The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-29 00:00:00

The Chamber of Peers has passed a law, autho-
rising the Bank of France to issue notes as low as 200

The journals and correspondence of Madrid of the
22nd arc occupied almost exclusively in discussions
respecting the differences which continue to be pub-
licly manifested between the Queen and her husband.
No new fact of importance is disclosed by them, but
much and various speculation is given. El Espana
insists that the separation is owing to no domestic
causes, but entirely to the claims of the Ring-consort
to exercise an ibfluenec and power in the government
incompatible with the spirit of the constitution. The
Queen had not yet returned to the capital, but was
expected there on Sunday or Monday. The King
was dill at the Pardo.

GERNIANY.—Pacs,i.t.—BERLIN, MtY 23.—An
meet reoueet was made by the deputies from Posen, in the
guise of t &coed Chamber which took place or the 19th
lag. to obt..in a prolongation of the Whitsuntide holidays,
In order that they might visit their bonus. The pro.
reel was theltred to be inadmissilde. The principal topics
of the day were the right of petition, and the right of
a' dissidents '• and ether religious nonconformists to partici.
pate in leilitical privileges. M. Hamemann made a strong
Aft to move the chamber to petition that the reeep-
doe, by the diet, of all petitior.s (even from out-
door electing") might be made leip rative; but in
vain. A rcqucia for some extension of the very limited right
of petitim was, however, agreed to. The question whether
foreign affairs could b • made subjects of deliberation in the
diet, was met by M. Caniaz, minister for foreign affairs, by
an explanation that as all foreign affairs had of necessity
some bearing upon the interests of the state, they could be
debated as interual affairs. With this the chmber was
satisfied, and the Marshal, with great glee, asnounced
that, in consequence of it, he would refer to com-
mittees some petitions which he had bailors felt
it necessary to reject. The religious toleration nitra-
tion 'raised by a report on some petitions WAS twofold :
whether political privileges ought to Ise conferred irrespective
of religious opinion altogetner ? whether it being assumed
that only christens were entitled to religious privileges,
merely tolerated sect*, es well as those recognised by the
state, 41 relit be allowed to nurticipate in them ? The first
branch had not teen brought to a vote when the clamber
adjourned. M. Von Beekereth eloquently advocated entire
religious freedom. M. Ric:ikons, ministre des etates, advo-
cated the church establishment Mile of the question.
AUSTRIA.—VENICE, 13. —A project on
the part of the Sardiniau government for establishing Tepee.
seatanve states, in imitation of the Prussian institutions, hos
caused greet sinaatioa in Venice. It is said that this will
be a mutual measure between France and the pontifical
government, which, iu order to carry out its work of re-
form, needs the authority of an example from a temporal
power in Italy, which would take the initiative. foe
Grand Duke of Tuseanv will follow the example of the
Sardinian government, which course will inevitably bring
'about a reaction i .tustrian
SWITZERLAND.—GENEVA, MAY 25.—The new
constitution of Geneva, which has emanated from the revo-
lution of hut autumn, was voted on the 21th inst., by a ma-
jority of 5,527 voices, out of a total of 8,693 voters.
RUSSIA.—TR.tDE .IND REVENUE OP 1846.
Favourable circumstances, acid particularly the large export
of corn. rendered the futeem trade of Russia, in 1816. very
active. 1118 details cannot be known with certainty before
the Minister of Finance publishes his annual statistical re-
turns; the statements of merchants, however, show that the
operations of 1846 have been eonsidsrably more extensive
than those of 1815, and that the export values exceed the
import values by about thirteen main:ant of silver rubles.
The custom. revenue, however, owing to tke reduction of
various duties, Las been less in 1545 than in 1815. On the
13th (n. it.) of June, 1846, the duty on flax, hemp, and
tallow, exported to Europe, was lowered by one half, and
that on bones entirely abolished. The crown revenue from
these articles fell off 647,877 rab!ei, in 1348. The import
duty on several foreign goods wa. reduced at the some time,
and the diminution of income on them amounted to 606,850
rubles. The ukase of lot August (n. st.) reduced the cus-
toms cloy levied at Kiachea on common black tea from 60
to 40 kopeks (silver money) Os- pounce; and raised the duty
on black flowery tea (Blumenthee), and green tes from
60 to 80 kopelu the pound ; as. however, the quantity of
ordinary tea consumed far exceeds feat of the finer sorts, the
consequence has been a falling off of 315,618 rubles in the
revenue fr -m tea. The total diminution in the revenue of
1816, attributable to these alterations is the tariff, is
1,570.315 rubles. The t eel actual reduction in the revenue
Of 1846, as compared with that of 1815, however (owing to
compensating causes), does not exceed 202,03 U rubles 28
kopeks. The revenue of 1816 from customs dues and similar
sources, amounted to:—Customs duties, 30,201,731 r. 28k
excise on the wilt of the Crimea, 266,60.9 r. 95k. ; tax on
shops and warehouses, 233,2'18r. 69k. ; tax for the Neva
bridge and improvements in various towns, 1,051,430 r. 93k.:
in all. 31,758,052 r. 77k. The aggregate return from these
items in 1815 amounted to 31,9.38,083 r. sk. At the expense
of this very 'alight diminution of income, the foreign trade
of Russia has been materially benefited by the reductions in
the tariff effected in June, 1816. Notwithstanding the in
creased prices of flax, hemp, and tallow, at the seaports and
in the markets of the interior, the export of these articles
has been facilitated by the reduced duties, and the tee
trade in ordinary sorts at Kiachta has also been promoted by
the lowering of the duty.

