asked what, in such a
case, would become of the cargo astern. To which the witness replied
that it would not be upset. One of the members of the Committee pressed
the witness a little further. He put the following case:--"Suppose, now,
one of these engines to be going along a railroad at the rate of 9 or 10
miles an hour, and that a cow were to stray upon the line and get in the
way of the engine; would not that, think you, be a very awkward
circumstance?" "Yes," replied the witness, with a twinkle in his eye,
"very awkward--_for the coo_!" The honourable member did not proceed
further with his cross-examination; to use a railway phrase, he was
"shunted." Another asked if animals would not be very much frightened by
the engine passing them, especially by the glare of the red-hot chimney?
"But how would they know that it wasn't painted?" said the witness.

On the following day, the engineer was subjected to a very severe
examination. On that part of the scheme with which he was most
practically conversant, his evidence was clear and conclusive. Now, he
had to give evidence on the plans made by his surveyors, and the
estimates which had been founded on such plans. So long as he was
confined to locomotive engines and iron railroads, with the minutest
details of which he was more familiar than any man living, he felt at
home, and in his element. But when the designs of bridges and the cost
of constructing them had to be gone into, the subject being in a great
measure new to him, his evidence was much less satisfactory.

Mr. Alderson cross-examined him at great length on the plans of the
bridges, the tunnels, the crossings of the roads and streets, and the
details of the survey, which, it soon clearly appeared, were in some
respects seriously at fault. It seems that, after the plans had been
deposited, Stephenson found that a much more favourable line might be
made; and he made his estimates accordingly, supposing that Parliament
would not confine the Company to the precise plan which had been
deposited. This was felt to be a serious blot in the parliamentary case,
and one very difficult to be got over.

For three entire days was our engineer subjected to this
cross-examination. He held his ground bravely, and defended the plans
and estimates with remarkable ability and skill; but it was clear they
were imperfect, and the result was on the whole damaging to the measure.

The case of the opponents was next gon