2-358-728 - Keystone Archives/Heritage Images

Hector Horeau's proposed Channel Tunnel, 1857. In 1851, French architect Hector Horeau (1800-1872) proposed a design for a railway tunnel beneath the English Channel. His design suggested a submerged tube to be held in position by paddle steamers, with ventilation shafts running between the tube and each steamer. The proposal was rejected on saftey grounds: the paddle steamers and ventilation shafts would be a hazard to shipping in bad visibility, with a collision potentially leading to ashaft being damaged and the tunnel flooding.