THE SEVERN TUNNEL. 



57 



to back np the scheme with tlieir money, he had rcisoii 

 to kiaow that he had convinced the G.W.R. authorities that 

 it was practicable, and the best for their purposes. Accord- 

 ingly, in 1872 lie a.gain deposited the Severn Tunnel plan.s, 

 under iheir authority. 



The Tunnel sclieme, however, was opposed by a bridge 

 scheme of Mr. Fowler's at the same place. This proposed 

 to cross the half-tide rocks by spans' of 100 feet, and the 

 navigable channel of the Shoots by an opening of 700 feet, 

 for the support of which two piers were to have been 

 erected in the deep water of the Shoots: but the directors 

 preferred the Tunnel ; so that was the scheme adopted. 



In going to Parliament witli such a novel undertaking, 

 the directors wished to have the suppoi't of an engineer 

 of the highest standing. The writer, therefore, asked Mr. 

 Thomas Harrison to give evidence in favour of the scheme ; 

 but, after talking it over, he could not convince him that 

 there migld not bo somewhere in the rook forming the 

 bottom of the Shoots such an open fissure as would make 

 the Tunnel impracticable ; he, therefore, declined to give 

 evidence in its favonr. The writer then applied to Sir 

 John Hawkshaw, wlio considered the scheme feasible, and 

 accepted the position. 



After the Act had been obtained, Sir John Hawkshaw 

 was appointed Consulting Engineer. The first object then 

 was to ascertain by the most accurate soundings the exact 

 form of the rock at the bottom of the Shoots for the whole 

 distance within the limits of deviation, which had tliero 

 been made 300 yards in width, in order to give the oppor- 

 tunity of deciding uj)on the best place under which to carry 

 the Tunnel. 



The taking of those soundings was a matter of some 

 difficulty ; for, in order that they should be of any real 



