Channel Tunnel : Deputation to the Prime Minister : Full Details of The
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With Compliments from The Channel Tunnel Company, Limited. <ft DEPUTATION TO THE PRIME MINISTER. Full Details of the Present Scheme Military, Engineering, Financial. SPECIAL ARTICLES. Benefit of the Channel Tunnel to British Trade: The late Sir ROBERT GIFFEN’S Evidence. Opinions of the Press. ' ' ! A EDITED BY W. TURNER PERKINS, Literary Secretary, Channel Tunnel Company, Limited. December, 1913. — Gbannel funnel. DEPUTA TION TO THE PRIME MINISTER. Full Details of the Present Scheme Military, Engineering, Financial. Special Articles by Rt. Hon. LORD SYDENHAM, formerly Secretary to the Committee of Imperial Defence. M. ALBERT SARTIAUX, Chief Engineer for Roads and Bridges to the French Government also General Manager, Northern Railway of France. ; The Late General Sir WILLIAM BUTLER, G.C.B. Major-General Sir ALFRED E. TURNER, K.C.B., late Inspector-General, Auxiliary Forces. ” Lieut.-Colonel ALSAGER POLLOCK, Special Correspondent of the “ Times in the Boer War. Commander E. HAMILTON CURREY, R.N. Food Supplies in Time of War. ft A Ck Benefit of the Channel Tunnel to British Trade : The late Sir ROBERT GIFFEN’S Evidence. Opinions of the Press. EDITED BY W. TURNER PERKINS, Literary Secretary, Channel Tunnel Company, Limited. December 1913. , Printed by A. & E. WALTER, Ltd., 13 to 17 Tabernacle Street, LONDON, E.C. INTRODUCTION. •'* \*\ This pamphlet is issued while the Channel Tunnel Scheme is under the consideration of the Committee of Imperial Defence, with the object of bringing" together, in convenient form, particulars for which on the part of the public generally there is now an ever-increasing demand. It will be remembered that the project was revived early in the present year, when His Majesty’s Government called for special reports upon the subject from the three Departments immediately concerned—Admiralty, War Office, and Board of Trade. These reports have to be presented to the Committee of Imperial Defence. That body will, in turn, make to the Cabinet recommendations upon which the decision of the Government will be based, and announced to Parliament in the session of 1914. Attention is herein directed to the several inquiries, which, in April last, Mr. Arthur Fell, M.P., addressed to the Prime Minister, and the replies of Mr. Asquith are appended. A verbatim report follows of the proceedings when a deputation, representing all political parties in the House of Commons, waited upon the same right hon. gentleman, and urged that the proposed submarine railway between England and France should be constructed as soon as possible. In view of the fact that the only opposition now offered to the Channel Tunnel is based upon the Memorandum laid, in 1883, by Lord Wolseley before the Joint Select Committee over which the Marquess of Lansdowne presided, the document is reproduced in extenso. Even at that time the fears expressed by Lord Wolseley were not shared by the Military Committee (headed by Lieut. -General Sir Archibald Alison, Bart.), nor by Major-General Sir Andrew Clarke (Inspector-General of Fortifications), General Sir John Adye, nor General Sir Patrick McDougal. But with the successful advent of aircraft, the conditions of National defence have since undergone very material change, and many of the objections that were formerly advanced by military experts have, as a result, been removed. One of the strongest living supporters of the scheme is Lord Sydenham (late Secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence), who has made an important contribution to this pamphlet, and supplemented it by a Note, in which every conceivable precaution for the defence of the Tunnel is outlined. Articles by the late General Sir William Butler, G.C.B., and Major-General Sir Alfred Turner, K.C.B., (late Inspector-General, Auxiliary Forces) are reproduced, together with one from the pen of Lieut. -Colonel Alsager Pollock (who was at one time strongly opposed to the Channel Tunnel), and another by Commander E. Hamilton Currey, R.N. As an appropriate commentary by a great political leader, space has likewise been devoted to the speech which Mr. John Bright delivered in commendation of the project exactly thirty years ago. Mr. Gladstone's speech in support of the Channel Tunnel (Experimental Works) Bill of 1890, is also reprinted. A full account of the scheme in its present shape is contained in the proceedings of the Franco-British Travel Union Congress, held in September last, when Baron Emile d’Erlanger (Chairman of the Channel Tunnel Company) dealt with its military and financial aspects, and Sir Francis Fox, M.Inst.C.E., with the engineering details. A pamphlet written and issued by Mr. Arthur Fell, M.P., on “The Channel Tunnel and Food Supplies in Time of War,” is also republished, and a full translation given of a remarkable article contributed to the Revue des Deux Mondes by M. Albert Sartiaux, Chief Engineer