The East Indian Railway Company requires tenders for the supply of twenty-five locomotive engines, each engine to have inside cylinders, 18in. Diameter and 24in. Stroke, and six wheels 5ft. Diameter, all coupled; wheel base 15ft, gauge 5ft 6in. (indent 48).

(1) The work comprised in this specification consists of twenty-five locomotive engines without tenders, suited to the 5ft. 6in. Gauge. The engines are to be built in general accordance with the drawings marked 1960, numbers 1 to 148, which are exhibited with this specification subject to such alterations as are named in this specification, or may be directed subsequently by the companys engineer. The contractor whose tender is accepted must make his own copy of the drawings, and must prepare, at his own cost, from them, from the specification, and from the instructions of the company's engineer, a complete set of detail drawings, which are to be in every respect as shall be approved be the company's engineer. The contractor is to be entirely responsible for the efficiency of the engines in all respects, not withstanding any approval which the company's engineer may have given of the detail drawings prepared by the contractor; and the company do not guarantee the accuracy of the drawings exhibited.

(2) The general dimensions and capacity of the engines are as follows;

Engines

Diameter of cylinder …................................. 18in

Length of stroke …........................................24in

Diameter of wheels …................................... 5ft. 1/2in

Total wheel base …....................................... 15ft

Working steam pressure, per square inch …... 140 lb

External heating surface of tubes, not less than .. 1146sq. ft.

Heating surface of fire-box, not less than …....... 1115sq. ft.

Grate surface …............................................... 191/2 sq. ft.

(3) Materials - The whole of the boiler plates which are flanged or otherwise worked in the fire, the rivets used in the boilers, and also all other parts specially mentioned in the specification must be of Lowmoor iron, supplied be the Lowmoor Iron Company. The remainder of the plates angle irons, bars, and rivets to be used in those engines, except in the platforms, tanks, smoke-boxes chimneys, ash-pan, clothing, awnings, fire doors, buffer, and framing plates are to be of Lowmoor Bowling, Farnley, or Taylor Brothers best quality of iron obtained from the makers. Frame plates are to be of Yorkshire quality, made by Messrs Cammell, Messrs, Sir T. Brown and Co, or the Park Gate Iron Company, or makers of equal character in the opinion of the company's engineer. All other plates and all angle irons must be of best best, made by some manufacturer approved be the company's engineer, unless other wise specified. All plates and angle irons are to be legibly marked with the makers name and brand, which are to be so placed that they can be seen when the part of the engines in which it is used is finished. The cast iron used in all articles having working surfaces is to be made from cold blast pig iron, and must be close-grained, hard, tough, and perfectly free from all defects and blemishes. The india-rubber is to be of the best quality, obtained from a maker approved of by the company's engineer. The names of the makers from which it is proposed to obtain the copper plates, copper and brass tubing, steel, and all other materials, are to be submitted to the company's engineer, and must be approved by him before the orders for the materials are arranged. Where brass is not otherwise specified, it must be good tough metal. Gun-metal is to be composed five parts copper and one part tin. All steel used in this contract is to be made of Swedish iron, of high quality, approved by the company's engineer, properly converted in this country by cementation, and then cast in small crucibles, unless other steel be specially mentioned. The company's engineer is to have power to adopt any means he may think advisable in order to satisfy himself that the kinds of materials specified are actually used throughout the contract.

