Quote:
Originally posted by Sticks
This is an utter disaster
This is the way rabies will get in, how do we know that the blue tongue midges did not hitch a ride.
In the 19th century when they tried to do this, it was stopped by political pressure, as it could result in 20,000 frenchmen under the channel as an invasion force, (which was who we tended to fight in those days)
Imagine what would have happened if we had had a tunnel in WW2?
Later when plans were being made, Lord Mount Batton only agreed if they planted demolition charges in the infrastructure just incase, but that project in the 1970's thankfully went pearshaped.
The one that was finally done has been an economic disaster, especially with TML and EuroTunnel, but the strategic issue remains the same. I remember reading a letter from a WW2 vetran about what he would do if he won the lottery. He said he would get a submarine and deal with the ilegal Spanish trawlers and then save a couple of "fish" for the tunnel.
We had a perfectly goood ferry service, and being an island afforded us some protection from invasion and served as a barrier from certain diseases.
My other question is in this design, did they comply with the late Lord Mount Batton's requirement for strategic demolitions charges, or are at the mercy of which ever invading army plans to use this tunnel.
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To some extent I agree Sticks. Without the tunnel we were protected as an island and remained safer.
As for success, well there has been very little, it has cost a fortune to build and maintain and like Sunshine said many french prefer to fly anyway! ferries are frequent so why go under the water?