The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-01-10 00:00:00

THE TAY BRIDGE DISASTER.

Writing on Jan. 4, the Dundee Correspondent oi The Times
says :--

Public interest now centres in the search or the
bodies of the lost passengers, not at the scene of the
wr.eck, where no one now believea any bodies to be
lying, but in the water of the Tay generally. Quite a
flotilla of fishing-boats have been engaged since Satur-
day in trawling the bed of the firth, but so far
Without the alightest success, The belief is there-
fore gaining ground that all the bodies were
swept out to sea on the night of the accident,
and that few, if any, will ever again be seen. Once
they were disengaged from the wreck, an hour's
lebb of the tide would be amply sufficient to carry them
tut to the German Ocean, and it is known that for two
'hours after the disaster the tide was running seaward
With great rapidity, driven forward by the gale. The
one body found at Newport seems to nave got into
slack water; the others, in all probability, were
carried away by the swift current in the middle of the
stream.

"Yesterday the diving was resumed, and has
been vigorously carried on to•day, no fewer than
eleven divers being employed. but the result of the
operations has merely been the raising of small
Pieces of wreckage, such as carriage panels, a red
lamp, and fragments of the internal fittings of the
carriages. The lamp is, of course, the most impor-
tant of these objects, being the "tail lamp" of the
tram, It may be fairly supposed to mark the spot
where the guard's van went down. It was found some
59 Mail south-east of the fourth of the broken
Pers. Now, the space between this spot and the
Urst•claus carriage which is known to have been in
The middle of the train has been carefully explored by
the divers yesterday and to-day, and nothing but
Small fragments of carriages has there been found.
The presumption, therefore, ir, that the four carriages
forming the second half of the train were smashed to
Pieces by the fall, and that they have been wholly
carried away by the tide. The roof of one of them and
a great portion of the side of another have, in fact,
Come ashore, with a variety of other wreckage, some
miles down the firth."

The Correspondent of the Daily News, writing from
Dandee on Xtonday night, says:—
"Fresh interest was excited in the Tay-bridge dis-
aster this morning by the discovery of another of the
bodies of the hapless victims, While the crew of one
of the whaling boats were engaged grappling about a
mile to the east of the bridge, they came on some heavy
substance. On drawing it to the surface it proved to
be a large piece of wood. The grappling irons were
again thrown over the side, and something else
got fast t 3 them. All hands pulled on the rope,
but the substance refused to yield, and the
crew imagined the irons had got entangled among
some of the heavy portions of the wreck. Persevering
In their efforts, they were ultimately able to draw the
object to the surface, and had the melancholy satisfac-
ti3n of discovering it to be a human body. When the
crowds which had assembled on the esplanade and at
the quays noticed that one of the boats was making
for the shore with all speed, the greatest excite-
tnent Prevailed; and the news that they had got a
budY quickly spread, and by the time the boat
reached the Craig pier the crowd had increased by
several hundred persons. As the steamer Fifeshire had
Just arrived from Newport at this time the crew were
aaked to lie on their oars till the passengers had disem.
barked. After the passengers had left the boat was
Pulled alongside the steamer, and the body was lifted
and conveyed to the mortuary. Here the remains
Were identified as those of Daniel Johnston, North
British Railway Guard, by his brother, Andrew
Johnston, a joiner, residing in Lilyband•road. Dundee,
and also by deceased's brotherin-law. The body
Was not in the least disfigured, and the expression
Of the face was natural and placid. Blood was
oozing from the right ear, and both hands were
Clenched. Johnston was wearing his guard's uniform,
and in his pocket a sum of £1 3s, 6d. was found. His
Watch had stopped at 7.16, just about the time the
train must have been precipitated from the bridge.
Daceased was about thirty years of age, and has left a
Widow with three children, the eldest of whom is five
Years and the youngest only nine weeks old. Johnston
Was not the guard on duty on the train when the acci-
ent happened, but was returning to Dundee from a
Visit to his family. He was to have begun duty on
Monday morning as guard of the first or second train
from Dundee to Edinburgh.
" The diving operations were resumed this morning.
About eleven o'clock the gun-boats, tug, and steam
launches were on their way to the scene of disaster.
NO fewer than six divers were engaged in ex-
ploring the bed of the river, but nothing of the
aligiltest importance was discovered. A few
carnage lamps and pieces of broken girders, &c.,
were hauled up, but no trace of any of the missing
b9chers we Is obtained. It is understood that the
cllying operations will be suspended. Those by whom
they have been conducted are of opinion that the car-
nages, which are partially intact, contain no bodies,
and that it has been placed beyond all question that
the portion of the train south of the first-class carriage
Was smashed to pieces."