(4) Boiler Barrel - The barrel of the boiler is to be made of two 7/16in and one 1/2in. Plates, in three rings, each of one plate, arranged telescopically, the least diameter being 4ft. 3in. The vertical seams are to be lap-jointed and single rivetted, 21/2in, lap, 13/4in, pitch of rivets, and 3/4in, diameter of rivets. The longitudinal seams are to be jointed and double rivetted, with inside and outside butt strips, 71/4in, wide by 3/8in thick. The butt strips are to be so rolled that the fibre of the iron may be in the same direction as in the plates they connect. The joint of the middle plate will be welded under the dome, and the inside strip must be carried round the opening to the edges of the plates, and be 1/2in, thick; the joints of the other rings must be above the water level. The front tube plate is to be 7/8in thick, flanged forward to carry the smoke-box, and secured to the boiler barrel by an angle-iron ring, bored, faced, and turned on the edges. When finished this angle-iron ring must be nowhere less than ½ 1/6in, thick, and it must be zigzag rivetted to the barrel, but single rivetted to the tube plate. A wrought iron ring, 2ft. Inside diameter, made of one plate 5/8in, thick,welded and flanged, is to be rivetted to the middle plate of the boiler barrel. A dome of the same diameter, and made in the same way of 5/8in, plate, having corresponding flange, is to be bolted to the upper flange of the ring. The meeting flanges of ring and dome must be turned all over, and the joint scraped perfectly true, and when finished they must be each 1in thick. The joint must be held by 7/8in. Bolts at not more than 21/2in. Pitch. Suitable wash-out plugs are to be inserted in the smoke-box tube plate, fire-box shell, and in any other place they are required.

(5) Mud Collector - A hole not larger than 6in. Diameter is to be cut at the bottom of the middle ring of the boiler barrel, over which a wrought iron ring flanged at each edge is to be rivetted. The flange on the boiler must be not less than 2 3/4in. Wide be 9/16in. Thick. On this ring a wrought iron cover is to be bolted. The ring and cover are to be turned and faced to make the joint and the cover is to be fitted with a gland cock worked from the footplate, and a copper discharge pipe carried out to the front of the cylinder. - (6) The fire-box casing is to be raised above the level of the top of the barrel. The top and sides of the fire-box casing are to be made in one plate 1/2in. Thick. The front plate is to be 3/8in. Thick, and back plate 1/2in. Thick. The front plate is to be flanged and double rivetted to the boiler barrel and to the fire-box casing. The back plate is to be flanged all round, and double rivetted to the side plates.

(7) Safety Valves - A hole not larger than 1ft. 11/2in. In diameter is to be made in the top of the fire-box casing, over which a wrought iron ring is to be rivetted. The upper face of the ring is to be turned and faced, and finished to form the seating for a pair of Ramsbottom safety valves made in one casing.

(8) Boilers Staying - The front tube plate is to be stayed by a deep tee iron rivetted across the tube plate inside the boiler. The upper part of the back plate of the fire-box casing is to be stayed to the barrel of the boiler and to the front tube plate. Palm stays will also be fixed to the boiler barrel and the front plate of fire-box.

(9) Boiler Expansion Brackets - The after part of the boiler is to be carried by angle irons rivetted on the sides of the fire-box shell, and supported by wrought iron brackets fixed to the frame plates. A steadying stay is also to be fixed on the back of fire-box shell, and held by suitable attachment to frame or cross stay. All sliding surfaces are to be planed.

(10) All holes for rivets, tubes, stays,cocks, washing-out plugs, and other fittings in all parts of the boiler are to be set out to template. All rivets must completely fill the holes, which must be perfectly fair with each other in all plates. No drifting will be allowed under any circumstances. The edges of all plates, butt strips, flanged plates, flanged or angle iron rings, and covers must be planed or turned, and if the edges are to be caulked or otherwise worked, they must not be left square, but be shaped to an angle of 1 in 8, so as to leave a full side for caulking or working.

(11) Firebox - The fire-box is to be made of copper plates of the very best quality, obtained from makers approved by the company's engineer, and the plates are to be obtained from at least two makers. The plates are to be flanged by the contractor for the engines in his own works, and pieces of each plate are to stand a test of being doubled cold without showing any signs of cracking. A piece of copper will be taken from the set of plates for each fire-box and tested by a metallurgist selected by the company's engineer. The cost of each analysis, which will not exceed £3 3s, is to be borne by the contractor. Should the piece analysed show more than one-half per cent, in all of arsenic, antimony, and other deleterious substances the set of plates represented by the test will be rejected. All holes are to be drilled and the edges of the plates planed. The tube is to be 7/8in. Thick tapering below the tubes to 1/2in. Thick at the bottom. The top and sides are to be made in one plate 1/2in. Thick. The back plate is to be made 1/2in. Thick and thickened to 3/4in, thick round the fire-hole. The lap of the plates is to be 2 1/2in, diameter of rivets 3/4in, and pitch 1 3/4in. Brackets or studs for supporting a fire-brick arch are to be fixed in the fire-box. Two brass plugs, with fusible centres, are to be inserted into the crown of the box, clear of the brick arch, and are to project 1/2in, into the water above the top of the fire-box.

