SIR GARNET WOLSELEY ON THE CHANNEL TUNNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 7

SIR GARNET WOLSELEY ON THE CHANNEL TUNNEL.

Thy. following is an account of an interview with Sir Garnet Wokeley hi reference to the military aspect of the contemplated Channel Tunnel. Iu reply to a question whether ho considered the military danger of the tunnel would outweigh its possible social and commercial advantages, Sir Garnet said : —Any tunnel is objectionable on account of the extreme danger it would entail upon England. Hitherto our insular position has protected us, and the sheet of water around us has served to ward oiF danger, for upon it our navy could float and. defend our coasts from attack. Against an advance through a tunnel the fleet would be powerless. A tunnel once made, its approaches on this side might be seized by a coup dc main, by an enemy, who could at the same time take care to yet at once into his possession all the electrical apparatus planned to destroy the tunnel or render it useless for a time. Such a seizure on this side might be carried out by a force of 2000 men any night, who could suddenly pounce upon the approaches on this side. If that were done by some bold leader, it would at once place us at the mercy of the enemy, for in four or live hours afterwards 20,000 men could be sent through the tunnel to their support, and before daybreak in the morning the tunnel would have completely pxssed into the enemy's possession, and could bo used as a tile do, j/oul, from which a great army could set forth against London, and with the seizure of London ends the existence of England's power. Keplying to other questions. Sir Garnet Wolseley said that he did not believe that the tunnel would increase our commercial relations, nor, judging by the war between the North and South in the United States and the FrancoGerman war and other wars during the past thirty years, did lie believe that facilities of communication would lessen the risk of war breaking out. Sir Garnet holds that the danger to be feared i 3 an attack in the nature of a surprise while the country was iu a stats of profound peace. It would be impossible to talcs precautions for blowing up or flooding the tunnel at ;•- minute's notice without those precautions being known on the other side ; while as to the risk to the men sent to seize the tnnnel, any government possessing [ a large army would think nothing of risking I the lives of 2000 men to secure the control of it.