AMMUNITION FOR LISHON.—The Geyser steamer
haring received on bard a large quantity of ammunition.
shell', and stores for the squadron is the Tagus, sailed last
night for Lisbon.

Z'br Tourt.

The Queen gave a concert last evening, at Bucking-
ham Palace. The company began to arrive at nine o'clock,
and were ushered up the Grand Staircase into the Green
Drawing-room and Picture Gallery. Her Majesty In
Queen Dowager, their R.R.H.H. the Duchess of Kent, the
Duchess of Gloucester, the Duchess of Cambridge,
sad Prince George, alighted at the grand en-
trance. Her Mejesty the Queen Dowager was accom-
panied by their R.R.H.H. the Hereditary Grand
Duke and Grand Duchess Saxe Weimar, and h.,
Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar.
H.R.H. Prince Albert received tho Queen Dowager in the
Sculpture-gallery, and conducted her Majesty to the Yellow
Drawing.room, where the Queen received her august Win-
ton. Shortly before 10 o'clock the Queen and Prince Albert,
accompanied by the Queen D 'wager, the Duchess of Kent.
the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duchess of Cambridge and
Prince George, the Grand Duke Constantine, the Heredi-
tary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess and Prince Edward of
SaleWeimeir the l'rinoe of Lucca, and the Prince of Lein.
ingen left the Yellow Drawing.ronn, attended by the Isrli.e
and gentlemen of the household in waiting, and entered the
Grand Saloon, preceded by the Lord Chamberlain and the
Lord Steward. The general company followed from the
Picture.gallery. The Royal and distinguished circle being
seated in the Saloon, which had been prepared for music, the
concert commenced,