(12) The side, back,and front plates of the fire-box are to be stayed to the fire-box casing by copper stays made of the best soft rolled copper bars, which must be obtained from the same makers and be subject to the same tests and analysis as the plates. These stays are 7/8in, diameter, screwed 14 threads to the inch, and spaced not farther apart than 4in. Centres. Both plates are to be tapped and the stays tightly screwed into them by hand. The ends are to be sawn off to avoid drawing the thread. They are to be snap rivetted on the outside and hand rivetted on the inside, the thread being turned off the portion of the stay between the plates. Such of the stays as may be directed shall have holes drilled down the centre. The stay hole may be tapped by machinery, but the stays must be screwed in by hand.

(13) The crown plates is to be stayed by solid forged wrought iron bars, bedded on the ends of the fire-box, and secured to the crown plates by iron bolts 1in, diameter, tapped into the roof stays. These bolts will have square heads, and must be turned with a radius of 1/4in, in the necks, so as to bed closely to the plate. There is to be an iron ferule on each bolt, to act as a distance piece between the bottom of the stay and the plate. This distance must not be less than 13/4in. These bolts must not be spaced at greater distances than 4in. Centres. The roof stays will be attached to sling stays fixed to the roof of the fire-box shell.

(14) Tubes - The tubes are to be made of a mixture of 70 parts of copper and 30 parts of best silesian spelter. They are to be solid drawn, and obtained from makers approved by the company's engineer, and they are to obtained from at least two makers. They are to be 1 3/4in. Diameter outside no. 11 B.W.G. thick for 1ft. Next the fire-box, then tapering to No. 13 B.W.G. at the other end. The tubes must be parallel on the outside, the difference of thickness being given on the inside. The ends are to be carefully annealed. At the smoke-box end the tubes must project through the plates at least 1/4in. There will be no ferules at this end, but the tubes must be fixed with one of Dudgeons tube expanders. At the fire-box end the tubes must be expanded and carefully laid over,1/8in projection being allowed for the same. The ferules are to be of solid drawn cast steel tube, turned to go into the tubes a tight driving fit, care being taken that the ends of the tubes are not cracked. The ends of the ferule inside the tube must be rounded to prevent its cutting the tube, and the ferule must project 1/8in outside the tube. The company's engineer will have power to select one tube from every five boilers, which will be tested by a metallurgist selected by himself; the cost of analysis, which will not exceed £3 3s, is to be borne by the contractor. If any tube is found to differ from the specification or to show the presence of more than 1 per cent, of other metals or impurities, the lot of tubes from which it was selected will be rejected.

(15) Fire-hole and Door and Foundation Rings –  A square opening is to be made in the back plates of the fire-box and fire-box casing for firing. The bar round this opening must be formed of a forged ring, 23/4in. Wide by 35/8in. Thick, planed on both sides, and made so that a projection of 3/8in. Is inside the copper plate. The rivets in the shell plate must be countersunk. The fire-hole door is to be made so that, when running with the door partly open in the usual way, there shall be no direct radiation of light or heat from the fire on to the foot-plate, and a deflecting plate is to be fitted inside the fire-hole. The fire-box and casing are to be connected together at the bottom by a forged ring, 21/2in. By 21/2in. Which must be slotted all round both inside and outside.

(16) Proper brackets and bearers are to be secured to the foundation ring of the fire-box to receive the fire-bars, which are to be of wrought iron.

