From the Kearney Files
Sydney 9th June 1922
NOT UNDER BUT OVER
Sir Thomas Henley is informed by Railway Commissioners that they have No Faith in the Kearney Tube.
"BRIDGE BETTER"
Recently the Government received a cable the Kearney High Speed Electric Company, Ltd., London stating that Mr. Kearney was desirous of showing a model of the Kearney High Speed Railway to the New South Wales Government, and that he could leave immediately if he could be assured of serious consideration.
Sir Thomas Henley, Minister for Works, Railway s and Industrial Enterprises, forwarded a copy of this cable to the Railway Commissioners from whom a report in the following terms has been received :---
"It is stated that the Kearney tube could be constructed at a cost of £750,000, for a single line of railway, and that the tube would be placed 110ft. below low water level. This statement cannot be accepted, as the difficulties which would be met with in driving a tunnel at that depth would almost be insuperable.
A FALLACY.
"It is evidently assumed that the driving would be in solid rock, but this assumption is quite fallacious, as proved by borings taken by the Works Department some years ago, and our own experience in the driving of a smaller tunnel from Long Nose Point to Greenwich, at a depth of 230ft. below low water
"The cost, if the difficulties indicated were overcome without regard to the expenses involved (and almost anything can be accomplished at a price), might very easily be double that stated, and a single line of very unsatisfactory railway would be provided.
"The bridge for which tenders are now being called, will carry four lines of railway, a roadway 35ft. wide, a motor roadway 18ft. wide and a pathway 15ft. wide, equal to more than eight times the total accommodation afforded by the Kearney tube, and this at only eight times his estimate, which latter, as already stated, is far too low.
A "FARCICAL" EXPEDIENT.
"The bridge, Moreover, will provide facilities which will be adequate, and, in every sense, satisfactory, and all of the residents on the northern side of the harbour will be conveyed between their homes and the city with a minimum of change of conveyance, while the Kearney tube system would involve all those changes which occur today, and with all the costs that are today incurred. The Commissioners consider that it would be farcical to attempt to deal with what is a quite serious traffic problem by the adoption of the very costly and unsatisfactory expedient afforded by the construction of one Kearney tube."
SIR THOMAS SUMS UP.
Commenting yesterday on the above, Sir Thomas Henley remarked that the Railway Commissioners' statement demonstrated clearly that the Kearney tunnel proposition was totally inadequate for the purpose and could in no way form a substitute for the bridge. It was interesting, Moreover, to note that while the Kearney High Speed Electric Company had some little time ago stated that the estimated cost of the tube would be £500,000, as against the bridge at £10,000,0000(which by the way is an exaggeration, as the estimated is only £6,000,000), they had now increased their rough estimate 50%, to £750,000. They certainly seemed to be working in the dark in regard to the cost, and the report of the Commissioners indicated that the tube was more likely to cost two or three times the estimate of £750,000.
"Needless to say," added the Minister, in view of the Commissioners report, "I have instructed that a cable be sent intimating that the Government does not desire Mr. Kearney to visit Sydney to demonstrate his scheme by model."
Sydney 9th June 1922
NOT UNDER BUT OVER
Sir Thomas Henley is informed by Railway Commissioners that they have No Faith in the Kearney Tube.
"BRIDGE BETTER"
Recently the Government received a cable the Kearney High Speed Electric Company, Ltd., London stating that Mr. Kearney was desirous of showing a model of the Kearney High Speed Railway to the New South Wales Government, and that he could leave immediately if he could be assured of serious consideration.
Sir Thomas Henley, Minister for Works, Railway s and Industrial Enterprises, forwarded a copy of this cable to the Railway Commissioners from whom a report in the following terms has been received :---
"It is stated that the Kearney tube could be constructed at a cost of £750,000, for a single line of railway, and that the tube would be placed 110ft. below low water level. This statement cannot be accepted, as the difficulties which would be met with in driving a tunnel at that depth would almost be insuperable.
A FALLACY.
"It is evidently assumed that the driving would be in solid rock, but this assumption is quite fallacious, as proved by borings taken by the Works Department some years ago, and our own experience in the driving of a smaller tunnel from Long Nose Point to Greenwich, at a depth of 230ft. below low water
"The cost, if the difficulties indicated were overcome without regard to the expenses involved (and almost anything can be accomplished at a price), might very easily be double that stated, and a single line of very unsatisfactory railway would be provided.
"The bridge for which tenders are now being called, will carry four lines of railway, a roadway 35ft. wide, a motor roadway 18ft. wide and a pathway 15ft. wide, equal to more than eight times the total accommodation afforded by the Kearney tube, and this at only eight times his estimate, which latter, as already stated, is far too low.
A "FARCICAL" EXPEDIENT.
"The bridge, Moreover, will provide facilities which will be adequate, and, in every sense, satisfactory, and all of the residents on the northern side of the harbour will be conveyed between their homes and the city with a minimum of change of conveyance, while the Kearney tube system would involve all those changes which occur today, and with all the costs that are today incurred. The Commissioners consider that it would be farcical to attempt to deal with what is a quite serious traffic problem by the adoption of the very costly and unsatisfactory expedient afforded by the construction of one Kearney tube."
SIR THOMAS SUMS UP.
Commenting yesterday on the above, Sir Thomas Henley remarked that the Railway Commissioners' statement demonstrated clearly that the Kearney tunnel proposition was totally inadequate for the purpose and could in no way form a substitute for the bridge. It was interesting, Moreover, to note that while the Kearney High Speed Electric Company had some little time ago stated that the estimated cost of the tube would be £500,000, as against the bridge at £10,000,0000(which by the way is an exaggeration, as the estimated is only £6,000,000), they had now increased their rough estimate 50%, to £750,000. They certainly seemed to be working in the dark in regard to the cost, and the report of the Commissioners indicated that the tube was more likely to cost two or three times the estimate of £750,000.
"Needless to say," added the Minister, in view of the Commissioners report, "I have instructed that a cable be sent intimating that the Government does not desire Mr. Kearney to visit Sydney to demonstrate his scheme by model."
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