for Roads and Bridges, and General Manager of the Northern Railway of France. Another from Je Sais Tout has been translated, and, by the courtesy of the editors, is reprinted. Articles have also been extracted from the Press of the United Kingdom, which is giving cordial encouragement to the scheme. Finally, commercial testimony is offered, including a summary of the very striking evidence given by the late Sir Robert Giffen, of the Board of Trade, before the Joint Select Committee of 1883. If the decision of His Majesty’s Government be such as to permit full inquiry into the subject by Parliament, ample evidence upon these and all essential points will be tendered by competent and trustworthy witnesses from many parts of the country.7 ^ ^ 1 he Editor. December, 1913 . INDEX. PAGE Association' of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom: Autumnal Meeting, igi3 —Resolution in Favour of Channel Tunnel ----- n(> Benefit of Channel Tunnel to British Trade : Sir Robert Giffen’s Evidence, 1883 113. British Press and Channel Tunnel -------92 Commercial and Social Advantages of Channel Tunnel - - 122 - Food Supplies in Time of War : Pamphlet by Mr. Arthur Fell, M.P. - 90 Franco-British Travel Union Congress : Full Description of Present Channel - Tunnel Scheme : Baron Emile d’Erlanger and Sir Francis Fox- - 12 French Chamber of Commerce in London - _____ I2 o French Premier’s Welcome to Channel Tunnel ----- 85 to British Markets- Fruit Sl'ppla' _______ I2 5 History of Project _____ ____ z ^q, Introduction to Pamphlet - - - -- -- - 3 John Bright’s Speech in Support of Channel Tunnel. 1883 - - - - 89 - - L’ Entente Cordiale and Channel Tunnel _____ 12 (y London to New York by Rail - - ______ 135, Lord Wolseley’s Memorandum. 1881 - - - - - - - 48- Military and Naval Support to Channel Tunnel— Colonel Sir Andrew Clarke, C.B. -------55 - - - Lieut.-General Sir John Adye, K.C.B. - 57 Sydenham Rt. Hon. Lord _______ -59 Butler, General Sir William G.C.B. _____ 62 Major-General Sir Alfred Turner K.C.B - - 64 Lieut. -Colonel Alsager Pollock ______ -68 Hamilton Currey, R.N Commander E. _____ 70 Notable Opinions in Favour of Channel Tunnel I08 _____ Parliamentary : — Deputation of Members of House of Commons to Prime Minister - -6 - Mr. Gladstone’s Speech in Support of Channel Tunnel, 1890 - - 86 Questions and Answers in House of Commons, 19x3 - - - - 5 in des Deux Sartiaux. Monsieur Albert : Translation of Special Article the Revue Mondes - -- -- -- -- -72 Treaty Between England and France respecting the Channel Tunnel, 1876 - 41 What the Channel Tunnel Means to International Travel _ 134 - the Channel? — Sais Tout” m Mill People Travel Under “ Je 4 — Questions to the Prime Minister House of Commons, April, 1913 . CHANNEL TUNNEL. The Prime Minister : I do not think it is very desirable to answer that kind of question. There are 49 and 50. Mr. Fell asked the Prime Minister (i) if many confidential matters which come before the Com- any communications have passed in recent years between mittee of Imperial Defence. It has not been seriously the French and British Governments with regard to the considered since 1907. construction of the Channel Tunnel ; if the French Government still view the project favourably ; and (2) Sir W. Byles : Might the House of Commons and if the question of the construction of the Channel Tunnel the public know whether the Government of the country has been before the Imperial Defence Committee recently, is favourable or unfavourable to the scheme ? and if the matter is still under consideration ? The Prime Minister : Certainly not in answer to a The Prime Minister : No such communications as supplementary question. are referred to have passed in recent years. I am not in possession of the views of the French Government on [Official Report, lAph April, 1913.] this subject. No detailed examination of the Channel Tunnel project has been carried out by the Committee of Imperial Defence since February, 1907. Sir W. Byles : Could the right hon. gentleman say whether our Government is favourable ? 49. Mr. Fell asked the Prime Minister if he will con- sider the proposal to submit the question of a Channel The Prime Minister : No, Sir, I cannot say either “ Yes ” or “ No.” Tunnel between England and France to the Committee of Imperial Defence, so that the new conditions which har e [Official Report, th April, 1913.] 9 arisen, and which are considered to have changed the situation, may be considered, and the opinion of the Committee obtained before the expenses of preparing new plans and schemes for the construction of the Tunnel are incurred ? Mr. Fell asked if the question of the strategic 53. The Prime Minister : The Committee of Imperial advantages which may follow from the construction of a Defence is at present very fully occupied with important Channel Tunnel between England and France has been questions, and this matter is under consideration by the before the Committee of Imperial Defence recently ? Departments concerned.