Chevalier.] 288 (Jan. 4, 
ample, from the position of certain spots considered more available fora 
connection with the railways coming the one from Paris and the other from 
London. Reasons such as these might, indeed, have some weight. 
But apart from considerations of this character, it would be to our ad- 
vantage, if only on principles of economy, to retain the roadbed wholly 
within the Rouen Chalk from the place where it descends into the earth 
in France, to where it emerges into the open air in England. 
One circumstance of great importance to us is that the total thickness of 
the Rouen Chalk is in the neighborhood of sixty metres. As our tunnel 
would not require more than ten metres for its construction, this would 
give us ample room to conform to any of those deviations from a straight 
line in the course of the strata which are more or less common in the in- 
terior of the earth, especially since in the present instance, as we have 
seen, these deviations are of no great consequence. If perchance in order 
to preserve the previously determined level, we were forced to abandon 
the shelter of this formation, it would only be for short intervals, and the 
difficulty would be by no means insurmountable. 
Ill. The Shaft at Sangatte. This shaft had for its object to prove the 
water bearing character, on the one hand, and the relative dryness, on the 
other, of the different layers of this cretaceous formation. A very simple 
means was made use of in measuring the quantity of water which the 
different layers furnished. You will find the account of it in the special 
report upon this subject. The rcsult was that as soon as the Rouen Chalk 
was reached the quantity found was exceedingly small. 
The present advanced stage of our studies enables us to fix the position 
of the shaft designed for the removal of the material extracted during the 
work of excavation, and to mark out the direction of the gallery which 
will conduct the leakage waters to the shaft. The first thing, then, to be 
attended to would be the sinking of the shaft, followed by the excavation 
of the gallery. This latter would be placed in the same stratum with the 
tunnel, and excavated to the distance of about two kilometers, would serve 
the purpose of a supplementary reconnaissance of the route to be taken by 
our enterprise.- You are aware that on the part of England explorations 
have been made even prior to our own, having the same object in view. 
They were under the supervision of Sir John Hawkshaw, a distingnished 
engineer, with whom we have entered into relations. From the very be- 
ginning he most obligingly made known to us not only the results of his 
operations, but the mode, as well, by which he had effected them, and 
gave us, at the same time, models of the instruments he made use of. Our 
intercourse with him has been of great service to us. We have just trans- 
mitted to him the results of our labors during the year 1876, and Mr. 
Lavalley, the delegate, has repaired to London to confer with him with 
regard to the definite direction of the tunnel. 
These conferences which have brought to light much valuable informa 
tion from both sides, and have evinced, likewise, that perfect spirit of ac 
cord so much to be desired in similar undertakings, will shortly re-open 
