could Lheso appearances be ? What could they foicbode ? My first idea was to go back to the bungalow and toll my friend tho colonal of this extraordinary apparition. But on tho other hand, I should certainly lose my train, and my business m Paris was of the most urgent descrip- • tion. It was quite possible, moreover, that these phenomena, if, indeed, they actually -noie phenomena, other than of the nature of a mirage, might bo susceptible of some very easy and natural explanation. It might be an assemblage of coastguard for night drill, or some similar arrangement of troops of volunteers ; or it was still moio probable that at dawn they might bo ombarking even at Dover for Ireland. Another singular circumstance camo within observation beforo I reached tho Channel station. I came directly beneath tho telograph wires in London, and within my fiold of vision wore also the wires, extending westward along the south coast. To my astonishment, the wires of the first set were cut and dragged uselessly to the ground. A few hundred paces on, a very siniiliar appearance suggested that the same thing had also happened in the Hastings and St. Leonard's direction. Tho first fact I was able to verify by personal observation, which, however, was not the case in tho second set of wires. Much wondering, 1 entered the station, and showing my ticket, took my place in the carriage. The train was rather late in starting, and for somo time I sat in tho carriage* still in a condition of mute wonder. I had tho gdod luck to find by my side a bright pretty girl and fussy middle-aged lady, the rest of tho second-class carriage was filled with gentlemen, two of whom were English, and two, as I thought, French. Tho railway tunnels which, on my, frequent journoya I had to traverse oftenest, and which I liked least, were the Mont Cenis Tunnel and the Channel Tunnel. On botli of these I had never'beon able entirely to free my mind from a sense of discomfort and danger., , On several points I gave a preference to the ChanneliTunnel. It was longer, indeed, -and took up more time, but it r was easier travelling, and had none of , thosp stoppages 'which sometimes annoy--inglyoccur<jiitho Alpine Jino,^ and, ft was' bcjfcor lighted; .originally' if waslighted by^ electricity all !tnrovgh'; arii^tUe effect exVe^dmgljrVodd; -but riow,%hile,s6m6 portions %;erb well fighted^other parts^jfere lift'inJconiparatiYO glddm.^The mostre-i 'markable^poTtion,rf'the^ nearer4a tti&Englishitlian itha.Erencbr§n^\r|ifflre)^

Franco. In this resplendent cavern tickots ;were on some special occasions exhibited, and there was abo a siding, the ojily siding on the line, where can-iages could occasionally bo sliunted. Wo had passed safely through this striking bit of railway scenery, and the tram had come out of. the light into what sesmed thick gloom, when the noisa of a detonator j or fog- signal, was hoard, andthe train was bi ought suddenly^to a standstill. For a moment there wa4\pcrfeci sUehccy^thca^ voices in the di&tanco and a sec am. Presently there was the explosion of another detonator. It was curious to watcli the effect in our carnage. The old lady opposite became wild with fright, and showed eyidenb signs of throning hersolf out of tho window. " "Oh dear, oh dear.l what shall Ido ? I knoAV thcie's an accident. The sea is hoisting in. lam sure it is. Don't you hear the waves 1" Wo wero not far from the cavern. And certainly at that moment the sound of the surge seemed nearer and moro apparent. Looking forward, wo now saw twinkling lights. Looking backward, the glow of the cavern, tho light at the end, was clear enough. Tho old lady frantically endeavoured to get out, but I firmly held tho door of the carriage. From tho English end of th 6 tunnel wo hoard a hoavy firing. " Wo can only die once," said tho young lady, vciy calmly, who sat beside her. " Tiust in God, madame." Presently the carriages moved back somo little distance in the direction of the cavern. A kind of gondarme came to tho door, and politely asked me if I were French, and I thought it diplomatic instantly to make my election that I would be a Frenchman. Tho two gentlemen who said they wero English were taken out, and, as I found aiterwaids, wore put to much disagiceable work. A line of French soldiers in Lidian file stood by the carnages and after the train had moved a few paces moie it was brought up in the cavern, and in a few minutes it was .shunted to the siding on the west side. I sat still, and watched in mute amazemont fiom the carriage window all -that was next to follow. For long hours wo continued on the siding of tho lailway. As I have said, the bioad spaco was biilliantly illumined by tho electric light, and though tho loading was more unsteady than might have been supposed, it was still possible to read a deal. My flask wa3 well-stored, in consequence of the thoughtful suggestion of my favourite waiter at the club, and Miss Verindor, my agreeable vis-a-vis, with tho careful provision which ladies exhibit in their railway journeys, had a small supply of sandwiches and biscuits. Combining our refreshments, wo made something of a meal, although we now heard heavy firing at tho English end, and were not sure that wo might not come in for soma pait of it. I took out the fourth edition of tho evening paper which I had brought down with mo, but only road it an a mechanical and uneasy woy. There were Pftiliamontary papers, consisting of rccont despatches that had passed between the Foi eign Officers of the two Governments. There was a passage in a letter from the Fiench Minister to his Ambassador in London which made me colour with shame and lescntment. Tho Minibter used tho well-w 01 ii language of sympathy and suggestion on behalf of tho oppressed Nationalities. He said that tho Fiench Government might venture to use on behalf of Ireland the same language that England in her time had used on behalf of Poland, and of tho two Sicilies. Ho intimated that France was capable once more of going to war "for an idea," that idea being the liberation of subjugated Ii eland. There was not a word that intimated any misgiving on tho moustrous injustice of tho historical parallel thus instituted. A leaded paragraph, just after tho loader, intimated that attention would bo drawn to this paragraph of the French Despatch in the House of Commons on the Friday afternoon, and that a debate might be expected in the ensuing week. In another pago of tho paper theie were telegrams relating to tho state of Ii eland. The military had been called out to resist an armed outbreak, which was managed on the part of tho Irish in a way that showed tho presence of competent military leaders and of weapons of precision, and the fight had always assumed the proportions of a pitched battle. At the time when the telegram was despatched tho contest was still raging. After we had thus sat for what seemed an age, we had to dismount from the carriage. We stood by the side of the Tunnel just beyond tho cavern where there was still some amount of room. Presently one of the most extraoidinary visions that could ever have entered human imagination passed First, there was a heavy tiamp and tread as if of an innumerable multitude. There seemed to pass aimios upon armies, aimic3 upon annies — at least this was so to my excited imagination. Thou swept by in tremendous processions bands of gaily caparisoned horsemen, as perfect in form as if upon a parade in the Champs Elysbcs. Then in quick march carao squadion upon squadion of infantry. I heaid aftei wards that these last had been conveyed on the other line of rail, up to a nc<ir point, when they dismounted and formed in order. Our own tram was at this point utilised to bear back men and materials on its rotrogade ?ouise. Then an infinite number of trains moved slowly on. Some were merely coal trucks filled ,vith armed man; then came carriages, first, .ccond and third class, but, of courso, all these listinctions weio quite novel. Then came huge >iege guns, which showod that the enemy were veil acquainted with the yards of Herr Krupp and v ith the resources of Woolwich Dockyard. Then iame loaded vans with war materials, and also >rovisions and casks of wine, enough to sustain a nighty host until supplies could bo gathered hi 10m the invaded territory. Tho men seemed to >c absolutely numberless, and their training and [iscipline carried to the highest point of efficiency. k. feeling of chill horror, a feoling as if the last :ny were at hand, cime ova* me, and I nearly '.tinted away. — Fiom Time.