Writing from Dundee on Tuesday, the Correspondent ol
The Times says:—
more bodies have been recovered to day,
'flaking six in all, out of the 74 passengers known
Tay. The
been in the train when it plunged into the
'ay. The success of yesterday's trawling opera-
tions seems to have stimulated the men t) in-
creased exertions. There were more applicants for
manning the boats this morning than could pos-
e nauloyed. The bodies recovered have
been identified as those of James Leslie, 22, clerk ;
William Jack, grocer; James Crichton, ploughman;
and Robert Watson, 33, moulder; all of Dundee.
Three of the bodies were recovered within 100
yards of the third broken pier eastward, and the
!,?nrth about 200 yards farther down the channel.
.;112ey were all embedded in the sand, from which
„L'ae trawlers had some difficulty in diiengaging
'Dere- Leslie, Jack, Crichton, and Watson were re-
turning from visiting their friends, &c., in different
parts of rifeshire. Watson was travelling with his
two children, David, aged eight, and Robert, aged
five, and his widow is left childless. There is nothing
in the appearance of the bodies to indicate that they
Met their death through a violent shock; they bear
evidences of that of drowning only. There is a gash
ba the face of one, but it looks as if it had been done
by a grappling•iron. Watson's face has an expression
of, pain and alarm upon it, but the faces of the others
are placid.
"There was no diving to-day. The divers were all
engaged giving evidence in court, and it is not intended
that they should resume their search for portions of
the train or for bodies. The trawling, however, will
go on. Indeed,. hopes are now entertained that a con-
siderable number of the bodies will be recovered. The
water was low at the time of the accident, and it is
Possible that the sandbank which rises in mid-channel
eastward of the bridge may have arrested them in
their passage seaward, The gunboats Netley and
Firm have returned to their stations in the Firth of
Forth, being no longer of any service in connection
With the disaster."

The wreckage which has come ashore consists of
the most various article 3. Among the things re-
ported on Saturday are nr. umbrella, a cotton hand-
kerchief, a waterproof coat, a woman's chemise, and a
slip
velvet per,

In neadY all the London Presbyterian churches on
1573(1ay eympathetic reference was made to the cala-
salty by the different preachers.

The body of John Marshall, fireman of the lost
ttain, vias grappled on Wednesday morning, and
brought ashore by one of the whaling boats. The
body was found four hundred yards east of the broken
per, which is considerably south of where the engine
lies. There are two deep cuts on the face, which was
also singed by the fire of the engine, Deceased was
24 years old and unmarried,

THE BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY.
The icquiry ordered by the Board of Trade was
Opened last Ssturday in the Sheriff's Court, Dundee,
before Mr. Rothery, Wreck Commissioner, Colonel
Yolland. and Mr. Barlow, President of the Institute
of Civil Engineers.
Mr. Trayner appeared for the Board of Trade;
Mr. Balfour for the North Britiah Railway Corn-
Panlr ; Mr. Dunbar, Procurator-Fiscal, for the Lord
Advocate.
Sir Thomas Bunch, the engineer of the bridge; Mr,
Skirling, of Kippendavie, chairman of the railway
company; Mr. Walker, general manager; Mr.
McLaren, general superintendent, and other railway
officials were present.
Mr. Trayner, in his opening statement,said the Board
of Trade were desirous that the inquiry should be of a
very exhaustive and exact character so as to obviate
so far as human skill c )uld go the recurrence of Lt
disaster of so terrible a kind. Their laboura would
fall under two heads—first, an inquiry into thoeo facti
and circumetances of the case which were peculiarly
local, and which might be more or less easily ascertained;
and, secondly, the collation of scientific opinion with
reference to the nature of the structure which had
given way. For the present they would confine them-
selves to the first branch of the inquiry. The second
would be of a more difficult character, and could not
well be entered upon until they had recovered some
Portion of the destroyed bridge.
Mr. Rothery suggested that the bridge should first
be viewed, and the Court adjourned for that pur-
pose.
The party examined the scene of the disaster from
the deck of a tug steamer, and then landing at New-
port were conveyed by special train to the southern
Portion of the bridge; but to the relief of some who
doubted the intentions of the railway directors and
Board of Trade officials, the special train was not taken
on to the bridge. There was no intention of demonstra-
ting by such an experiment the faith of the pArty in this
remnant of the ruined bridge (says the Daily News cor-
respondent). The wholecornpany of special passengers,
however, walked out to the breach, a distancs of more
than two thirds of a mile. Viewed from this standpoint,
the work of destruction was peculiarly impressive.
The great gap in the bridge seemed of still more
striking dimensions than when viewed from below,
while looking from above at the depth which the
train had to f4ll, one realised with a shudder the awful
doom which had overtaken its occupants. On the
return of the party, they proceeded to take evidence.
Charles Meek, assistant to Sir Thomas Bauch, put in
Plans of the bridge and gave some particulars as to its con-
struction.
William Friend, ticket-collector at St. Fort, the last
Station at which the train had stopped, stated that filly-six
tickets were taken altogether by himself and others. He
collected those in the fore part of the train. The fitly-six
tickets included two half-tickets, and thus represented fifty-
Seven persons. He saw a man in a tecond.class carriage who
had a child in his arms and two or three sitting round him.
These were the only children he saw. There were two season-
ticket holders, and five or six passengers who had tickets to
Broughty Ferry did not deliver them up. •
Alexander Inglis, porter at St. Fort Station, assisted at
taking the tickets. He collected those in the second-class,
next the van, and the third-class next it. The first-class carriage contained no passengers. There were four in the
third.class carriage who did not give up their tickets, as they
Ware Roles to Nesvport. No children were in the carriages
be 'laced.

