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present boat passage of an hour and a half, or an hour and 20 minutes as an exceptional thing (p. 201).

"Then another important matter is, that a man gets into his carriage at Aberdeen, or Liverpool, or London, or anywhere, and he goes through, without change, to Marseilles, or anywhere he pleases. And that I think is an untold advantage as a matter of health, and a great economy of time; in fact it is an immense economy of health and life to have it so agreeably and quickly done."

In answer to the question, 'How many lines of rails do you anticipate laying down?' he says "At first I should make two separate Tunnels side by side, with one line of rails in each, and for this reason, that we expect the two Tunnels will ventilate each other. In addition to that, in case of an accident, of course we are not likely to have an accident in both Tunnels at once" (p. 202).


(2.)—Evidence before Sir A. Alison's Committee.

"We have no doubt that our tunnel will go through an impermeable stratum, and we say that that is the result of all our experiences, which have been very wide, and of all the experiences of the French Tunnel Engineers, who are men of great ability" (p. 260).

With regard to filling the tunnel with water, and the enemy pumping it out, he says:—"It would be very unlikely that the enemy could pump it out; but my own mode of drowning would keep it in such a position, that as they pumped that water out, the sea-water would run in; therefore, it would be hermetically closed for a time. With reference to the use of explosives, I have a great experience in explosives used in the construction of works, and know how very easily you can bring down half a mountain almost in a second or two" (p. 261).


Sir John Hawkshaw.

(1.)—Evidence before Mr. Farrer's Committee.

He is speaking of the plan proposed by the Channel Tunnel Company, and says:—"The Tunnel will emerge within the