490 The Channel Tunnel. (October, 
principal novelty consisted in a cylindrical protector, fitted 
with a shield in front, within which the seCtions of the tun- 
nel were to be fitted together. 
The most indefatigable projectors amongst our neigh- 
bours has, however, been M. Thomé de Gamond. Whilst 
making a geological examination of the shores of the- 
Channel in 1833, this engineer was first struck with the 
idea of making a way of communication between England 
and the Continent, and he accordingly proceeded to make 
a series of soundings between Calais and Dover. M. de 
Gamond’s first project was for the submersion of an iron 
tube in sections, laid at the bottom of the Straits of Dover, 
and lined inside with masonry. The obstacle which soon 
presented itself to his mind was the difficulty of levelling 
the bottom of the sea in order to form a bed for the tube, 
and this operation alone he estimated at £12,000,000 
sterling, after which the cost of the tube and approaches 
was set down at £6,400,000; so that the total probable cost 
of the project was £18,400,000. This scheme was no 
sooner finished than it was abandoned. In 1836, M. de 
Gamond gave his consideration to the construction of a 
bridge across the Channel, taking the line from Calais to 
Ness Corner Point, a line shorter by about two miles and a 
half than that between Dover and Calais. Five different 
plans of bridges, in granite, in stone and metal combined, 
and skeleton iron structures, were elaborated by him during 
a period of two years. The scaffolds for commencing the 
works were to be supported by buoys of great size, held in 
their place by metallic shrouds, fixed at the bottom of the 
sea to strong moorings. In making the foundations for the 
piers, it was proposed to drive piles into the ground by 
manual labour, the workmen being in a water-tight cham- 
ber at the bottom of the sea. Of all the different projects 
for this structure, the one for a granite bridge obtained most 
favour amongst scientific men. This structure was designed 
to be 131 yards broad, the arches, 162 yards wide, were to 
be built on piers 52 yards long and 131 yards broad. All 
the arches being 57 yards high above the sea could be passed 
under by most vessels. There was, however, to be one 
movable arch to admit the passage of vessels having still 
loftier masts. The greatest depth of sea between these 
points is stated to be 197 feet, and many of the arches cros- 
sing this depth would have been 126 yards in height from 
the sea-bed to the key-stone. The total cost of this struc- 
ture was estimated by its designer at 160 millions sterling, 
but by others at 200 millions. At the advice of Messrs. 