Robert Morris, stationmaster at St. rort, also assisted in
collecting the tickets, going over three rcompartments of the
third-class carriage nearest the van. He took four tickets
there, bttt thee was a passenger who did not give up his, as
he rills going to Newport. Witness saw no children. In
addition to the persons who had tickets there were two
guards who were not on duty and the mail guard. On the
engine there were the driver and the fireman, and so far as
he knew there was no other person in the train at the time
it left St. Fort. This witness handed in a list of the tickets
which had been taken.

Thomas Barclay, signalman at the south end of the bridge
on the evening of the disaster, deposed —The train was sig-
nalled at 7.8 p.m, as having left St Fort, and at 7 13 p.m.
passed my cabin. It was then going at the usual speed, which
was about three or four miles an hour but it would in-
crease its speed when it got upon the bridge. It " slowed "
in passing my cabin in order that I might hand to the
stoker tha train staff, as a warrant to the train to proceed
alcne the bridge. John Watt, foreman snrface.man, hap-
pened to be wnh me in my cabin that evening Every-
thing was as usual so far as I could see. When the train
passed my cabin my duty was to telegraph that to the
north side. I did so. and also signalled "line clear" to the
station in the re,..r. I have a book in which I enter
the times of signals, and the signals I make. Attie
the train had passed I occupied myelf with something
Inside the cabin, but Watt stood watching the train at the
door. Presently has at d he was sure there was something
wrong with the train, as he had seen a great flash of flee
and the tail lamps disappear. He was not excited, and I did
not believe there was anything wrong. Nevertheless, I
watched to see whether the taillamps would come into view
again going round the curve. I waited a few secmds, and
not seeing them I went down for some coals.
Mr. Trayner: How long after Watt had said that some-
thing was wrong, as the tail lamps had disappeared, was it
before you did anything in consequence of the disappear-
ance of the lamps?
Witness: It was about two-and-a-half or three minutes
after we gat our coals In; and as we did not see the lamps
again at the curve, as we expected, I tried to ring the signal
at the north cabin to see it the signalman there would
answer me, but I got no answer. In addition to that signal
we had two speaking instruments in connexion with the
north end of the bridge. I tried both of them, but saw that
tney were disconnected. I then suspected that something
had gone wrong. Accordingly we went out and walked
along the bridge a little way, but it was so rough that we re-
traced our steps and went on to the Tayport line. We did
not go more than about twenty or thirty yards from our
cabin towards the north end. Nothing went wrong with
our cabin. I suppose the cabin there is a good deal sheltered
by the point which juts out from Fifeshire to the west, and
the rising ground also shelters it. It is, no doubt, a little
sheltered. Finding that the connexion with the north end
was cut, we suspected that something had gone wrong with
the bridge, and it was to find out whether that suspicion
was well founded that we walked out a short distance on the
bridge.
Why did you turn back? Was it because It was stormy?
—We might have been able to go further forward if we had
persisted, but we thought it best to go back.

