1882.] on the Making and Worldng of a Channel Tunnel. 125 



Equally excellent with the upper chalk for facility of excavation is 

 this lower chalk — indeed, much more excellent, inasmuch as it is free 

 from the beds of flints — equally excellent with the upper chalk for 

 preserving its form, but in another respect infinitely superior to the 

 upj)er chalk, inasmuch as it is practically watertight — analysis shows 

 that the lower chalk contains much clay mingled with it so as to 

 enter into its comjDOsition ; it is, in fact, an unburnt natural Portland 

 cement ; and you will, by the sort of dirt pie I have formed, see that 

 it is capable of being worked into a perfectly watertight puddle. 



Now comes the question, does this material exist right across the 

 Channel at the place where it is intended to make the tunnel, or does it 

 not ? The reasons for believing that it exists are that we find it on both 

 sides, and we find it under similar conditions, giving, therefore, good 

 ground for the opinion that there is uniformity between — an opinion 

 strengthened by the fact that the line of outcrop of the gault on the sea- 

 bottom, as determined by sample-taking soundings, is consistent with 

 the indications on the shores and with the uniformity between. No one 

 can say with absolute certainty that there is this uniformity. It can 

 after all be only a matter of opinion, but the probabilities in favour of 

 its existing are so great that reasonable, prudent, business men, 

 guided by the information they receive from scientific geologists, are 

 found to be willing to embark their money in making an experimental 

 heading which shall solve the question ; and let it be remembered 

 that if they are wrong the whole loss falls upon themselves, and in 

 addition there comes upon them that which an Englishman dreads 

 more than the loss of his money, i. e. ridicule, the " I told you so's " 

 of his less adventurous friends ; but if these prudent business men 

 be right, then I think you will agree they should have a fair profit 

 for their venture. But to whom will the great profit acci'ue ? Not 

 to the makers of the tunnel, but to the community at large. It 

 appears to me, therefore, that, looking upon these makers of the 

 submarine railway on the one side, and the public on the other, it 

 will be seen that the public are engaged in that very safe game 

 wherein while no hurt can happen, great benefit may accrue to them, 

 whereas those who are undertaking the expenditure are so engaged in 

 the game, that while they may suffer the whole of the loss, they can 

 only reap a fraction of the benefit. 



Now you will see that this material — this grey chalk — is, like 

 the common chalk, cut with the greatest ease by means of an ordinary 

 pocket knife. No blasting is needed, and no drilling of holes for 

 cartridges. This being so, how shall it be got out — by men working 

 pickaxes and tools of that kind, and making a somewhat irregular- 

 shaped hole ? I think it is seen at once this is not the mode, 

 when you bear in mind first that we can have no shafts here, multi- 

 plying the places for working, and that thus only the two faces 

 will be available ; and next that only a certain number of men can 

 work against a face. Relieving them as often as you will their 

 rate of progress must be slow, the cost considerable, and the need of 



