Ambitious Schemes That Remain Dreams

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 207, 2 September 1939, Page 11 (Supplement)

Ambitious Schemes That Remain Dreams

the last ten years or more i no topic has caused euch heated controversy in North America and Canada as the St. Lawrence Waterway scheme a gigantic project that aims at linking the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. And now, after a period of comparative calm, the controversy is at its height again following a speech made by President Roosevelt. Is this immense scheme to become reality at last or is it like so many other famous projects to remain the dream of its promoters?

Looking round the world to-day, one run see many famous examples of visions tfiat were converted into fact despite intense opposition. There are still at least four major schemes that have not reached much further than the blue-print stage—ancl perhaps never will. The St. Lawrence Waterway scheme is one.

In July. 10.32, the American and Canadian Governments signed the St. Lawrence Waterway Treaty which provided for construction of two navigation canals in the St. Lawrence River "along the 115 miles of the boundary between Ontario and New York State. These canals, with the Welland Cunal already constructed, between Lakes Ontario and Erie, would give ocean-going vessels an uninterrupted passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. But in March, 1934, the American Senate refused to ratify the treaty, and threw the whole controversy back into the melting pot. Harnessing the Rapids The pros and cons of the scheme are easily explained. Supporters of it declared that the waterway would open up the highly-important Great Lake areas, while the direct run from ocean to inland lakes would do away with costly nnd unnecessary handling of huge cargoes of grain and other products. Along with this, vast power schemes would be put in hand to provide cheap electrical energy from the harnessing of tor Tents and rapids.

Tho enthusiasm of the supporters is well balanced by the implacable opposition of those to whom the scheme might bring ruin. The port of Montreal, for example, would suffer heavily because grain that is now sent there for reloading into steamers would go direct. The private power authorities who now supply electrical energy in the northern States would be ruined. The great gulf between supporters and opponents seems unbridgable. For the time being, at any rate, this £100,000,000 scheme must remain a dream.

By D.J.M.

Now we come to a £30.000,0000 proje< t that has been the subject of debate or more than a century—the famous Channel Tunnel. First suggested by \a P n, at the time of the Peace of ofTe"! I'r Jt • has b r n discu * se <l. on and but ™ S,nCe " 11 le Bti " a dreambut no one can tell whether it will alwajts remain so. The Tunnel Started int^r» s f tory T° f the tunnel extremely interesting. Leaving aside the earlv prethe first important date was ISOO, when William Low, a famous engineer, suggested the construction of twin tunnels. The scheme was going along, but the Franco-Prussian War of i I" 1 ; , 11 temporary stop to the tuoams of tunnel supporters. In the 1880s things began to move again. The Channel Tunnel Companv came into existence, and tunnel heading "early a mile long were driven on both sides of the Channel. There the scheme Mopped dead, and it has remained so ever since, l'robably the most vigorous opposition came from the Admiralty, the ♦ I \° f stood aghast at the thought that our insular safety mi<*lit be imperilled, Maybe they had sound leasons then, but the coming of the aeroplane has put an end to tlxat idea. There is much to be said for a tunnel. It would provide safe and speedy communication betwen Britain and prance. Had it existed during the Great War, its value would have been incalculable! -According to estimates, the yearly return on the capital outlay would be fully remunerative, and to poor seafarers the prospects of a stormy Channel dossing would no longer cause anv dread. But even though it would be simple to flood the entire tunnel in case of necessity, the greatest obstacle is a blend of history and psychology—the instinctive Briton's dislike for a permanent link between his country and Europe. Damming the Thames Another famous scheme which .suffered an eclipse not long ago was the Thames Dam—a project that aimed at turning the Thames, from Woolwich upwards, into a huge, tideless lake. The cost of the dam was estimated at about £<">.000,000. The scheme, however, was not new. In one form or another it had been the subject of discussion for about 250 years—and it is by no means certain that its recent eclipse will be permanent. Supporters of the Thames Barrage— to give the scheme its correct name— include many famous experts. On the face of it, there were many advantages. The Thames is a narrow river with a strong tidal flow. As things are at present, ships cannot enter or leave the port except within two hours before and an hour after high water. With two tides a day, this means that movement in and out of the river ie restricted to six hours of the 24. But a barrage at Woolwich would put an end ,to all that. Ships coming up-Thames would enter lock gates at the dam, and be pumped up to river level. Those leaving the port would enter other locks, and the water level would be automatically adjusted. Work in Britain's busiest port could be carried on, without interruption, all through the day and night, with obvious advantages to all the trades concerned. Pushed Into Oblivion

There would be no more of the unsightly and unhealthy stretches of mud that disfigure the upper reaches of the Thame® at low water. Ships would be able to moor in adequate depths alongside Thames wharves and quays. There would be no more of the

dangerous jostling that now goes on off lock gates while ships try to manoeuvre in the narrow, turbulent "tideway. Huge reconstruction schemes could be put in hand to transform the upper banks of the river. The opposition, however, was not mute. Critics were not slow to ask what would be done about the disposal of sewage which, poured into this tideless lake, might soon become a menace to public health. If the strong Thames tide is a nuisance to shipping, it does at least keep the river clean. Even stronger criticism came from those who could foresee the chaos that would follow if a bombing 'plane destroyed the dam. The lake would empty itself and sweep away everything in it. That view was supported by the Committee of Imperial Defence. A few days before a public inquiry was to be held as to the advisability of the scheme, the barrage was pushed into oblivion by the Government, and in oblivion it must remain for the time being, at least. £10,000,000 Highway Now let us return to Canada and Xortli America, but this time to the Pacific seaboard. This is the scene set for another ambitious project about which there has been considerable, discussion, but so far without result. The scheme is the construction of an 1800mile highway from San Diego, on the Mexican frontier, to Fairbanks, in Alaska. It would oost at least £10.000,000.

This road, running through magnificent scenery, would be one of the greatest highways ever constructed, and behind its practical aspects are ideals of the unity and friendship which exists between Canada and the United States. Its construction would mean work for 7000 Canadians over a number of years, and it would certainly lead to a huge increase in tourist traffic. Even though it still remains a dream in the eyes of its supporters, there is now increasing interest in the project on both sides of the frontier, and it is freely admitted that the advantages of such a road would far outweigh the cost.

Time, however, will alone tell whether these great ideas are to be taken out of the° realm of vision and translated into accomplished fact, or whether they are doomed to remain dreams in the eyes of the enthusiasts who keep these dreams alive. Not that criticism will discourage those who make such schemes their life ambition. There is no field of endeavour devoid of opposition. Modern life would not be what it is had not the world's pioneers changed their dreams into reality and changed the world wwhipl p doing so.