The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-09 00:00:00

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Captain Leila saris itti woe* paillne them, with
plasma,.
Mr. Meek and Mr. Brownil Bath protested against the
time of parties being wasted in thh way.
The Foreman said be was giving his time, and the jury
thein, without pay, and he thought that was a question for
them. Ile wishod a full inquiry.
Mr. Monk—go do I, into matters connected with this
meident. Bat I never heard a foreman of an inquest make
so many speeches.
The Coroner thought this point bad been pursued far
enough.
The Foreman—Can Captain Laffan go now?
The Coroner—We have occasion for his assistance, and I
think that would be undesirable.
The Foreman—Then will you allow a constable to go and
take charge of them till Captain Laffan can go, so that no-
body may interfere with them.
Mr. Monk—Really, this is—
The Foreman—My motives have been attacked, and I
have been accused of being actuated by hostility. I wish to
show I have grounds for wishing this inquiry to be made.
The Company wished this to go through the press to de-
tract from the foree of any presentment tho jury might
make.

Mr. Monk—The French have a proverb, "gus s'extuee
eaccuse."
The Coroner—Well ; shall we take that down ? (A
laugh.)
Cross-examination by the foreman resumed—l never knew
the speed of an engine reduced so much before. I saw no
one at the entrance of the tunnel when I was coming from
Chester. Had I seen any one there, I should have told him
to caution the engineer of the following train to be careful.
By the Jury I sounded my whistle on going into the
tunnel, but not afterwards, nor did I try to do so. I thought
there probably might be other trains coming from Man-
chester after that following mine. I considered the charge
of giving signals to the trains following rested with the
guard.
By the Coroner—l am aware of the rule 29, that no
engine-driver shall leave the engine or any part of his train
without placing the guard or other proper person at least
600 yards behind the last vehicle, to cause the proper signal
to be nude to prevent other engines from running into it.
When I yyppre the tunnel, or entered it, I did not con-
sider I rtabi amistanee. I considered, from the reduced
ute awed Bun Frodsharn to the tunnel, that I required
additional maistance. lam not aware there is • rule 28, by
which we are required, if we want assistance, to signify it
by the repeated sounding of the whistle. After looking at
the rules, I find there is such a rule. I did not signify the
want of assistance in such a way on the occasion in question.
This rule 28 is merely that when we arrive at a station, and
find the train too heavy, if we know there is an assistant
engine there, to blow the whistle for it. It does not apply,
I consider, to a train on its route along the main line.
By Mr. Monk—When I left Chester I thought the en-
gine sufficiently powerful. Supposing the shower of sleet had
not come on upon leaving Fro&ham, I should have acquired
such a speed as would have enabled me to get up the in-
cline through the tunnel. I attribute the low speed in the
tunnel, therefore, to the fact that I had not been able to ac-
quire sufficient speed before entering. When in the Lon-
don and North Western Company, I was about five months
on passenger trains, and sometimes drove goods trains with
passenger engines.
The inquest was proceeding when our report left.