The following Was the programme of the concert :
PASTE PALMA.
Qtd.,,AtA. "M scrivermi ognl giorno," Mad. Grid e
Mae. Alhord, Signori Mario, Tacohurini e Lablache
(fhei inn tune) Mmart.
Ana " Coo vorgin,' Sig. Gardoni (•' La Vavorita") . Donizrtti.
• "Ps, PI). Signori Tamburtni e Labia:be (Crania-
trid Tillene).
Melodic," Ave Maria," Mdlle. Lind
Pnittik., A. e. I u t, Mad. Grid e Mille. Alboni,
stoori Mario e Labia:be
Art.." in qrto aemplice," Mdlle. Allred (Betty) ~ . Dmizetti.
(Marietta Peirce in °gni tm " Mlles. Lind c
Alkali, signori Gudoni e I err udigl (Chinas
Panne Literate) Righini.
PANTS SrAVINDA.
" Penal e guarda" *pre Tambutild. fletT
Staudigi, e Signor LaMothe (Ilargerita Anjou Meyerbeer.
• " della pee," MaderOche (" Merlin
di Conan.")
Ono, " On coures.votas r` retitle. Lind • Signer Mario
Husruennts)
Led, " Wer reitet eo spit, Herr handle (Der Eel
hang)
• " Men per mis manner*. Madero Oriel e
Madlle. Al(Cher Ladra)
Bowan,. " throat reartra," Signor Marto (Ord* •
(arra)
Settlmino; " Fended via di qua," Tuttl Martini.
Mr. M. Cora prtsidtd at the plandorte
Refreshments watt served to the company during the
evening in the Green Drawing-room. A sumptuous supper
was afterwa-de served in the -State Dinner-room. The fol-
lowing had the honour of receiving imitations 7
The Grand Duke Constantine, the Hereditary Orand Duke and
Grand Duette... of Sane Weimar, the Prince of I. Viee.Admiral
Lake, Lc Courtlier d'Etat Ileurowix, Baron Freedelasae, Counter
Cl Marburg, Count de Beust, Baron Margolin Peoyetuall.
the Art: an Ambassador and Counter Merienirrh, Berm Koller,
Count A. Potoeki, the Belgian Mille nil liagemee Vas de
Weyer ; the Portuguese Minister and Itme/Seil d ihnerwe; Y de
Mores Sarmento; Duke de Palmas, the Amgen 111sieter, the
American Minister and Mr. Bassaril. the Spanish Mister, the
Swedish Charge d'Affaires and lesnetess tle Iteha the Turkish
Minider and Means Cellimakl, fY Wiertemberg MLister, the
Bavarian Minister and Barmier de Cr* the Brariban Minister and
Madame Marquees Urn, the Dsu Minister and Counter
de Reventlow, Counter Iliirla de Reventlow' the French
Minister and Counter de Janie, the Mexican Minister,
the tianoverian Minister, the Netherlands Minister. hi. Be-
rem Uighur Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, his Serene
Highness Prince Lowenstein, the Prussian Minister. and Madame
Bond'. ; Mademoiselle Bunsen ; the Peruvian Minister and Medsme
!unman' ; the kkrian Minister and Bruner de Brunnow ;
U.knanselle Olga de ',echoer, the Sariltnian Minister, the Soarer
!heater and Baroness de Bert, the Sicilian Minister, Prince end
Primed P. Leichtendein, M. de Lonsonoentr; the Archbi hops of
Canterbury, Turk, and Armagh; the Lord Chanoellor, the Right lion.
the Speaker of the Home of Com none, and a very large circle of nobi-
lity sad p nt)7,
- •

•
Prince Albert presided yesterday morning at a
meeting at the office of the Duchy of Cornwall, in Somerset-
house. H.R.H. Prince Albert presided yesterday afternoon
at a committee meeting of the Commissioners for promoting
and encouraging the tine sets in the rebuilding the Palace
of Westminster. His Royal highness arrived at the Palace I
shortly before three o'clock. The Commissioners present
were the Marquis of Lansidoene, the Ran of Aberdeen, Sir
B.H. Inglis, Idr. Wyse, and Mr. Hallam. The secretary,
Mr. Eastlake, was in attendance. The meeting broke up at
half-past Rye o'clock, when Prince Albert took hied. parlors.
The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Prince ef Wolis, the Princess Royal, and the Prince of
Leiningen, took an airing yesterday in an open barouche
and four.

H.R.H. the Duchees of Kent visited the Queen and
Print... Albert yesterday.
P. ince Albert, attended by Lieut.-Col. the
Hon. C. B. Pnippe and Captain the Hon. A. H. Gordon,
the ?melon:Ka in Hyde Park yesterday morning.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert inspected the
Royal Ascot Cup, submitted by Mr. Garrard. The form of
the Tam is globular, with the arms of her Majesty and the
Prince ; the handles being formed by the heads of toe royal
supporters. The cup was afterwards submitted to the Queen
Dowager, the Grand Duke Constantine of RUMia, end the
Prince of LeMing,n.

