Channel Tunnel Visions, 1850-1945A&C Black, 1994 M01 1 - 239 páginas The idea of a Channel Tunnel has always aroused strong emotions in Britain. It has been supported by those wanting closer political, economic and cultural links with Europe but opposed by believers in Britain's island identity and overseas empire. In contrast, the French have been almost unanimously in favour. Channel Tunnel Vision 1850-1950 is an account of attempts over a century to build a link with France. Early schemes, some owing more to Heath-Robinson than to sound engineering practice, were succeeded by serious proposals based on scientific surveys of the sea-bed carried out in the 1860s. After describing the major entrepreneurs and their plans, Keith Wilson goes on to show the reactions of successive British Governments. On several occasions the decision on whether or not to go ahead was a very close-run thing. He quotes the views, which make remarkable reading, of Prime Ministers from Gladstone to Ramsay MacDonald; of Foreign Secretaries including Grey and Curzon; and of admirals and generals ranging from Fisher to Wolseley, French and Henry Wilson. Their fears of sabotage, invasion and a future political rift with France were set against hopes of economic advantage. They also saw an enhanced ability to respond quickly to future German aggression. How the existence of a Channel Tunnel would have affected the 1940 campaign is an intriguing speculation. |
Contenido
18501914 | 4 |
2 | 54 |
3 | 70 |
The First World War 191418 | 91 |
The Paris Peace Conference 1919 | 107 |
HankeyPankey | 121 |
39 | 132 |
Departmental Decisions | 135 |
49 | 177 |
Intangible and Psychological Factors | 183 |
Appendixes | 193 |
The Probable Effect which | 200 |
of Civil Research 192930 | 209 |
62 | 214 |
Bibliography | 227 |
233 | |
Términos y frases comunes
A.J. Balfour Admiralty advantages Air Ministry Allies April argument Arthur Fell Asquith attack Balfour Belgium Board of Trade Britain British Government Cabinet Chairman Channel Tunnel Committee Channel Tunnel Company Churchill Clarke Committee of Imperial Commons Channel Tunnel communication considerable considered construction Continent Continental Curzon Daily Chronicle danger decision destroy Diary Dover economic enemy engineers England Esher Eurotunnel existence favour February Foreign Office France French Government German Hankey's Home Ports Defence hostile House of Commons HPDC ibid Imperial Defence insularity invasion January July June Lloyd George London Lord Lord Sydenham MacDonald March meeting Memorandum by Hankey military Ministry of Transport Minutes naval November opinion Papers Paris Parliament parliamentary peace Peacock Committee point of view Ports Defence Committee position possible Power Prime Minister proposed Railway regard Repington Secretary Sir Henry Wilson Sir William Bull Staff submarines troops War Office Wilson Wolseley
Referencias a este libro
Bridging Divides: The Channel Tunnel and English Legal Identity in the New ... Eve Darian-Smith Vista previa limitada - 1999 |
Austen Chamberlain and the Commitment to Europe: British Foreign Policy, 1924-29 Richard S. Grayson Vista previa limitada - 1997 |