There are two modes by which it is proposed to carry a subway between France and England,[134] the first is by means of iron tubes laid on the bed of the ocean, the other is by actual tunnel. At the present time no less than three competitors present themselves for the honour of constructing the former, and there is only one whose scheme is before the public for the latter. The three advocates for the tubular system are Mr. James Chalmers, Mr. B. Hilmer, and M. Thome de Gammond, of Paris. Each has his mode of laying down and connecting the tubes together, but the great and distinguishing feature of the plan of M. De Gammon, is that he proposes to construct a great oceanic station, which is to be a kind of half-way halting house between the two shores. Here also is to be a harbour and three ship’s basins, so that any one returning from a long voyage and being in a hurry to get either to London or to Paris, or to any other place—it signifies not where—in England or the Continent, might land and at once proceed upon the _terra firma_ portion of his journey. In the centre of the harbour there is to be a huge shaft 330 yards in diameter, which would serve the double purpose of ventilating the tunnel, and of providing means of ingress and egress between the _Islet de Varne_ station and the upper and outer world. All these great advantages—tunnel, shaft, and railway—are to obtained at the cost, as estimated by M. De Gammond, of £7,200,000! [Illustration: SECTION OF CHANNEL RAILWAY TUNNEL AS PROPOSED BY M^R. GEO. REMINGTON C.E. From “Engineering” #/ ]