A deputation from the town of Windsor had an
interview with Lord Morpeth. yesterday, at the office of
the Woods and Forests. The governor of the Gambia had
en interview with Earl Grey yesterday, at the Colonial
Office. A deputation from the committee of rate-payers
of the county of Warwick, accompanied by Mr.
Newdegate, M.P., and Mr. Dugdale, had an interview with
Sir George Grey, yesterday, at the liome•otßee. Mr. Hud-
son and Mr. Gray, secretary to the York and North Midland
Railway, had en interview with Mr. Strutt, at the office of
the Railway Commissioners, Great George-street, on Than-
day. Earl Waldegrave and Sir Thomas Tancred had inter-
views yesterday with Earl Grey at the Colonisl-office. Mr.
Higham, Secretary and Comptrollevtieneral to the Commis-
sioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, bad en in-
terview with tbe Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at
his official residence in Downing-street. Mr. Paulson, M.P.,
had an interview with Lord J. Russell yesterday, at his offi-
cial residence in Downing-street.

The Queen Dowager will give a grand concert
at Marlborough House, nn the 9th of the ensuing month.
The concert will he pree aded by a splendid bangin.t, at which
the Queen and the Prince Consort, the Grenu Duke Con-
stantine of Russia, the hereditary Prince of Lucca, and the
hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Saxe Weimar,
are to be present.

(From lam night's Gazelle.)
WAR-OFFICE, May 28.
18th LI-DMlL—QuerLonea. 0. Rooter to be payroas., rice
dec.

itll
P.—Lieut. W.J. Mere, treat nth P., to be lieut., vice
who exch.

71Otx.ZLent. R. W. Smith to be mpt., by pur., vice shum, who
rot ; lbw T. W. R. Coventry to be lieut., by pur. ; J. D. IL Lewin to
be without pur., vino Morel., app. quart.-u.; Ent. T. Morris to
be quart.-roae., rue J. Ward, who ret. on b..p.
59th Y.—Lieut. J. King, from nth F., to be Lieut., vice Hoare, who
exch.. _ _

P.—Quartma,....Serg. It. Power to bo quartnrai., vice J.
Brannan, who ra. on h.-p.
vt P.-31. Hanky to be ems, without par., eke Colthurst, who
?emir.
82nd P.—Bra. mod Adjt. H. Efate to have the rant of lieut.; Ens.
O. Site to be lieut., without pur., vice Elliott, Ike. ; Cii.our-Serf. 7.
Smith to be ens.

871.LIiievi Maier J. Campbell to be major, without par., vice Y.
11. Kobe, who rot. on h.-p. ; laeut. 11. J. Joon, ey to b• capt.; Pec.
Lieut. It.. T. King to be firm lieut. ; J. Torey to he sec. IWut.
lot W. L Km:L-Bmq. 11. H. Searle, from 24th Y., to be cos., by
poor., rice blurted, who rot.
bran.—Major V. H. Robe, 87th V., to be dep. quarterroaa...gen. to
the troops remelt at the Mauritius, with r.4.1k of limit .oul. in the
army, rice Major-Urn. W. Stareley.
Mrsonawma.—The Christian names of Ens. Gardiner, 40th P., are
Thomas George, not Thom. William, at previously stated.

PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM
NAVIGATION COMPANY.

