River, Road, and Rail. By Francis Fox. (John Murray. 8s.
net.)—Mr. Fox, as the son of Sir Charles Fox, has had many opportunities of storing up these "engineering reminiscences." He begins with some account of Sir Charles's father, who, after two years in his own father's surgery, took to railway engineering, then a "land of promise" to ambitious youths. He ranks with the Stephensons in respect of his achievements in this direction his invention of the switch would by itself ensure him a high place. Mr. Fox's own recollections combine in great variety things grave and gay. He has made acquaintance with not a few fools, and some heroes. Among the heroes certainly must be reckoned Lambert the diver. In the construction of the Severn Tunnel the "great spring" was tapped, and the water poured into the heading at the rate of twenty-seven thousand gallons per minute. The workmen escaped, but in their hurry neglected to close the door which had been put to provide against such an accident. In a few minutes the tunnel was full from end to end. The pumps could do nothing. Only one thing remained,—to shut the door. Lambert donned the "Fleuss " diving-helmet, which is furnished with a supply of oxygen enabling the wearer to go without a supply of air from the surface. He made one attempt and failed ; he made a second, the passage being abso- lutely dark, and full of floating timber, trunks, tubs, &c., and four hundred yards long. After a while the pumps began to show results. He had shut the door, and the tunnel, which had been practically lost, was saved. The details of the Simplon Tunnel boring are peculiarly interesting. On one side of the work (starting from Brieg) the temperature is as much as 131 deg. Fahr. The book is full of excellent reading.
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