2 3 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



I think I may be excused for speaking of the two 

 great Alpine tunnels beneath the Mont Cenis and 

 St. Gothard. 



In the Times newspaper, December 24th, 1870, 

 the following appears respecting the Mont Cenis 

 tunnel*: "The total lenQ^th from Bardonneche to Mcdani 

 is rather more than seven miles and a half At first 

 the progress was very slow, and at the beginning of 

 1863 there remained fully six miles of tunnelling to 

 be accomplished. At that time it was not supposed 

 that the tunnel would be completed before 1875, but 

 by the introduction of boring machines wrought by 

 compressed air, rapid progress has since been made, 

 more especially during the past four years. From 

 Modani, on the French side, to the middle, there is 

 a rise of one foot in forty-five and a half, and from 

 the middle to Bardonneche on the Italian side, it falls 

 one foot in 2000. The Grand Vallon, under which 

 the tunnel passes, is 1 1,000 feet high." 



The Mont Cenis lies between Savoy and Piedmont. 

 In the Times newspaper, September 13th, 1 871, it is 

 stated that the first train, w'ith the engineer Grattoni 

 and some friends, passed through the northern outlet 

 in forty minutes. The maximum temperature in- 

 side the carriages was 25° Centigrade. Two hours 

 later the train returned to the Italian side, the 

 journey occupying fifty-five minutes ; the tunnel was 

 then found entirely free of the steam discharged during 

 the previous journey. The formal opening of the 

 tunnel took place on the i8th of September, when a 

 banquet was held to celebrate this great achievement 

 of engineering skill, and a statue of Poleocapa, Minister 



* The opening of this tunnel for passenger traffic was not 

 authorised by the Sardinian Legislature until 187 1. 