Did you hear any noise as of the bridge breaking or the
train going into the water ?—We heard nothing but the
wind, which was very loud. On turning back from the
bridge we went down to the ground. On the east side it
was pretty dark when we went down, and we did not see
anything at first. Presently the moon came out, and
we had a clearer view. Than we saw the bridge had
given way. We were not sure whether the train had arrived
in Dundee or not, but we learnt at Newport that it had
not.

To Mr. Balfour: The wind was blowing from south-west
—that is, partly down the river and partly from south to
north.

To Mr. Rothery : Before I allowed the train to pass my
cabin I telegraphed to see if the road was clear. When I had
given the driver the baton I telegraphed that the train had
passed. I have been at the cabin since the bridge was opened
on the let of June, 1878. I have seen the bridge in a pretty
severe gale, but I have not crossed it during a high gale. I
never had any opportunity of seeing it, as I am always in my
cabin.

To Colonel Yolland : It was 7.9 when 1 telegraphed
"Train on line" to the north side. The last signal I reoeived
from the north side was at 7.13, acknowledging nay signal
that the train was on the bridge.
Mr. Barlow: The speed of the train was about three
miles an hour when it passed your cabin. Are you aware
that the regulations state that the speed across the bridge is
25 miles an hour?

_
Witness: It is limited to 25 miles an hour over the bridge,
and three miles an hour when palming my cabin. Trains are
slower at ray cabin to allow me to hand out the baton. I
did not notice the passage of the previous train. I was there,
and signalled the up train, which passed at 4 18. The 5.60
from Tayport passed at 6.8. That was the last train that
preceded the Edinburgh one. I heard no observation either
from the drivers or the guards that day as to their having
experienced anything peculiar when crossing the bridge.
To Colonel Yolland : I cannot say if the train increased its
speed after passing the cabin. I saw the tail lamps all
right, and then attended to my °that duties.
To Mr. Rothery : As a general rule, trains increase their
speed alter taking the baton, but I did not see the lost one
do so.

John Watt, foreman surface-man, in answer to Mr. Trayner,
said : I went into the cabin of the last witness on Sunday
evening, about ten minutes before the train passed. I did
so for no particular reason, but as a friend. The train slowed
in passing the cabin to get the railway baton. I saw this
handed up. I heard no remark made by the guard or the
driver when the train left. I looked after it and followed
its course across the river.

Mr. Traynor: Had you any particular reason for doing
that?

Witness : Merely for curiosity. I suppose there was
nothing at that time in my mind that induced rue to look
after it. I saw it go on a certain distance, and while Barclay
was attending to his duties 1 saw something that startled
me.
What was that I—l saw fire from the train.

Was that while it was still running along the permanent
way 7—Yes, it appeared to me to be coming from the wheels,
it was fire in the shape of nontinuous sparks rather than flame.
I had never seen such a thing before excepting when the
brakes were on. Whether the brakes were on I do not
know. The train had not gone more than 200 yards past the
cabin when I saw those sparks as far as it went.
How long after your attention was first directed to the
spsrks was it before the train disappeared from your sight 2
—lt would not be more than three minutes.

What distance de you suppose the train had reached from
the south cabin when it disappeared ?—About three-quarters
of a mile. .

Did it disappear from your eyes suddenly or could you
follow it for any length of time P—The tail lamps disap-
peared just in a moment. I had them in full view up to
that time. The three lamps went out of sight at once, and
just at the same moment there was a great flash of fire.

_
Having seen these things, wbat did you do 7--I said there
must be something wrong. I thought she was over the
bridge.

What led you to say that you thought the train had gone
over the bridge 2—lt was the flash of lire and the tail lamps
disappearing so quickly.

- - _
Barclay thought the disappearance of the tail lamps was
due to the train haying gone on to the incline 2—Yes, he
said so.

---
That explanation did not satisfy, I suppose 2—No, it did
not. Barclay stood and looked for a few seconuis, and after
the time he thought the train should be clearing he tried
his instruments.

