494 The Channel Tunnel. (October, 
vessels was—Length, 450 feet ; breadth, 57 feet ; with 12 feet 
draught of water. A Bill for effecting improved communi- 
cation across the Channel by this means was three times 
before Parliament. In 1869 a project, having the sup- 
port of Messrs. Fowler, Abernethy, and W. Wilson, contem- 
plated the construction of very extensive harbour and dock 
works on either side of the Channel in addition to the con- 
struction of the large ferry steamers above referred to, and 
in November of that year an influential deputation from 
England laid the scheme before M. Gressier, the Minister 
of Public Works in France, by whom it was favourably 
entertained. 
In consequence of the very defective state of the accommo- 
dation afforded by the Channel steamers plying between this 
country and the Continent, the Council of the Society of 
Arts, in 1869, offered the Gold Medal of the Society and the 
large Silver Medal of the Society for the best and the second 
best model of a steamer which should afford the most conve- 
nient shelter and accommodation to passengers on the deck of 
the vessel crossing the Channel between England and France. 
The size of the vessel was not to exceed in tonnage and 
draught the best vessels then in use between Folkestone and 
Boulogne. Seventeen models were sent in competition, 
which were referred to a Committee consisting of Lord 
Henry G. Lennox, M.P., Seymour Teulon, Rear-Admiral 
Ommanney, C.B., F.R.S., Admiral Ryder, E. J. Reed, C.B., 
Capt. Boxer, R.N.,C. W. Merrifield, F.R.S., H- Colen@aas 
and Captain Tyler. From the report of this Committee it 
appears that three of the models only conformed to the condi- 
tions laid down by the Council, but none of these, in the 
opinion of the Committee, presented sufficient novelty or 
merit to justify the award of the medal. 
In this year also Captain Tyler, R.E., in compliance with 
instructions from the Board of Trade, visited the French 
and English coasts with a view to preliminary enquiry as to 
the improvements which might be effected in the means of 
communication between the two countries. He reported 
that considering the restrictions as to dimensions imposed 
by the circumstances of the harbours and the various con- 
ditions of the service, the steamers employed in the Channel 
service were admirably constructed for the work they were 
required to perform. With regard to Mr. Fowler’s proposal 
for large steamers and improved harbour accommodation on 
both sides of the Channel, Captain Tyler observed that it 
was a question whether it would be worth while to ferry the 
railway carriages as well as the passengers across the 
