As a rule, the tunnel mileage (except in one country only, Spain) is much less in proportion to total mileage on the various continental railways than it is in England. This is especially the case in almost all the more recently constructed lines, but more particularly so in Germany. Here, the ingenuity of the engineer has been exercised to avoid tunnels wherever possible, and not to seek them. We might cite many instances in proof, but limit ourselves to one, which must be familiar to many—the line along the left bank of the Elbe, between Dresden and the Austrian frontier at Bodenbach, through the beautiful Saxon Switzerland. There are, however, tunnels in Germany, the longest of which is that which has already been mentioned, the summit Tunnel of the Sœmmering Pass, 1,565 yards, just 195 yards less than an English mile. There are long tunnels in France, both canal[130] and railway, and as regards the first-named class, our readers will hardly be prepared to learn that there has existed for forty-five years in France, an underground passage at Cunhardy called a tunnel, which is in length only 314 yards less than the Great Tunnel of the Alps; yet such is the fact,—the Norieu underground passage which forms a portion of the _Canal de St. Quentin_, is 13,128 yards long, or 7½ miles all but 72 yards. Its maximum depth below the surface is 86 yards. It is only 4 feet 11 inches wide and is without towing path. It was opened in 1822 at a cost of only £2. 12s. per yard. Seven years were occupied in its construction. But the most important canal tunnel in France, in respect of its width and elevation, is that of Rigueval, which is also on the _Canal de St. Quentin_. It is 6,237 yards long, 26 feet 2 inches wide, of which 5 feet 3 inches are for the towing path along which horse traction is used. The Tunnel of Manvages, 5,320 yards long, is on the _Canal du Marn au Rhin_. Of the two other long canal tunnels (both on the _Canal de Bourgogne_), that of Sousey is 3,873 yards long, 7 feet 3 wide. It has not a towing path. That of Pouilly is 3,630 yards long and 20 feet 2 inches wide, including a towing path of the width of 5 feet 3 inches. The cost of the Sousey was £9. 4s. a yard; of Pouilly £80 a yard.