56 Discussion on the Proposed Channel Tunnel. 



had in hands here a baby scheme of tunneling, some half-mile 

 or so in length, which, I am happy to say, has now been 

 achieved. Tunneling in a town is a difficult operation, and 

 no doubt tunneling in subaqueous strata would be still more 

 difficult. I think as so many operations of subaqueous tunnel- 

 ling have been accomplished it is too bad to throw cold water 

 on the schemes which have been put before you. It strikes me, 

 however, there is no good in hiding the fact that in dealing 

 with this question we are met with most serious physical and 

 financial difficulties. None of the schemes that have been 

 propounded to-night could be approached as a commercial 

 transaction, but only by the State. We must desire calm and 

 quiet discussion as to which of the rival schemes is the best to 

 adhere to. Before that nothing practical can be attempted. 

 Next, there ought to be most careful surveys and borings, and a 

 heading made to show what strata might be expected to be met 

 with. I cannot help being struck by the fact that, independently 

 of the capital expenditure, there is a vast annual charge to be 

 involved in draining and ventilating a subaqueous tunnel of 

 this kind. In the Severn tunnel there are four large fans, 

 2 of them 40 feet in diameter. Passing through the Mont 

 Cenis tunnel some years ago I was delayed for about one hour, 

 and thought I should have died from the fearful heat that was 

 concentrated there. I am sure it would require enormous ex- 

 penditure to overcome the difficulties of ventilation in a large 

 scheme. 



The Chairman, alluding to Mr. Maxton's scheme, remarked 

 that a tube could be made at a very small cost for the purpose 

 of transmitting letters and parcels. This would give a sufficient 

 idea as to whether such a scheme as the submerged bridge was 

 feasible or not. 



CoNVi^AY Scott, C.E., said : — Mr. Macassey appears to-night 

 with two identities, the distinguished Barrister and the eminent 

 Engineer, but the first seems to predominate : — there has been a 

 large amount of special pleading and a most limited amount of 

 engineering facts. 