(17) An ash-pan it to be placed under the fire-box and secured to the foundation ring by an angle iron running the whole length of the sides. The doors at the front and back ends are to be worked from the foot-plate be levers and connecting bars. There is to be a perforated plate at each door to act as a spark arrester, which must be so arranged as to open when required, for cleaning out the ash-pan. The plates of the ash-pan are to be 1/4in. Thick, and the bottom part must be made water-tight.

(18) The top, front, and sides of the smoke-box are to be made of 1/4in. Plate, the whole to be rivetted with csk,rivets, and all plates are to be ground smooth. It must be perfectly air-tight. All nuts in smoke-box are to be of gun-metal with ends cast on. A plate is to be placed across the smoke-box to form a spark arrester.

(19) The chimney is to be made of 1/4in. Plate, rolled and worked smooth. The seams are to be butt jointed, with inside butt strips and all the rivets countersunk, and the whole when rivetted up is to be ground smooth. The top is to be finished with a bell mouth of iron. The body of the chimney is to be carried down until I joins the smoke-box, the bell-shaped base being outside the body.

(20) Boiler Fittings - The boiler is to be fitted with two clack boxes, having gland cocks placed between the clack and the boiler, with four wash out plugs and seatings, not less than seventeen mud plugs, and a mud door, one gland blow-off cock to be worked from the foot-plate, tow glass water gauges, one scum cock, injector cocks, two whistles, one reducing valve of approved make for the brake cylinder, pressure gauge to indicate up to 200lb. Per square inch, and which must be of Bourdons own make, and all other usual and necessary fittings. The four wash out plugs are each to have the thread on the outside, and are to be placed two on each side of the fire-box casing on a level with the crown of the fire-box ; one of the mud plugs is to be placed at each of the bottom corners of the fire-box casing, six on the side plates of the fire-box casing, and two in the back plate on a level with the crown of the fire-box, and five in the smoke-box tube plate. All the mud plugs are to be 1 1/2in. Diameter,and to have the same taper, and are to be screwed with eleven threads to the inch. The steam jet will be formed by the gun-metal nozzle of the blast pipe being cast hollow and being perforated with small holes. Two nozzles of different sizes must be supplies with each engine. The cock is to be worked by a handle from the foot-plate, and the steam for the injectors is to be taken from the dome by means of pipes inside the boiler. All the above mentioned mountings are to be of gun-metal, and they are all to be finished in the best possible style; all joints connected with them are to be faced perfectly true, and made with boiled oil. Wherever possible are to be fixed on to seatings rivetted on the boiler or fire-box casings. All the nuts are to be faced and polished. All the fittings in this clause are to be finished bright. A cast iron regulator, with two-gun metal slide opening upwards, is to be fixed in the dome. Stops are to be cast in the valves to prevent them falling in case the regulator rod should fail. The valve is to be worked by a crank on a rod passing through the boiler.

Steam Pipes – The internal steam pipe is to be of copper 9 B.W.G., having a gun-metal cone at its junction with the regulator, to which it is to be attached by wrought iron clips and bolts. It is fixed to the tube plate by a gun-metal flange brazed on to the pipe and bolted to the tube plate. The steam pipe is to be continued from the tube plate by a strong cast iron tee piece, and pipes of copper

No.9 B.W.G. thick, with gun-metal flanges to each cylinder. The internal steam pipe and the breech pipes are each to be 41/2in diameter inside.

Boiler Clothing – The boiler and fire-box shell are to be covered with strips of well seasoned teak placed inside a crinoline framing of hoop iron, on which the smooth iron sheets are to be fixed by bands drawn together by a bolt under the boiler or at the side of the fire-box shell, and by screws at the longitudinal joints. The dome is to be covered with strips of wood in the same manner as the boiler barrrel, and with an iron casing neatly worked, hammered smooth, and painted. The wrought iron base of the safety valves is also to be covered with an iron casing, hammered smooth and painted.

Framings – The frames are to be each rolled in one plate. They are to be planed all over on the inside, and when finished are to be 1 1/4in. Thick in the thinnest place, and are to be perfectly sound and free from all lamination, scale, or other blemish or defect. All the holes are to be marked from one template, and drilled and rhymered out to the exact size given. The frames must be finished with a good smooth surface,and they must be free from cross winding. When the frames and cylinders are rivetted and bolted together, both before and after the boiler is in its place, the accuracy of the work must be carefully tested by diagonal, longitudinal, and transverse measurements. The frames and lines must be in every respect to gauge and dimensions, the whole square, plumb, and level, and the axle-box guide also square with the engine in every direction.

