The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-20 00:00:00

.Tarot—lt appears tube a very daog•roua practice.

The Coroner—Yes, especially is; a tunnel, Ashere there are
so weaned asgoalliog. It is bad enough when it has to be
dose su the of en line. There ought to be a stoppage of
the but altogether until it was prououoced safe.
Witness—We always fiod the usacbitery sufficieet to
produce sedate. We hate many times done this eott of tbiog,
and !Live succeeded in keeping the trains back. The toacbs.
eery of the signals is beautifully arrow/ed, but occasionally
human agency fails no doubt. . . . . . .

?be Coroner—This is an act not of omission, but actual
commission, for be ectwaly Airmen.] the tram to come on.
Witneee— Yes, by error, by mistrke.

In answer to further nnettions.
31r. Chapman stated that all unusual delays were invest'•
gated at the Lead office. and the drivers and 'wads of the
train examined, after which a caution was sent out to the
diderent stations where necessary. lie also said that the

engines were inspected daily by the drivers, and any defects
report.A. lie should uy that the cause of the swppao in
this case was want of power.
By a Juror—They would not even in the daytime, on
the open line, have run back to the station, for it was
against all rules tubed, a train on the same line. The tunnel
was walked through and examined every day by the gauger.
Mr. dame, Jams Cudworth, of Ashford, locomotive en•
gineer to the conipacy, said-1 know the engine attached to
the ballast train. It was built in 1151 by Robt. Stephenson
and Co. It is one of the largest ergines we have. the I.t-inch
cylinder sad all the wheels coupled. On that line 120 tons
would be a proper load for it. 1 account for the failure
from the rails in the tunnel being slippery. It had wore
than sufficient power in itself, but it could rot make use of
its power. I Lave received no complaint of its Lein( out
of order. The engine driver makes • report as to the effi-
ciency of the engine every day. The inspection is made
day before they go out. The engine drivels never go
out with crippled engine*.
By theJnry--If the train had been ball the b ncth it was,
the engine to add no doubt have taken it through tho tunnel.
The engine wheels turned round; it had so much power that
it made the wheels slip.
Thos. Dowsett, the engine-driver,waa re-called, and stated
that after the collision he discovered that the pumps of the
engine we:, out of order; they had been several times
looked to, but they were not right even now. lie was
asked whether be could take a train to Loudon, and he
could not oil account of the state of the pumps. lie had
gone beck into the tunnel several times before he discovered
that the pumps were defective.
Mr. Woollet, on the part of Jones, the signal man. said
that he wva quite willing to come forward sad state all he
knew about the matter, but
The Coroner said that as it was desirable to have all the
witnesses they could first, he would lather cranium the
breaksman Randall, who was at present in the hospital,
before Jr nes made any statement. The inquiry roust be
I first thoroughly exhimsted, and then if he chose to volunteer
anything he could.
It was then arranged, after some conversation, that the
inquiry should he adjourned till Thursday, the 20th, by
which time it WA hoped that Randall would have recovered
eutliciectly to eaabletim to give his widow,.