The thirteenth of this com-
pany was held yesterday at the others in St. Mary-axe, when
there was a numerous attendance of proprietor, Sir John
Camubell presided. Mr. Howell, the assistant secretary,
read the usual report of the directors, of which the follow.
ing is an abstract :
Since the law meeting of proprietor, the following resets hare
been despatched by the directors to India and China. viz., the Dad-
dington, 1,617 tons and 300-ha se power; Pekin, 1,18! t., p. •
P uttinger, 1,401 t., 500-h. p. The directors Mend to follow up these
arrangements be pl icing two rulditienal vessels In the Ind-.an meas.
And for this object they hove mate contracts with Mesas. Pitcher
r two timber-shipe of 1,205 tone each, and engine. by Mess.
Slitter, limed:dd. and Co., of 420.herse power each. Moons. White, of
Cowes, ate also building for the company nue vowel of 3d) tons, to be
fitted with engines of 30-horse power. In addition to the foregoing,
the following vessels were in course of completion, and would be
added to the company's fleet this year, viz., the Indus 1,220 tons
SOU-hose power, ready for tea June, 1017 ; Trafalgar, 1.000 t., 400-h.
p., ready for Pea July, la V 7; another ship, 1,040 t., 400. h. p., ready for
cev Oet , 1617 . • and another, 1,220 t., 500th. p., ready for rea Dee., 1947.
The direstorshave reduced the tares between 7outhamplant and India
10 per cent; and altheugh this may at first Call, some diminution in
the amount of the company's receipts on that line, yet the director.
felt confident that, ultimately, it will be tound beneficial to the inte-
rests of the eetablishmetit The directors, since the last meeting of
proprietors, had earned out the intention of having a branch of the
Landers castle ishment appropriated to th, special purpose of receiving
parcels for India di re‘t from the pinks forwarding them, thus reit-
ing any intermediate agency unnecessary. line plan has been in
operation for some months, and has been found not only benelleinl to
the public, but also alvantag. ones to the company, by eetabliebirg
an efficient check uponthe mode in which the budnere has
hien naiducted. It bas come to the knowledge of the Directors
that, in more than one ease, in the comae of this year, peckeges
continuing specie have been shipped with an Incorrect dscription of
the contents; the company hare thus been deprived of their regular
rates of freight fur bullion, and even the owners of the property have
been ignorant of such a system being adopted. The measures which
the directors have taken to establish a branch department for this
traffic will therefore appear to have bees calico fur on those emu.ds
alone without reference to the general aceimmodation and additional
security whidk it has afforded to the public at Liege. A favourable
opportunity having, effered for the eale of the eompany's Seams the
Royal Tar, on advantage*us terms to the coramny, the directors
mailed themselves of it, ant that vessel's place would be supplied by •
more efficient steam ship. The directorecoutinued to keep up the plan
of insuring a certain proportion of the company's floating property.
The amount which has been, from time to time, evened out of
tradiog profits., to create an ineurunce fund, left a balance to the
credit of that account of 118,0001. In the ease at the unfortunate
wreck of the Tiber, on the 21st of February, in a fog, oN
Oporto Flirt the ship was covered to the extent of 20,0001.,
and the original cost was only 23,6001. The directors hav-
ing been repeatedly urged to establish • communication with the
colonies in Australia, by means of steam navigation. have given that
oubject their attentive consideration. They have evileeted a variety
of detailed information relative to the trail.% literate to guide them us
to the ter,ms on which the company can undertake to establish such
a communication under a mail contract, and had placed themselves in
tee mannication with the f orals of the Treseury, intimating the willing.
two of this company to tender for the eery'er whenever their lordship"
may determine as establishing it. This communication has met with
their lordship's' approval, and they have further give n their official sane- !
i lion to the Merest • e of the °timothy's capital to the extant in 500,000 f,
The directors contemplated ismmg shares to reyresent tine additional
capital in the &mese of the present year, calling it up by instalments
as it may be required, and by allotting ihe new charm at par to the
thee existing sharehoklers, to give them the benefit of the premium.
Foe directors were enabled to state that the c impany's resorts con-
tinued to be kept in the highest state of working efficiency. They re-
commended that • divalentl of four per cent. nut if the P.M. for the
n.e months ending 31st of March, 1017, be declared (free of Income
taxi, and that the same be p dyable on and after the 23rd of June next.
After a few words from the chairman,
Sir B. MACNAMARA. moved, and Major HISLOP
seconded the motion for the adoption of the report, which
w. is carried unanimously ' • and the dividend was also agreed
lit on the motion of Mr. J. Miachin, seconded by Mr. T. D.
Edwards.
The CHAIRMAN then, in answer to several questions,
-tats d that the proposed new shares would be of the usual
value of 500/., but the directors had not determined on the
ratio at which they would be issued ; neither had they de-
cided, for certain, as to the precise period at which that issue
we.uld take place, but would be able to ascertain in a month
or two. Their present intention was to issue a part of them
about the month of October, when the old shares would be
all paid up, reserving the remainder fur any contingency
which might arise.
Mr. BENION begged to urge on the attention of the
directors the publication of the deed of the company, and
the completion of the number of the board to sixteen, both
of which objects be considered highly desirable, believing
with regard to the latter, that the accession to the board of
gentlemen who had been long resident in the East, would
conduce considerably to the prosperity of the company.
The CHAIRMAN answered that the publication of the deed
was not deemed advisable, nor was it pursued by any com-
pany. The charter, however, was published, and any pro-
prietor could have a copy of it. The addition to the number
of directors was a point in contemplation by the board ; he
thought, however, that the proprietors would be astonished to
hear that however deeply int-rested the China and India
community ought to be in the welfare of the company, they
(the propnetors) had never received sufficient income from
those countries to construct one vessel. In fact, Ireland had
furnished nearly three-fourths of the capital of the concern.
There had been shares taken in India and China to be sure,
but a large number had never been paid upon.
Mr. BENSON then made some observations with regard to
the accounts of the company, the non-publication of which
he deprecated, as preventing the proprietors from ascertain-
ing with any certainty their true position.
The CHAIRMAN said that the books and documents were
open to the inspection of every proprietor at the annual
meetings, and he believed that Mr. Benson had availed him-
self of that circumstance on the last occasion. But while
t • ey invited the proprietors to examine these documents, the
directors considered that their publication would be inju-
dicious.
•