Platform, Foot-plates, &c. - The platforms are to be of 1/4in. Plate. The side platform, from the front of the engine to the cab, is to be in one plate. All the rivets in the foot-plates and platforms are to countersunk, and a strong angle-iron in one piece for the whole length is to be rivetted to the outer edge. There will be two sand-boxes, one on each side of the engine, having a pipe for carrying the sand on to the rail as close to the leading wheel as possible. The boxes must be water-tight , and fitted with valves, which will both be worked by one handle on the foot-plate behind the fire-box. A wrought iron hand rail, 11/4in. In diameter, will run along the boiler and fire-box, at a suitable height from the side platform. All handles of rods and levers on the foot-plate must be brought to a position convenient and near to the driver or fireman, and they must be arranged neatly in by a quadrant or frame. A wooden grating of teak is to cover the foot-plate. A lamp and holder must be fixed to the stay plate between the frames, to illuminate the valve motion.

Cylinders – The cylinders are to be of cold blast cast iron, as hard as possible, free from honeycomb, and other defects or blemishes. They are to be 18in. Diameter when finished, and suited to a 24in. Stroke. The clearance at each end must not be more than 2/8in. They must be 181/4. diameter at each end of the barrel 1/8in. At each end of its stroke. All joints are to be planed or turned, and scraped to a true surface. All the bolts securing the cylinders to the frames are to have cupped heads on the outside. They must be driven in as tight as possible, and have nuts on the inside. All glands and packing rings to be of gun-metal. All the nuts in the smoke-box connected with the cylinders are also to be of gun-metal, and must have solid ends. The cylinders are to be provided with gun-metal lubricators and water cocks, the latter worked by a handle from the foot-plate. Each pair of cylinders must be cast of the same metal, and when finished they must be tested by hydraulic pressure to 250lb. Per square inch, The exhaust pipes are to be made of copper, No.9 B.W.G. and are to have gun-metal flanges, and are to terminate in a gun-metal nozzle, which will also form the steam jet. The slide valves are to be made of gun-metal. The buckle is to be wrought iron. The pistons are to be of cast iron, of a softer description than the cylinders, and turned 1/32in. Smaller than the cylinder. The rings are to be of gun-metal. They will be turned 1/2in. Larger than the cylinders, and then cut at an angle and sprung into their places. When finished the whole must be an easy but accurate fit in the cylinder, so that the piston and rod can be moved easily backwards and forwards. The piston rods are to be made of steel carefully annealed made by some maker approved by the company's engineer. They are to be fixed to the piston by a cone and nut. The coned parts fitting into the crosshead and piston are to be of larger diameter than the body of the piston rod. The connecting rods are to be forged of Lowmoor iron, in one length, without weld, and then machined and finished bright all over. They are to be fitted with gun-metal bearings. The cotters are set screws are to be of the best crucible cast steel carefully annealed and the bolts are to be made of Lowmoor iron. These rods, and also the coupling rods, are not to be made of scrap iron; they must be made of new iron, the forgings being made by the Lowmoor Iron Company. The coupling rods are to be of Lowmoor iron, forged solid in one length without weld. They are to be machined and finished bright all over, and to be made with solid circular ends fitted with gun-metal bushes. All keys and set screws are to be of best crucible cast steel. The slide blocks are to be of cast iron perfectly sound and chilled on the bearing surfaces. The crosshead will be of wrought iron, and the pin of steel or of iron case-hardened. The slide bars are to be of steel , of the same quality as the piston rod, machined all over , and made perfectly true. The slide bar brackets are to be planed on both sides, and bolted to the motion plate with turned bolts, or rivetted with cold turned rivets.

