Page:The battle of the channel tunnel and Dover Castle and forts.djvu/17

11 Telegraph is part and parcel of this Submarine Channel Tunnel Railway Bridge; equally direct to the French War Office; equally protected from British naval interruption: so that, having taken possession of the Tunnel, they could at once telegraph to their War Office, and insure simultaneous action from Cherbourg!

3rdly Torpedoes and Dynamite. These are in the hands of Friend and Foe. Russia is now in possession of numerous long sharp Steam-Launches of extraordinary speed. They are impelled by Compound High-pressure and Condensing Engines and Boilers, all of extraordinary excellence of materials and construction; capable of being worked up to 200 pounds pressure upon the square inch; and, at 160 pounds, impelling them at 30 miles an hour!! These Launches can be carried on board any man-of-war: and, on an enemy's ship being sighted, one of them can be launched and steam got up with extraordinary celerity: and, on her becoming within sight if the enemy be on the look out, she can, in the space of two minutes, go near enough to launch a Torpedo at the ship; and, in two minutes more, have passed her, taking a curvilinear course, and be again out of sight; before the Watch would have time to do more than report her presence, much less than to train a gun upon her; and that without the remotest chance of hitting her even in day light: for they are only eight feet in width! And how would the bareness of such possibility be enhanced by the excitement arising from the apprehension, much more from the effect, of the explosion of the Torpedo against the ship?

Now these superb Engines, Boilers and machinery, were built upon the Thames four years ago; and fitted exactly to such a Steam Launch lying there, the fac-simile of numerous Launches that were being built upon the Neva, and also by an English Firm, for the Russian Government! I have seen every thing and have many particulars. Oh! Defend our Queen, defend our Country from Her friends, and especially from Enthusiasts!

has Great Britain nothing to be gained by the making of a Channel Tunnel; but, on the contrary, she has every thing to lose!!!