Mr Anderson on the Raihvai/s of Belgium. 311 



Nothing strikes the traveller so much, with astonishment, 

 when he descends the valley of the Meuse, and enters that of 

 Verviers, as the contrast the face of the country presents to that 

 which he a few minutes ago left. The scenery, indeed, as 

 soon as he leaves Ans, is entirely changed. Instead of the flat 

 and monotonous country through which he has just j)assed, he 

 is ushered into a finely varied district of hills and valleys. 

 The number and extent of the different works of art he ob- 

 serves, tell him also of the nature of the country through 

 which he is passing, and the difficulties which the engineer 

 encountered in the execution of this part of the national sys- 

 tem of railroads. 



The works of art betwixt Liege and the frontiers are more 

 numerous, and much more difficult in execution, than on any 

 other line in the country. Upon the Meuse, between the 

 banks Yal-Benoit and Bac-en-Pot, there is a bridge of five 

 arches, of 65-6 feet of span each ; and also one upon the Ourthe 

 of three arches, of 52-5 feet of span each. At the zinc manu- 

 factory of Angleur, there is a series of twenty-four arches, 

 twelve of which are interior, and twelve exterior, to the work ; 

 the first of which were established for communication, and the 

 second for the flowing of the Ourthe during its inundations. 

 On the section betwixt Chenee and Pepinster there are ten 

 tunnelsj making a total length of 1 mile 29-36 chains ; and on 

 that betwixt Pepinster and the frontiers, nine tunnels, of a 

 total length of 671 chains. Great difficulty arose in executing 

 the tunnels betwixt Chenee and Pepinster, from the nature of 

 the hills through which they pass, and the unexpected appear- 

 ance of water. Among the most difficult was the tunnel of 

 Halinsart, which is 31'66 chains in length, and the longest of 

 the whole of that section. In addition to these works, there 

 are, however, 18 bridges, generally of from 90 to 100 feet of 

 span each, and numerous viaducts, &c. The largest viaduct 

 is placed across the valley at Dolhain, and consists of 20 

 arches, of nearly 33 feet of span each, from 56 to 59 feet in 

 height. This work has a most commanding appearance, is 

 well executed, and the most extensive throughout the whole 

 lines of railroad. Besides the Avorks of art on this line, there are 

 numerous difficult cuts of considerable length and depth. In- 

 deed, the formation of a railroad in this part of the country 