Excentrics – The excentrics are to be in two pieces, the smaller piece being of wrought iron, and the larger piece of cylinder metal, fastened together by wrought iron bolts. The excentrics are to be held on the shaft by steel keys 5/8in. And by two 7/8in. Steel set screws. The excentric straps are to be of wrought iron, having a gun-metal liner. The excentric rods are to have butt ends, and be fastened to the straps by bolts. The excentrics and straps are to be faced on the sides, and the straps are to be 1/8in. Narrower than the excentrics. The butts and rods are to be planed, and all bolts and studs are to be turned, and the heads faced and polished. The bolts through straps are to have the heads shaped to suit the straps.

Valve Motion – All parts of the link motion, from valve spindle to the sector plates, are to be of Lowmoor iron, machined all over,and got up bright, and the joints case-hardened, and finished in the best manner. All rubbing and wearing surfaces must be as large as possible. The width of the expansion link is not to be less than 21/2in. And the pins must not be less than 13/4in. Diameter. All the holes must be perfectly fair and true, all the pins parallel, and all the surfaces true to one another,and there must be no spring or twist upon any part when it is all coupled up. All the separate parts must be, as in all other cases, interchangeable . A test piece of iron, 3/4in. Diameter, must be put with all articles in the furnace to be case-hardened; this ,after being hardened, must be broken and submitted to the company's engineer for his approval. The case-hardening of this test piece must be at least 3.32in. Deep, or the articles case-hardened with the test piece will be rejected. The reversing screw is to be fixed on the left-hand side of the engine injectors. There will be two injectors, No.10 size, of the Gresham and Theward pattern, and of gun-metal, the cones being made movable for renewal. The feed, steam, and delivery pipes are to be of solid drawn copper,No.9 B.W.G. All the flanges must be marked from a template, and the pipes are to be so uni-form in length that they may be used in any engine. Care must be taken that they may be so set that the flanges may fairly bed without any springs upon the pipes. All the joints are to be faced and made with boiled oil.

Wheel Bodies – The bodies of the wheels are to be forged with solid arms and bosses, and neatly finished. The bosses are to be bored out, and the rims rough turned. The wheels are then to be pressed on their axles by hydraulic presses and keyed. The rims are to be finished on their own axles, and the tires put on and turned. Should any of the rims or bosses be found defective after boring or turning the wheel will be rejected. The outside diameter of the wheel centres are to be turned to a gauge, to ensure all being exactly alike in diameter. The wheels are to be forced on the axles by a hydraulic pressure of 12 tons per inch of diameter of axles.

Tires – The tires are to be made from steel of the highest repute for locomotive purposes by manufacturers, and in a manner approved by the company's engineer, and they are also to be of the highest quality of their classes made by the approved manufacturers. They are further to stand the following tests; - One tire in every batch delivered, if the batch be less than fifty, or one in every fifty if more than that number be delivered, will be tested in the following manner; The tire being placed in a running position, and resting on a solid foundation, a weight of 20cwt. Will be allowed to fall freely on the rim from a height of 10ft. And upward, until the deflection of the tire amounts to one-sixth of its original diameter on the tread; a piece will then be cut, and machined cold from the tires tested as above, and be tested for tensile strength. Should the tire show signs of cracking when submitted to the falling weight test, or should the piece submitted to a tensile test fail to stand of 45 tons per square inch of original section, or should the percentage of reduction of area at the point of fracture be less than 20 per cent, the batch of tires from which the tested tire was taken shall be rejected, unless it shall appear by such further tests of the same batch as the company's engineer may assent to, that he tire selected did not fairly represent the quality of the batch. The tensile tests are to be conducted by some person approved by the company's engineer, who will report the results of them to him. The falling weight tests are to be conducted at the works of the manufactures of the engines, after the delivery of the batch from which the tires tested; and he must find all necessary testing machines, which must be constructed in a manner approved by the company's engineer, and be at all cost of the testing, and must return the tires to the firm who made them, if the tested tires should fail to stand the specified tests. All rejected tires will be marked in some easily distinguishable manner, but not so as to render them unsaleable to other parties. The tires must be carefully bored, and turned all over to a thickness of 21/2in, in the middle of the tread, and to a width of 41/2in. And shrunk on at a low heat, one-thousandth part of the diameter being allowed for contraction. They are to be secured to the rims with soft steel stud bolts, tapped into the rims and tires. The balance weights are not to be forged solid wit h wheels. They must be of cast iron, fitted into the wheels, and held by plates and bolts. The axles are to be faggotted Yorkshire iron, and made the Lowmoor Company, or messrs. Taylor Brothers, and must be turned all over and finished bright. The axles are to be guaranteed to run 150.000 miles for each straight axle, and 100,000 miles for each crank axle, and each axle is to be stamped with the word "guaranteed", and mileage it has to run. Any axle which, before it has run this mileage, shows any defect which, in the opinion of the company's locomotive superintendent, makes it desirable that the axle should be taken out of the engine, is to be replaced by an axle of the same make, and under the same guarantee. The contractor is to accept the statement of the locomotive superintendent as to the mileage run by the axle replacement of which is claimed. The axle to be delivered to the company in any port in England named by the company free of cost.

