538 CJironicles of Science. [Oct., 



the French Atlantic Telegraph Company opened their line for 

 traffic. Thus the longest line of submarine telegraph in existence 

 has been brought to a successful completion within eleven months 

 of the commencement of its manufacture. 



The CJiamiel Passage. — In our last Chronicles reference was 

 made to the various schemes recently put forward for ejffecting the 

 better passage of the Channel between England and France. Since 

 then the subject has attained increased importance, from the fact 

 that pubHcity has recently been given to the report of a commis- 

 sion appointed by the French Emperor to examine into the project 

 of a submarine railway between England and France, the result of 

 whose deliberations was a recommendation to the effect that " The 

 exploratory and preparatory works should be executed under the 

 inspection of commissioners appointed by the two Grovemments (of 

 England and France), to whose approbation the company should 

 submit yearly in advance the plans and estimates to be executed in 

 the current year, and who should control the expenses usefully 

 made." From a further section of the report, however, it appears 

 that " Three members of the commission are of opinion that the 

 proposed undertaking appears to be incapable of producing suffi- 

 cient remuneration for the capital employed ; that, thus looking at 

 it from a purely economical point of view and setting aside con- 

 siderations which the Government are more competent to decide 

 on than the commission in the present case, at this present mo- 

 ment there are no grounds for recommending the acceptance of 

 the propositions of the committee." From the evidence taken by 

 the committee, it appears that the chalky mass found at Cape Blanc 

 Nez is rej^roduced with the same characteristics on the other side the 

 Channel, between Folkestone and Dover. The lower part of the 

 chalk-bed consists of grey and marly chalk, having a mean thickness 

 of 55 to 65 yards, which crops up at Cape Blanc Nez and near 

 Folkestone. " In this situation its composition is uninterrupted and 

 free from fissures, and possessing, on account of the marly beds 

 which are intercalated with it, a degree of elasticity which the 

 engineers expect would be maintained." On the whole the com- 

 mission express their opinion that driving a submarine tunnel in 

 the lower part of this chalk is an undertaking which presents 

 reasonable chances of success ; but in the absence of further in- 

 formation, they decline to mention any sum as the probable amount 

 which would be required for its completion. 



A report on the best . means of facihtating communication 

 between England and France has since been drawn up by Captain 

 Tyler, of the Board of Trade. This officer has an evident leaning 

 towards the lesser expenses contemplated in Mr. Fowler's large 

 ferry-boat scheme, rather than to the projects of ]\Ir. Hawkshaw, 

 M. de Gamond, and the late Mr. Chalmers, for effecting absolute 



