70 RAMBLES AND REVERIES. 



Consul, had snch a plan actually laid before him. 

 The picture represents a tunnel crowded with 

 soldiers and cannon, while the sea above swarms 

 with vessels, and the air is filled with balloons. 

 It is admitted on all hands that the tunnel could be 

 rendered useless in a few minutes, and war between 

 civilised peoples never breaks out without consider- 

 able warning and preparation. Even France would 

 not be capable of seizing the English defences and 

 garrison by a coup de main without awakening 

 previous suspicion. 



The arrangements proposed for the temporary 

 demolition of the tunnel are such as these : 

 by means of a portcullis at the mouth of the 

 tunnel, several lengths of rails could be im- 

 mediately removed, and a trap-bridge raised. 

 Ventilation could at once be stopped, and shingle 

 in large quantities heaped up in the way of a 

 hostile force. Besides which, it would be possible 

 to carry alongside the tunnel, or underneath it, 

 mine galleries in which dynamite could be per- 

 manently kept in sufficient quantities to render the 

 tunnel impassable in a few seconds. Sluice-valves, 

 also, might be so constructed as to flood the tunnel 

 at a very short notice. 



Of course, as Lord Wolseley has said, military 

 arrangements are never in perfect order in time 

 of peace ; but then it is not reasonable to suppose 

 that all these arrangements, so simple and effective, 

 would be found to be out of order at the same 

 moment. 



