II THE GATEWAY OF THE DUCHY THE gateway to the Duchy is impressive that is to say, the gateway by which far the largest pro- portion of visitors enter the railway bridge of the Great Western at Saltash. This marvellous bridge of Brunei's has been often described ; it does not impress by its beauty for it has none, but by its tremendous height and length. It is 2,240 feet from end to end, and rises 260 feet above the water. It cuts across the narrowest part of that great ganglion of waters which break up the land behind Plymouth Sound. On the north lie the broad inlets of the Rivers Tamar and Tavy, and to the south that of the St. Germans or Lynher River curves away, and all along it the line runs, crossing the broad inlets of mud at low tide and shining water at high tide, giving a glimpse of the famous Hamoaze at Devonport and the busy dock- yards filled with the clang of driven rivets. In the Hamoaze lies the Powerful, an establish- 24