He expected to see these tail lights reappear as the train
got round the curve f —Yes.
He watched for that, and u the train did not come into
view he tried his instrnments to see whether he could cem-
municate with the cabin l'—Yes.
But none of them would work 7—No. That showed us
there was something wrong. With the view of ascertain-
ing what had actually occurred, Barclay and I tried to
walk out on the bridge to see where the train had gone.
We did not go very far; it was so stormy that we could
vwe
er
y
athsearf.e tIo go further along
had never before
loet
be in
iadl
gk
td
be
ea mid eadtei to f n
tobt e
thought it like the same kind of weather on the bridge.
It blows very high on the Tay sometimes. We turned back
to the Newport line to see whether we could see anything
of the train from the seashore. The moon was cloudy, but
ultimately we got a view of the bridge and ascertained that
a great part of it was gone. That would be about eight
o'clock as nearly as I can remember. Before that time I
had no idea that the bridge had gone with the train. I
thought that the train had been blown off the rails and had
taken the side of the bridge with it. I did not expect to
find that the structure ha ci been carried away. When I
found out that there was this great part of the bridge gone I
went away down to St. Fort to give Mr. Morris, the station-
master, the information. I was watching the train as it
disappeared, but did not hear any noise except the howling
of the wind. There was no harm done to the cabin; but the
centre of the bridge is exposed to a south.west wind. Then
the cabin shook a little when great gusts of wind came, but
the vibrations were not serious. The wind was not coming
down with continous violence, but in gusts. I did not
notice what interval there was, but between each gut there
was a perceptible lull. When the train disappeared I
thought it had been blown over.

-•—•
What did. jou conslaer to be the cause of the sparks and
the great flash that you saw before the train disappeared ?
It appeared to me as If the carriages were striking against
the girders and the friction producing the tire. It was the
east side of the train, down the river, upon which I saw the
flash and the sparks.
To Mr. Rothery : It was from the wheels on the east side
of the train that I saw the sparks, which continued from
about 200 yards from the cabin to where the train dis-
appeared. The distance between the cabin an the place
where the bridge gave way is 900 yards. Nor about
Wee minutes the lamps dirapperaed ; then came the great
flash.
To Colonel Yolland I have seen a train travelling fast
round a sharp curve when it was dark at night, and on those
occasions I have never seen sparks coming from the wheels.
I concluded that the rparks on this occasion were caused by
the flanges of the wheels grinding against the rail on the
east side owing to the great pressure of the wind on the side
of the train.

To Mr. Barlow: It the night were dark I should think
one could see a light caused by the use of the brake at a
distance of halt a mile. I have seen a light produced by a
wheel breaking and the weight of a carriage coming down.
It was a liame, the position of the light on the train upon
tke rails.

To Mr. Trayner : The train had gone on about 900 yards
when I saw the great flash. When- this went out every-
thing was dark, there was no red light or anything re-
maining. The flesh appeared while the train was still on
the level of the permanent way.
Henry Somerville, signalman at the north end of the Tay-
bridge, deposed the wini was fresh during Sunday. it
increased about four o'clock in the afternoon, and at seven
there was a perfect hurricane blowing. The cabin shook a
little, and the chimney can was blown off at 7 9 I got a
message that the Edinburgh train had left St Fort at 7 14.
I got a second message that the train had entered the
bridge. I acknowledged that message, and expected it to
pass My cabin five minutes afterwards I waited nine
minutes, and then looke I out, but saw nothing of the train.
I had heard no crash to indicate that the train or bridge had
been blown down. 1 tried to speak through the speaking
instrument, but found that the communication was cut. I
again looked out, and two gentlemen on the esplanade told
me part of the bridge had fallen. On hearing this I informed
Mr. Roberts, locomative superintendent, of the occurrence.
The Court adjourned till Monday.

The °mow inquiry at the Sheriff Court House was con-
tinued on Monday morning before Mr. Rothery, Colonel
Yollend, and Mr. BILIOW.
Charles Meek, recalled, produced all the plans in Sir
Thomas Bench's possession relative to the bridge, and pro-
raised, in answer to Mr. Barlow, to explain the various lines
OD one of the
plans showing the scour of the river.
James Smith, stationmaster at Tay Bridge, said that,
about hall-past six o'clock on Solway evening he was
infcrmed that several I.,aded wagons had been driven
from the hack of the viaduct to the goodslard, a dia.
tance of 300 or 400 yards, by the force of the gale.
Part of the glass of the roof of the station waa blown
off, one of the gates had to be shut, and the position
of the Newport train shifted for the safety of the pas.
wingers. After making these arrangements he saw that
the signal was drawn to indicate that the train had entered
the south end of the bridge. Be waited about ten minutes,
and being uneasy on account of the nowarrival of the train
he asked a message to be sent to the south end of the
bridge. It was then found that no commtudeation could be
bad with the north or south cabins Two
gentlemen in-
formed him at this time that they feared from whit they
had seen that the train had gone over, and witness
and Mr. Roberts walked out along the bridge sufficiently
far to see the gap. He returned and telegraphed back to
E tinburgh, and the locomotive foreman went to the harbour-
master to get a steamer. Witness had not seen the bridge
oscillating, and no guard or driver ever said anything to
him to indicate that it was in the least unsafe. He never
heard of the passengers being asked to keep the windows
of the carriages open when there was a gale blowing.