Crank Pins - The crank pins are to be of hammered iron, and case-hardened; they are to be forced into the wheels by hydraulic pressure, and carefully rivetted over on the inside. The axle-boxes are to be of cast iron, with gun-metal bearings. The axle-box guides are to be of cast steel, with top and sides in one piece. They are to be hard and close-grained castings, and free from defects of all descriptions. The faces against the frames and axle-boxes are to be planed, the holes are to be drilled perfectly fair, and the guides rivetted to the frames with cold turned rivets countersunk on the guides and on the outside of the frame. The axle-boxes are to fit the backs of the guides, so as to support their own weight.

Bearing Springs – The steel of which the springs are to be made is to comply, on analysis, with the following conditions. Its carbon must not exceed 7 per cent, or be less than 45 per cent. Silicon, phosphorus, sulphur, must not be present in greater proportions than 06 per cent, each, and the manganese must not exceed 6 per cent. One plate in every 100 springs will be subject to complete analysis by a metallurgist, selected by the company's engineer. Should the analysis show the carbon, silicon, phosphorus, or manganese in the steel to exceed the specified maximum, or should the carbon fall short of the specified maximum, the lot of springs from which the plate was taken will be rejected. All rejected springs will be marked in some easily-distinguishable manner, but not so as to render them unsaleable to other parties. Each spring is to be tested before being put into its place, by being brought down straight several times, after which it must recover its previous form without damage or permanent set. The spring links are to be provided with screw adjustments of a description satisfactory the the company's engineer. The spring link brackets are to to be rivetted to the frames with cold turned rivets. A brake block is to be fixed in front of each of the wheels, the whole to be worked by a steam cylinder placed on the left-hand side of the engine. It must be fitted with a regulating or reducing valve of approved make, so that the brake pressure is easily regulated by the engine-driver. All the working parts are to be case-hardened. The blocks are to be of cast iron, and must clip the flanges of the wheels. The brake is to be arranged so that a screw worked by hand may be fitted in India if desired.

Awning Cab - An awning is to be provided over the foot-plate, the roof of which will be of wrought iron, No. 16 B.W.G. for the outer, and well seasoned teak for the inner covering. The sides of the cab are to be formed of sheet iron, with open panels above the handrail level. At the front of the cab, on each side, a glazed window will be placed. A wrought iron weather screen, with two windows 13in. Diameter, will be fixed at the top of the fire-box shell – Buffer Plank and Buffers; The buffer plank at the front end is to be of wrought iron 11/2in. Thick and 15in. Deep. It is to be bolted to 41/2in. Angle irons rivetted on each side of each frame plate. The draw hook is to be fitted with a draw spring, consisting of india-rubber cylinders of approved strength. The buffer heads, plungers,and boxes are to be entirely of wrought iron. They are to be fitted with india-rubber cylinders. The whole to be of dimensions and strength to be approved by the company's engineer. The india-rubber spring are to be guaranteed to stand without injury for three years and a half from the date of the last delivery under this contract; all spring failing within that period are to be replaced by springs under some guarantee. The trailing foot-plate is to be of cast iron of sufficient weight to make an equal load on the three axles. It is to be slotted out at the end to allow the drawbar and safety links to play. The drawbar is to be connected to the engine close up to the fire-box, and is to be at least 21/2in. Diameter. The drawbar must be forged in one piece without weld. The safety links are to be of sectional area equal to the drawbar.

