CHANNEL TUNNEL IDEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22366, 13 September 1934, Page 10

CHANNEL TUNNEL IDEA

OLD ADVOCACY REVIVED After the Mersey tunnel—the English Channel? Perhaps! Informal discussions have taken place, and these, it is stated, are likely to lead very soon to a reconsideration of the whole problem of the construction of a tunnel to link Great Britain with the Continent. Two factors have caused the new moves:—(l) The wonderful success of the Mersey engineering feat to which the King has given his “blessing.’’ (2) Pressure exerted by commercial interests in France, who are now declaring that, given the necessary British sanction, they will offer to finance the whole project themselves. . , . . , Advocates of the Channel tunnel state that there would be many advantages to Britain which would far outweigh the strategical considerations which have m the past caused the Government to veto the scheme. , .. It is five years now since the Government last decided against it after a committee appointed by the House of Commons had reported in favour of a link between Britain and France. Fifty thousand British workmen, it is cla'imed. wotdd receive employment for several years, and there would be valuable orders for the coal and iron industries, as well as for hydraulic and other machinery. Sir Arthur Fell, former chairman of the House of Commons Channel Tunnel Committee, told the Sunday Chronicle on July 21: “If the French had their way the tunnel would be started immediately. By intensive propaganda oyer there they have educated public opinion to such an extent that the public demand for a tunnel is continually reflected in the French press. “Indeed, the French are so anxious to gel on with the scheme that they would finance the whole project themselves without hesitation. There is plenty of money waiting to be put into the venture, which could begin straight away if the Government would only give their consent.” .... Lord Cecil, when interviewed, said: “ 1 am definitely in favour of a Channel tunnel.” But Sir Robert Perks, who was associated ivith the project for nearly half a century, and was extremely enthusiastic in the early days, says he now believes that air traffic has considerably affected the necessity for a tunnel.