Through The Archives: Meeting held at Westminster to discuss Irish channel tunnel

From the News Letter, June 13 1899
The Houses of Parliament in LondonThe Houses of Parliament in London
The Houses of Parliament in London

A “large and influential” meeting of members of both Houses of Parliament had been held the previous day to discuss the construction of “a submarine tunnel” which would connect Great Britain and the island of Ireland.

The meeting, which was held the grand committee room (No 10), was attended by such notables as Earl Spencer, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Erne and the Earl of Camperdown, to name but four.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The chief speaker at the meeting was Lord Londonderry who was eager to move forward to proposal.

During his speech Lord Londonderry mentioned that he had been put forward that the tunnel should travel between Portobello in Wigtownshire, Scotland and Islandmagee closed to Larne in Co Antrim.

In Lord Londonderry’s view the construction of such a tunnel connecting Scotland with the north of Ireland would bring great advantages not least as it would help reduce the costs of transporting goods to and from the island to mainland Great Britain. But it would also attract many tourists.

He said: “Were the submarine tunnel made the sea passage would be abolished to some very considerable extent and a very large number of tourists would visit Ireland annually who at the present moment do not owing to their dread of the long sea voyage.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Towards the end of the meeting Mr Horace Plunkett moved, and Sir Charles Palmer seconded, the following resolution: “That a small committee be formed to communicate with the First Lord of the Treasury, and, if necessary, to arrange a deputation to wait upon him, with power to add to their number – viz., Lord Londonderry, Mr Arnold-Forster and Sir Mark Stewart.”