The Express.
London, England, 1847-06-09 00:00:00

THE RIVER DEE.

Mr. GISBORNE;;;hed to put a question to his right
hon. friend, the chief commissioner of railway', on a sub-
ject of great public interest, connected with a new class of
railway accidents which had lately occurred. It related to
an opinion which was stated in the Times newspaper to have
been expressed by Mr. Locke, the engineer, in his evidence
at the coroner's inquest on the persons killed by the falling
of the bridge over the Dee. Mr. Locke was a very
eminent man, who had constructed large works, and his
name was little connected with any failure. He was
stated in the Times to have said:
kr. Oaronor sad Genthmen of the Jury, I believe that meets
blame Ilea at ths doors af the Commbeionen of the Admiralty, the
Board of Trade, and the Ccsamissioners of Railways, who require
taidges to be built with too large a span, to answer their views as to
shipping mad other matters, without at all moultings, the interest or
safety of the public. I wish tide to go forth to the world. I wrote a
letter to the government on the mbiect, and am sorry to say it was
sot attended to.
Having seen that statement in • public newspaper, he
(Mr. Gisberne) had referred it to Mr. Locke, and inquired
if he used the expressions attributed to him. Mr. Locke
had written a letter to him (Mr. Gi•bome). stating exactly
what ha said, which ha had unfortunately left at home Su
vex wadoestood) ; bat ha had since seen Mr. Locke, and im-
easileisly aftammeda mote down what he said to him,
mid& was as !sqtawa
. _

tike—iiireity had cit Trade were 'ettipesed is many
wee le mama owe lathe vereeiremeata of water Ira sal aavlastica
Ilea le the =hay at the yeille. Ivry Is Ore apes
angheeeesame aesemlly elaweelleg avahli Ghia emit ant he
vein tele* oda That lam. lesplanewa, &ask sad lifterelf
aktmeed allot hair be Lard embodying these *alma
to which Mese Oar NOM received say reply.
Mr. Leeks see prepared to support this opinion before
any comedies er eommittee, and he had authorised him
(Mr. Oidesis)_te make this statement to the house.
Mr. sTsurr was muck obliged to his hon. friend for
bringior this question forward, as it gave him an oppor-
tunity of correcting the statement which appeared in the
newspaper. As it appeared, a serious charge was made against
three public boards, that they required bridges to be built of
unnecessary width of space. With regard to the commis-
sioners of railways, on no occasion had they required a
bridge to be built of such a span as to be productive of
danger; and so far from their having received remonstrances
on the subject, no complaint had ever been made to them by
Mr. Locke, or any other engineer, mai there was not the
slightest foundation for such an assertion. In the next
plate,
d with respect to the railway department of the
Booed
of Trade, since his noble friend had given him notice
of his intention to oak this question, he examined the former
proceedings of that depattatent, to see if there was anything
relating to the ailed. Ile bad found a letter on the 'ab-
ject of bridges host Mr. Locke aad other engineer., ad-
dried to Lord Didlunisie ; but that letter did not relate to
the widget of the railway deportment of the Beard of