TUNNEL UNDER THE SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13502, 29 July 1907, Page 6

TUNNEL UNDER THE SEA.

SYDNEY'S COAL MINE. A progress report of the work of the Sydney Harbour collieries shows that the success of the enterprise is practically assured. The sub-harbour tunnel is over three-quar-ters of a mile in length, and coal-miner is hard at work beneath tin scent- of the .busiest shipping : traffic in Australia. .Men. are working under the waters of the harbour for nearly 200 yds under Mori's Dock and beyond' Ballast Point, and in other direction's progress has been made, and main loads excavated in the direction of .Goat island for 1450 yds from the pit bottom. Large contracts have been made for hauling gear and for up-to-date screening and loading plant; so that within a very shell time—weeks, in fact- -the largest steamers j afloat can be loaded direct at the company's wharf. In a couple of weeks the first longwall face will be opened, and already .several hundred ions of coal are finding ready sale at good prices. Reports from users of the coal are of the most satisfactory nature; in fact, its healing power, its "comparative freedom from smoke, and its very small percentage of ash, I it is -claimed, will render it a favourite i fuel, not only as a, household coal, but for naval and shipping purposes as well. ' At present 91 men are working in and about the pits, and it is likely that more : than a thousand men will be at work there soon. The capital of the company is £400,000, the whole of which amount has been already spent in developing and equipping j the mine. The company lias full rights to all the coal '•under the harbour, being nearly 12;000 acres. It will take years before subterranean connection between Balmain and Cremorne is established, even if the work is continued in licit direction. In the meantime a. profitable business is being opened up. Ultimately, of course, the workings will extend in every direction under .Tthe harbour. '■• It may: servo to allay the. fears of the timorous to 'know that fully hair a. mile of splendid Sydney freestone and hard conglomerates interposes between the surface and the workings far below.