Mr. This/sox:in the course of some further observations
reiterating his dissatisfaction on the subject, observed that
he had not a doubt but that, instead of the present amount,
a ten per cent. dividend might be declared if the accounts
were properly looked into. :The opinion was received with
considerable disapprobation.
A conversation followed, arising out of some observations
made by a proprietor with reference to the non payment
upon shares by parties in India and China, the neglect being
in his opinion caused by the want of that information which
should be furnished by the company in London.
Mr. CARLTON, S director, observed that it was impossible
to obtain the directions of so large a number of persons
scattered over the whole of India. In answer to a proprietor
who suggested some improvements in the carriages used
in crossing the desert, the chairman stated that the com-
pany had no roles in the arrangements for that transit, the
Egyptian government having taken it oat of their hands.
Mr. IticniiansoN then proceeded to complain of the in.
crease of charge which h►d recently been made by the com-
pany for the transmission of small parcels, being no less than
100 per cent.
r Captain BARBER denied that the present charge was too
great, being as it was lower than any other company ; for
they only charged 11. for the conveyance of one cubic foot
weighing 201 b., while 30s. was charged by other companies.
Alter some further conversation on the subject, leading to
no result, Mr. BENISON proposed a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors, for the efficient manner in which
they had discharged the duties entrusted to them.—The
CHAIRMAN briefly acknowledged the compliment, and the
meeting separated.

THE FALLING OF THE DEF: SUSPENSION
SRI IJG E.—INQUEST.
Yesterday, at Cheater, the inquest (opened on
Tuesday) wu resumed. Sir E. Walker was chairman of
the jury. The unt:rtunate sufferers, the subject of inquiry,
were Mr. John Matthews, a passenger, of Llangollen; Mr.
Charles Nevitt, passenger, of Wrexham ; Mr. Isaac Jones,
Wednesday
of Wrexham (who died in the Infirmary on
Wednesday afternoon, and since the last meeting of the
jury): George Roberta, guard, and 'Vhomu Anderson,
stoker. The Exchange room was densely crowded during
the investigation. Mr. Robert Stephenson the engineer,
Mr. Lee, Mr. Tyrrell, the solicitor, and Mr. Mowatt ap-
peared to represent the Chester 11Aut Holyhead 14.d1way

