When the ingenious Miss Pardoe visited Constantinople in 1836, she was
not less surprised than gratified by the inquiry of an Albanian chief,
as to the probable completion of the Thames tunnel. This, however, is
but one of the many instances of the anxiety with which the great work
was watched throughout continental Europe. In Egypt, too, where a new
country is rising, phoenix-like, upon the ashes of the old world, the
progress of the tunnel was regarded with like curiosity; participated,
indeed, throughout the civilised world. This interest is fully attested
by the visitors' book at the Tunnel, wherein are inscribed the names of
scientific men belonging to nearly every city of importance. The
engineer of this great work, Mr. (afterwards Sir) Mark Isambard Brunel,
completed his design in 1823; and amongst those who then regarded it as
practicable were the Duke of Wellington and the late Dr. Wollaston. The
works were commenced in 1825, and the Tunnel itself in 1826; and by
March, 1827, it had advanced about one-third of the whole length. All
proceeded well till May 18, when the river burst into the Tunnel with
such velocity and volume, as to fill it in fifteen minutes; but,
although the men were at work, no lives were lost. The hole,
thirty-eight feet deep, was closed with bags of clay and hazel-rods, the
water pumped out, and the works resumed in September. On Jan. 12, 1828,
the river broke in a second time, and filled the Tunnel in less than ten
minutes; when the rush of water brought with it a strong current of air
that put out the lights; six of the workmen were lost. For some
distance, Mr. Brunel, junior, struggled in total darkness, and the rush
of the water carried him up the shaft. The Tunnel was again cleared, and
the part completed found to be sound. Hundreds of plans were proposed
for its completion; the funds of the company were too low to proceed,
and above 5000_l._ was raised by public subscription.
For seven years the work was suspended; but, by advances from
Government, it was resumed in 1835. On April 23, 1837, there was a third
irruption of the river; a fourth on Nov. 2, 1837, with the loss of one
life; and, on March 6, 1838, the fifth and last irruption took place.
Thus, of the tunnel there were completed--
In 1836 117 feet.
-- 1837 28 "
-- 1838 80 "
-- 1839 194 "
-- 1840 76 "
Leaving only 60 feet to complete.
Meanwhile, the tunnel works proved a very attractive exhibition. In
1838, they were visited by 23,000 persons, and, in 1839, by 34,000. By
Jan. 1841, the tunnel was completed from shore to shore--1140 feet, and
Sir I. Brunel, on Aug. 13, was the first to pass through. On March 25,
1843, the tunnel was opened to the public, with a demonstration of
triumph.
The cost of the work has been nearly four times the sum at first
contemplated; the actual expense being upwards of 600,000_l._ These, of
course, are but a few data of the great work, the progress of which, for
twenty years, interested every admirer of scientific enterprize. The
engineering details present marvels of ingenuity. The building of the
vast brick shaft, 50 feet in diameter, 42 feet in height, and 3 feet
thick, with, set over it, the steam-engine for pumping out the water and
raising the earth--and the sinking of the whole, _en masse_, into the
Rotherhithe bank, were master-works of genius. Thus far the vertical
shaft: the tunnel itself commenced with an excavation larger than the
interior of the old House of Commons. But the great invention was the
_shield_ apparatus--the series of cells, in which, as the miners worked
at one end, the bricklayers formed at the other the top, sides, and
bottom of the tunnel. The dangers, too, were many: sometimes, portions
of the frame would break, with the noise of a cannon-shot; then alarming
cries were heard, as some irruption of earth or water poured in; the
excavators were, however, much more inconvenienced by fire than
water--gas explosions frequently wrapping the place with a sheet of
flame, and strangely mingling with the water, and rendering the workmen
insensible. Yet, with all these perils, but seven lives were lost in
making the tunnel under the Thames; whereas, nearly forty men were
killed in building the new London Bridge.--_Note-book of 1848._
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