56 



THE SEVEBN TUNNEL. 



ferrymen, who were Eojcalists to a man, landed them on the 

 English Stones, assuring them that they could now lonlJc 

 the remaining distance over the rocks, which join the 

 English shore, as they could see for themselves from the 

 place on which they then stood. 



There they accordingly left them, and took their boat 

 back to the Black Rock, well knowing at the same time 

 that it was too late on the tide for the soldiers to reach the 

 shore. The Roundheads were consequently caught by the 

 tide before they could get ashore, and every man of them 

 drowned. 



To proceed now with his narrative. After the writer 

 had made the necessary levels, soundings, and surveys, he 

 made the original plans of the Severn Tunnel Railway, which 

 arc, with trifling alterations to be explained further on, those 

 on which the work has been carried out. 



These plans were first deposited in Parliament in the yeai' 

 1863, in opposition to Mr. Fowler's " Great "Western and 

 South Wales Direct " scheinc, but fell through for lack of 

 pecuniary support. Mr. Fowler, however, got his Bill ; but 

 the woi'k was never cairied out. The Severn Tunnel plans 

 were again deposited a year or two later, but failed from 

 the same cause. The writer had in the meantime, however, 

 written full arul careful reports of his Tunnel scheme, giving 

 in detail all his reasons for knowing that it was quite 

 practicable : ho had also shown and explained his plans to 

 Mr. George Wythes, the great contractor, who confirmed 

 Ilia opinion. Mr. Brassey, also, to whom Mr. Wythes had 

 shown and explained the plans, tohl the G.W.R. directors 

 that he considered it a great work, and that he should like 

 to do it, but that lie slionhl wiint half a million more for 

 contingfmcies in passing under the Severn. 



Though the writer was unable to persuade -local people 



