50 Discussion on the Proposed Channel Tunnel. 



before the public for connecting the shores of Co. Antrim and 

 Wigtonshire. This scheme would begin by a junction with 

 the existing Belfast and Northern Counties Railway near 

 Whitehead Station, some 14 miles from Belfast, and then run- 

 ning in a northerly direction for some if miles, would dip 

 under the sea at Blackhead on the Northern shore of Belfast 

 Lough, and passing under the Channel in a direct line of tunnel 

 would enter the Scotch coast at a place called Millbawn, 

 some 3 miles north of the town of Portpatrick, and continuing 

 inland by land tunnels and open railways would terminate by a 

 junction with the existing railway from Portpatrick to Stranraer 

 at a point about 2^ miles from the latter town. The length of 

 sea tunnel by this route would be 23-! miles, maximum depth 

 of water 648 feet, and with a short ruling gradient on the 

 Scotch side of i in 58 there would be an additional length of 3^ 

 miles in the approach land tunnels, making a total length of 

 tunneling under land and sea of 27 miles : — there would also be 

 some 4 miles of new connecting railways. The total distance 

 by this route between Belfast and Stranraer would be 47^ miles, 

 or 7 miles shorter than by either the No. i tunnel between 

 Donaghadee and Portpatrick or No. 4 tunnel (Messrs. Barton's) 

 between Islandmagee and Weirston ; the gradients by this 

 scheme would be better than the gradients by the other 

 routes, having many horizontal stretches up to 2 miles in 

 length. 



Provision has been made in the estimate for constructing this 

 tunnel for a double line of rails laid to the English gauge, and 

 with an additional line of rail laid from Whitehead to Belfast 

 to suit the change of gauge, so that a through system with 

 English carriages and engines can be run into the Belfast 

 terminus from any part of England or Scotland. 



The method of construction in this tunnel would be the 

 " Base Heading " or English system, which gets its name from 

 the first or advanced tunnel heading being driven en the same 

 level as the permanent rails would afterwards be laid. There 

 would be four other distinct headings or enlargements before th^ 