Camping. Many other eminent engineers and scientific
gentlemen were present.
Previous to calling of witnesses, Sir E. S. Welker, on be-
half of the jury, begged that the stone on which the broken
girder rested on the Saltney aide be cleared of the soil
which covered it, with a view of satisfying themselves as
to the support it afforded. On one aide of the bridge the
Seder had tors away the stone, on the other it still rested on
it. It was the latter the jury wished to have inspected. Mr.
Tyrrell, on the part of the company, said such should be
done.

James Clayton was then called, and said : I am an engine-
driver in the service of the Chester and Holyhead Railway
Company, anti had charge of the engine of the train that
met with the accident on the 24th of May. It was the
quarter put six o'elock passenger train, from Chester, con-
noting of three carriages, but I am unable to give their de-
scription. My stoker's name was Thomu Anderson, he was
on the tender. Amongst the passengers by the train I re-
collect seeing Matthews. He was with the guard in the
luggage van.—Coroner : Will you tell the jury how the led-
, dent happened, to the best of your recollection )—Witness
We were going at a speed of about fifteen to twenty mile*
an hour, oys r the Roode viaduct, and panel over two
arches of the Dee bridge without noticing anything
unusual, hut on reaching the third, I felt a sinking. Fearing
something had given way, I gave the engine all the steam 1
could, which roused her to jump up, and break away from
the tender. I then saw Anderson was on the tender; he
was standing on the off side; hut in a moment or two he was
thrown off the engine, and his head fell on the rails at the
spot which the jury had viewed. As soon as I could stop the
engine, I looked back and wondered what hod become of the '
train, but supposing the bridge had fallen in, I pnifeeded to
the Saltney Junction, where I beckoned some plate-lasers
who were laming work. I could not tell them what had
taken place, for I did net exactly know. They all made as
much haste as possible to the spot, and sa soon as I could get
my engine on the down line, I returned to the bridge; I
then discovered that the bridee had given way, and the whole
train had been precipitated into the river, and partly on to
the bank. The plate-layers were getting the passengers out
of the water as far as they possibly could, I saw my stoker
lying on the road quite dead. I do not know the preciie
depth of the bridge.
Thomas Frith, an Entelligent youth, said. I am engaged in
the Chester town-clerk's office. On the 24th of May, I was '
fishing on the weir on the Saltr,ey side of the river Dee,
within 100 yards of the railwarbridge. I saw the train
approach, but did not take any particular notice of it until it
came on to the bridge, when it made a peculiar noise. I
turned round, and caw it *as passing on to the lest arch, aad
was alarmed by a tremendous crash. A large piece of iron
girder fell from the middle buttress, and immediately the
train descended amidst a heap of stone and rubbish. The
carriages did not fell on the top of each other. The last
carriage fell in the river, the others were on the bank. On
going to the spot, I found a number of persons 1. ing about
the broken carriages with stones and girders lying on them.
Cannot say how many were dead.—Coroner: Were you
under the bridge before it give way that day ?—Witness
Yes, I was standing under the arch on the Rorie side, and
noticed one of the iron girders bend as a train was going
over—Coroner: Explain to the jury which of the girders
you saw bend.—Witness : It was the one that I saw break in
and let the train into the river.
Two fishermen proved the rescue of some passengers from
the river Dee, into which they hail fallen with the carriages.
The Coroner said the next witness on his list was General
Pule's, and inquired of the summoning officer if he was
present. The officer replied that he was not; he had been
unable to serve him with a summons. The coroner remarked
to the jury, that hearing yesterday the general was at
Chester, and had surveyed the bridge, he had sent the
officer with a summons, requesting his attendance before
them. The officer stated that when he reached the hotel
where he had been staving, he was informed that he had
I left for London.—Sir E. Walker then said he would de-
-1 mend hie presence. They were engaged in an inquiry that
was of the greatest moment to the public, nay, the whole
