52 



Discussion on the Proposed Channel Tunnel. 



new connecting railways, pumping, ventilation, and contin- 

 gencies, the total cost of the No. 3 scheme would work out at 

 ;^6, 940,000, say ^7,000,000, or ;^2 57,778 per mile complete. 

 The time for completion would be about 8^ years, or a little 

 over three miles per annum. Mr. M'Cullough considered the 

 advantages of his scheme as compared with the others men- 

 tioned to be as follows : — The tunneling would be much shorter 

 than either No. i or No. 4 scheme, and the cost and time of 

 construction therefore much less. It would be cheaper to main- 

 tain and work than either of these. It would also provide a 

 more direct and shorter route from Belfast to both Glasgow and 

 Carlisle than any of the other schemes. 



The following tabular statement shows the most important 

 particulars of the four proposed lines of tunnel — 





Length 

 of Sea 

 Tunnel. 



Length 

 of Land 

 Tunnels. 



Length of 

 Connecting 

 Railways. 



Maximum 

 Depth of 

 Water. 



Approximate Cost. 



Estim'ted 

 Time for 

 Construc- 

 tion. 



SCHEMES. 



Estimated propor- 

 tionately at simi- 

 lar rate for each 

 Scheme. 





Miles. 



Miles. 



Miles. 



Feet. 





Years. 



Donaghadee to Port- 















patrick 



22 



16 



3i 



over 900 



;^ 11, 400,000 



loi 



Cushendun to Cantyre 



^^\ 



91 



nearly 150 



460 



6,668,000 



7 



Whitehead to Portpatrick 



23J 



3i 



4 



648 



7,000,000 



n 



Islandmagee to Weirston 



26i 



6i 



7 to 10 



504 



9,244,000 



11 



Distance Table via Different Tunnel Routes. 



SCHEMES. 



Belfast to 

 Glasgow. 



Belfast to Carlisle 

 for England. 









Miles. 



Miles. 



Donaghadee to Portpatrick 



- 



- 



144 



154 



Cushendun to Cantyre - 





- 



205 



300 



Whitehead to Portpatrick 



- 



- 



137 



147 



Islandmagee to Weirston 



- 



- 



144 



154 