By Mr. Barlow: The gale seemed to be at its height between
7.15 and 7 30

Jas. Roberts, locomotive superintendent Tay Bridge
Station deposed that his duty was to transmit orders
from the geoeral superintendent to the mechanics and all
connected with the rolling stock. He was at the station on
Sunday night seeing the change of the day and night shifts. It
was so stormy ho feared the doors of the engine-shtd would
be blown from their hinges. He heard from one of the signal-
reenthat something WM wrong with the Edinburgh train, as

it had been on the bridge 35 minutes. Mr. Smith and
himself went to the cabin at the north end of the
bridge, and they made up their minds to go on
The signalman tested the instruments, and they would not
work, lie went within eight or nine yards of the end of
standing portion oi the bridge. Mr. Smith did not go so
far. They saw the water running out of the Newport water.
pipe. He noticed part of the bridge at the end sloping
down. The rails sloping down tock his attention. He
could not see the other end of the bridge, where the break
had taken place. Noticing a red light he thought that it was
the train brought up. He went to the harbour-master to
get a tug, which could not be got for want of water. The
provost got the ferry steamer, and they then saw the
extent of the breakage. Ms idea that the train had
been brought up then changed He saw the engine of the
train on Saturday, and it was in good order. It was a bogie
engine, four wheels coupled. It was fitted with the Westing-
house brake, and weighed thirty-four tons. The tender
weighed twenty-f,ur tons. The engine was built by the com-
pauy in IS7I. When be went out on the bridge on Sunday
the wind was very high Indeed. They had great difficulty in
getting out. They would not have gone but for their great
anxiety. He did not feel the bridge shaking.

By the Court: Giddiness in the head made him turn back.
The bridge was not in the same state now as then. He saw
a girder sloping, and this girder was away now. He had not
been on the bridge since Sunday night.
The witpess was sent by the Curt to see if it was in the
same state now as then.

Mr. J. B. Lawson, wine merchant, stated that on the
Sunday night the wind was blowing the water into foam.
He was out looking towards the bridge about five minutes
past seven, when he saw a mass of fire fall to the river
on the east side of the tridge. He thought this was a
train going over into the river. He at once ran across
the green to the bridge, and got shelter at the south.
most big pillar. He saw nothing His friend and he
thought they saw steam rise from the water at the north
end of the big girders. They ran to the signal-box,
and after some effort made themselves heard by the signal-
man. He asked if there was a train on the bridge, and was
told that there was. He then expressed his fears that it
was in the water. He heard no noise at the time ; he saw
the fire. Then they went along the esplanade, but with
great difficulty, owing to the high wind. After seeing the
stationmaster, he returned home about nine o'clock. The
wind was not then so high. During his experience he never
saw a worse storm at the Magdalen-green.
By the Court: He thought the mass of fire occurred at
the north end of the long girders and not at the south end.
They could not see the high girders, and they only made a
guess at the place. The fire fell gently to the water, and a
little to the east.

Mt George Clark, who resides at Isfagdalen Point, 140
yards north of the signal cabin, said he had been much at
sea. On Sunday, Dec. 29, he was on the look-out for the
train. The bridge was a little on his right band. He iaw
the train on the bridge, and noticed its light advancing quite
distinctly. He thought it had Just got into the high girders.
He turned round, whereupon his brother called out from
another room, " Look at the fire." Me instantly
turned back, but could discover no lights. As
the train did not come in he ran up to the observatory on
the top of his house, but could see nothing of the train. Mo
then ran down to Magdalen Point, and there found Mr.
Lawson. There was too much spray from the river to use
the field glasses he had with him. He saw the signalman,
.who told him the train had not arrived. Along
with Mr. Lawson he ran to the station and told
Mr. Smith what they feared, Wits:teas saw the har-
bourmaster, but the wind was so high that it
was impossible for any steamer to go out till nine o'clock.
The wind was down but it was still blowing hard. The
storm came in very heavy squalls every seven, eight, or ten
minutes. In the intervals there was still a very heavy gale
with squalls. He did not remember so heavy a storm in this
country. A typhoon he had seen in China was not any
worse than this.
Mr. Alexander Marshall, un., deposed that he was an
engineer, and lived with his father at Magdalen-green.
On Sunday evening, Dec. 28, there was a storm. The
chandeliers in the rooms shook, and a chimney pot fell.
He saw the train come on the bridge a little after seven
o'clock, but no lights, except the head ones of the
engine. Before it came to the big girder he thought
he saw those lights shaking. About the third or :mudi
girder the lights suddenly disappeared A second or
two after there were three or four flashes. Tnere was
a flash two girders in advance of the place where he
last saw the train. Then there was another flash two
girders further in advance. Then the third and last flash,
the largest of the whole was about two girders length from
the north end of the high girders. The flashes starved from
the bridge and fell eastwards. He could see nothing like a
dark body falling to the water. They noticed the gap in the
bridge without using a telescope. At the time of the flashes
the wind seemed to be at its highest point. There was a
gust immediately afterwards.
By the Court: The flashes occurred during a period of
about fifteen seconds, The intervals were quite distinct,
and the flashes followed each other regularly. He attributed
the flashes to the gas on the bridge. They were too dark in
colour to be simple friction sparks, but the friction might
have ignited the gas.