word. Being known personally to Mr. Strum, of the rail-
way board, he had communicated with that gentleman on
the subject, a step which be deemed very necessary when
so melancholy a catastrophe happened at a period when
bridges of a somewhat new description were being thrown
over the Menai Straits and the Conway. Mr. Strutt had
favoured him with an answer, and he would read an extract
of it to the jury:
Railway Board, June 97, Id-U.—Dyer Sir,-1 received your letter
this morning, and I ma amine you that the 00MILli.i0,-fre of rail-
ways will be 1U21101.1.4 to aford every ordinance in their power for the
investigation of the enu‘s of this terrible accident, which ban occurred
near Chester.' Yesterday morning, as soon as we heard of the acci-
dent, we appointed one of our Inepectom Copt. Simmons, ILL, to
proceed t i the dad for the purpose of making inquiries and reporting
on the subject. This morning, after considering your letter, we have
determined that it will be desirable to appoint with Capt. Simmons,
an eminent civil engineer, and we have selected for this purpose Mr.
Walker, who Ls an engineer of great ability and experience, and who
is at present totally unconnected with railway companies. Mr.
Walker is at present ow of town, but he is expected at home this
evening, and we have requested him to lose no time in proceeding
to the spot, and also to give his assistance at the inquiry loetore the
coroner. We aim, yesterday, communicated with the Admiralty on
the sane aubject, and I believe that it la the intention of this depart-
ment to send down some of their officars.—l am, ho., E. SrerTr.
Mr. Thomas Alfred Yarrow, who was selected by the
coroner and jury to examine the bridge, was next called. He
had inspected the bridge and the materials of which it had
been constructed. He said, after careful consideration, I
concluded that the send. nt did not arise from the hr. asking
of the girder as a primary cause, and 1, therefore, directed my
attention to-the state of the masonry, and to a consideration
of its sustaining power. Having carefully examined all the
displaced stones and their respective beds, I found that one
forming the acute angle of the river pier, and upon which
one end of the broken girder rested, to be totally inadequate
in its form and bearing surface, to its important situation.
This stone had sustained nearly three-quarters of that por-
tion of the flaoge of the girder which rested upon the
piece. The area of its lower surface is 24 feet 6 inches,
of which 11 feet 6 inches only was bedded on the
pier, leaving 13 feet to overhang as a cornice. The
stone was not connected by cramps or ties with the adjoining
masonry of the pier. The railway over the whole bridge is
curved, the broken girder supporting the outer side, and
being subject to a greater lateral forte than the girders forming
the ineideradius of the curve. 'consider that this lateral force
acting during the passage of each train, must have so far
loosened the inefficient masonry as to cause a displacement
of the girder itself, and its consequent fracture.—By the
coroner: If I had had the management of the bridge, I
certainly should have had a greater strength of masonry
round the girder. Considerable vibration would be likely
to disturb the masonry. I tried the deflexion of the arch
opposite the third one. Had an engine and loaded ballast
waggons, in weight about 50 tons, pass over it, and the
deflexion was about an inch and a third.
Some other witnesses having been examined, one of whom
said that before the accident the bridge was generally noon n
of as unsafe. Mr. Tyrrell observed that Mr. R. Stephenson
was ready to give the fullest information respecting the
bridge, but he would put it to the jury whether they had not
better hear the opinion of the government officers first, as,
no doubt, some explanatory questions would be put to Dlr.
Stephenson.—The Coroner said that the CAMS of Major
Foster, a government officer present, had been handed to
him.—Major Foster remarked that he certainly did attend
for the admiralty, but he came to glean information, and he
was not prepared to give any. Mr. Walker would be sent
down to report on the construction of the bridge.--After con-
siderable discussion the jury agreed to postpone the taking of
Mr. Stephenson's evidence until the government officers had
given their opinion as to the cause of the accident. At five
o'clock the proceedings were adjourned, the coroner being
directed to summon General Paisley and the other inepectors.