"she i§pettator," Allarth 9tb, 1850
THE opening of the first completed tube of the Britannia Bridge, across the Menai Straits, was accomplished with triumphant success on Tuesday morning at dawn. At half-past six, the Cambria, St. David and Pegasus engines were brought up to the Bangor station, harnessed together, mounted by Mr. Robert Stephenson, calm and confident in demeanour and conversation, with a few selected professional assistants and friends, and driven swiftly to the entrance of the bridge-tunnel. Slackening speed as they drew near, the engines stopped entirely at the entrance—as if reflecting on the risk of the experiment ; the decorating flags of all nations drooped motionless for an instant, and as the adventurers bowed a seeming farewell, the immense concourse of spectators was hushed to a breathless silence! The engines advanced at a slow stately pace, and were presently out of sight in the aerial corridor. The train again paused in the centre of the tunnel, each experimenter's eye and ear watching for signs or sounds of danger. The delay heightened the interest felt by the assembled spectators, who had reckoned by intuition the precise instant at which the train should emerge from the other end. When at last the engines did start forth, with flags streaming out cheerily, and engineers holding their hats aloft in the air, a short energetic shout from each shore testified the relieved suspense ; and imme- diately afterwards a general din of sounds and a visible commotion in the crowds, showed that they shared the triumph and excitement of the event.
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