William A. Clark corroborated his brother's evidence.
Alexander Kennedy, engine•driver, drove a train over the
bridge about five minutes past six. There was nothing
unusual, and the bridge did not oscillate in the least. Ile
was certain he had crossed the bridge in as strong a gale a
that then prevailing, There was nothing out of order, and
the brake was put on near the north end; he did not notice
any sparks, but he had seen some emitted when putting on
the brake. That was a common thing.
_

---
By Colonel Yolland : No fire issued from the wheels; of my
train on the Sunday evening.
By Mr. Barlow: Did not recollect any carriages ever
being blown ov.r by the w
By Colonel Yolland The road was in first-rate order.
Robert Shand, guard of the same train, said he saw sparks
Issue from the carriage wheels. At first he thought that an
axle had broken, and a red lamp was hung out to catch the
attention of We driver, but he did not see it. Sparks also
flashed from all the carriages excepting the brake van. He
afterwards thought that they were caused by the wind
forcing the wheels against the rails. The sparks ceased
when the train reached the distant signal on the north end of
the bridge. He apprehended no danger from the
state of the bridge nor the weather. Never said
that he would not go over the bridge in a storm
for 4500. There was nothing at any time which made him
apprehend danger in going over the bridge. Never beard
any request that passengers should open the carriage
windows when a train passed over the bridge in a storm.
Went to the signal cabin and, trying the communicating
Instruments with the south side, found they were discon-
nected.

By Colonel Yolland : The 'sparks were on the right-hand
side of the train.

By Mr. Barlow: Had never seen sparks from the wheels
m.eier tha,i rirrnmstannes before, but only when the brake
had been applied, and not on the straight ,part or ;no
bridge.
George Murray, inspector of permanent way, examined by
Mr. Traynor, stated that his district extended from Dundee
to Leuchars, and included the bridge. He inspected the
permanent way of the bridge every other day by walking
along and seeing that every bolt and key was tight to the rail,
and that the points at each end were in good order. If he
saw any defect it was remedied at once. He also looked to
the signals He last inspected the bridge on Felday, Dec.
26. Walking across from the south, he found everything
correct. Severe frost was apt to affect the permanent
way, but that was not the case on this occasion, as it had
been good fresh weather for several days. He was sure
everything was in perfect order on Friday. Had more than
once passed over the bridge in a high wind, and never felt it
shake or sway. Never found a difference of itshility between
different parts of the bridge, and never apprehended any
danger. A train had passed him on the bridge in a high
wind, and he felt no vibration.
By Mr. Barlow: Had never noticed any difference in the
expansion Joints in hot and cold weather. It was not his
duty, but 11r. Noble's, to examine the rollers.

Tames Roberts, recalled, deposed that ha had revisited
the bridge since his first examination, and had found the
projecting ends of the rails scarcely so long as on the night
of the accident, but bent down in the same shape.
Captain Scott, captain-superintendent of the Mars training
ship, gave evidence as to the force of the gale, which he said
was au unusually severe one.
Edward Betsworth, gunnery instructor, produced the
Mars' log-book, which oonfirmed the captain's evidence.

gush 111Mahon1 seaman instructor, said the record was
correct.

Admiral William Harlot Maitland Dougall deposed that he
had lived at Scotscraig, on the south side of the river, for
twenty two years. During his service in the navy he had
been all over the world. His house was one mile and
a quarter from the Tay, as the crow files. He remem-
bered the night of December 28, and he remarked
in the afternoon that there had been a rapid fail in
the barometer. Between eleven and four o'clock it had
fallen from 29-40 to about 28 80 That rapid fall led
him to believe there was mischief coming. At four
o'clock there was little wind. At five o'clock the wind
freshened to the westward. At seven o'clock there were
very severe squalls, and between ten and fifteen minutes
past seven there were exceptionally strong squalls, so much
so that he said if these storms became common they would
require typhoon shutters. General Reid, in his law of
storms, put the maximum as one hundred, and he would put
the squalls on the evening at sevsnty-five, and the lulls at
thirty. His trees had been broken and smashed in a manner
that he had never before experien:ed, even in the very
heavy storms on the Tay. At Sandford House six stone
chimneys were blown down, and the stacks in the neigh-
bourhood suffered in a manner he had never known before.
Charles Clark, who kept a private record of the weather
for amusement, gave evidence showing the readings of the
thermometer and barometer on Dec. 28 last.
oe
rpooi soegdi
et.hi a
st
ohcei
ekt eyp. t a
Thew e a tgha el
er
recljorrdWieritthle"lBceoltvitiee'hCMEe"ted
reached the highest point on his register. It was peculiar
for the violence of the gusts and for the concentration of its
force in one direction.

John Jack said that he had been at sea twenty-two years
and was harbour-master at Dundee thirty-two years, retiring
six year ago. He lived at Tayport, and on Sunday, Dec.
27, he had a good view of Vie river from his window. He
never saw such a storm. Every five minutes there were
gusts as it of artillery going off A large piece of lead was
blown off his house, and his Impression was that if the wind
had coatinued another half-hour there would have been no
roof on the house at all.

Charles Wright, captain of the Tay ferry steamer Dandee,
farther described the weather on the afternoon and evening
of Dec. 28 The wind was still strong at a quarlea pe
flue. He had been nearly thirty years at sea, and never saw
worse weather. Squalls were not uncommon on the Tay,
but he had m ver known them so bad.

By Mr. Balfour: Had seen pretty large shipi go under the
bridge. tie never saw a vessel foal the brluge since it had
been put up. .

- -
John Greig, principal keeper of the South Tay lights at
Tayport, HAtd he had been there twenty years. On the even-
tog of the 23th he was at the west tower, and went up to the
light room at seven o'clock. The wind was blowing very
hard cud squally, and witness felt a tremulous motion given
to the tower.

By Mr. Barlow Had only experienced the tremulous
motion once before. That was in a west wind. The whole
fabric shook under his feet. The first time was in 1559, and
he had never felt it since until the Sunday night in
question.
The Rev. George Grubb, St. Paul's Episcopal Chutch,
Dundee Travelled from Newport by the 560 train. Was
surprised he did not feel the effect of the wind on the
briuge to a greater extent. A fellow•passenger opened a
window to the west in order to ascertain what the effect of
that would be. The result was a sensation in the ears like
that given by electric shocks. There was no oscillation of
the bridge felt, or any unusual shaking of the carriage
below. The bridge appeared ;o be very high. The train
reached Dundee at 6.15 p.m.

_
By Mr. Rothery : It was only the electric-ilk° shock
that his attention WAS called to by his fellow-passengers.

Captain Wm Robertson, harbour master, described the
appearance of the bridge when the harbour steamer went
out after the acci lent, and stated what had been since done
by the divers.
James Aloyes, engine inspector, said ha knew the engine
that was lost. Ile examined both it and the tender on
the night before the accident, and they were both in good
order.

Before adjourning, Mr. Rothery Intimated that the Court
would like to view the piers at the north end of the gap,
although they did not know that anything was likely to
turn upon It.
Mr. Balfour assured the Court that if there was any
matter utyla which they desired information the company
would readily supply it. lie asked if the Canrt would like
to see any of the remains, or debris.

Mr. Rothery said they did not care about that at present;
and after some further conversation the Court adjourned
until Tuesday, when evidence was given as to the condition
of the train, and the divers who have explored the wreck
were examined, but nothing very material Was elicited from
them. The Board of Trade is to consider the practicability
of raising the fallen girders by means of pontoons, and
meanwhile the railway company is to obtain by means of
divers what evidence it can as to the condition of the
girders N 0 attempt to blow them up by dynamite is to be
made without the sanction of the Board of Trade. The
Court then adjourned sine die, and it is understood that the
scientific evidence will be taken In London.