Lamps and Brackets – Two wrought iron brackets are to be fixed on the platform at the front end of the engine. One large head lamp, with a 9in. Glass, two side lamps, with 6in. Bulls-eye glasses, one red and one white, two gauge lamps, one lamp for valve motion, and two hand lamps to the company's patterns are to be furnished with each engine. Each engine is to be supplied with a teak box with padlock, and containing a complete set of screw keys from 5/16in. To 11/4in., one large and one small monkey wrench, both worked by a screw, one heavy and one hand hammer, one lead and copper hammer, and a small assortment of files – 12in. And 14in. - chisels, pin, and copper punches, and other useful hand tools. Each engine is to be supplied with the necessary fireirons and tools,viz, rake,pricker, plug,rod, dart, tube scraper, long shovel, wire tube brush, foot-plate, brush, and coal shovel; a 20 -ton traversing screw jack, a crowbar, an oil can, an oil bottle, and an oil feeder.

General ; Means of Lubrication – All working parts are to be furnished with the most approved fashion, which are to be to the satisfaction of the company's engineer. Oil cups are to be forged or cast on where possible, and in all parts made of wrought iron, unless otherwise specified. The oil cups are to be worked out of the solid, but not in such a way as to diminish the sectional area of the part below its proper strength. When lubricators are forged on solid, the syphon pipes must be also solid. Whenever possible cover must be put on the lubricators and oil cups. Each cylinder is to be provided with a self-acting lubricator to oil the pistons when running without stream, and a lubricator on the displacement principle for oiling the slide valves. A lubricator is to be provided for each slide bar ; also one above each piston land and one above each valve spindle gland, with a small pipe from each leading to the rods, - Bolts, Nuts, and Flanges; All bolts, heads, and nuts, whether black or polished, are to be made to Whitworth's standard gauger, and screwed to his standard pitch. Articles requiring a screw key are in all cases to be made to one of the standard sizes of nuts . All nuts for cylinders and glands are to be case-hardened.

Painting and Stamping – Before being cleaded the boiler and fire-box must have two thick coats of red lead and boiled oil, the first coat to be put on when the boiler is hot. The wood cleading is also to have one coat of red lead before the iron plates are put on. The cleading plates, frames, splashers, platforms, and wheels, and all other parts of the engine and tender not got up bright, are, after having been thoroughly filled up and rubbed down to a good surface, to have two coats of lead colour. Every part of the engine is to be marked to its place, to have the number of the engine on it, and the letters E.I.R. The maker's name-plate must not be larger than 6in. And must be of cast iron placed as directed by the company's engineer. The woodwork is to be sand-papered and varnished twice. And the outer face of the upper roof is to have three coats of white-lead paint. Each engine is to have fixed in a suitable position a plate with the letters E.I.R., and such other numbers and marks cast on its as the company's engineer may direct. Generally the engines are to be completed in the best style of locomotive work, care being taken that all the parts of any one engine may be interchangeable with the corresponding parts of any of the other engines, and all usual parts and fittings are to be supplied, whether mentioned or not in this specification, without charge beyond the contract amount.

Erection and Testing - Each engine is to be erected complete, ready for running, on the works of the maker; and it is to be tried in steam in the presence of the company's engineer or his deputy, to whom notice must be given before the trial. The pressure on the boiler during the test is to be kept at 140lb. Per square inch. Should any part of the engine or boiler require alteration, or any defect appear during the trail, the defect must be made good or the alteration completed, and the engine again tried in steam till it shall be perfectly steam-tight, and shall be satisfactory to the company's engineer. The boiler is to be tested when finished, before being mounted on the frames, to 200lb. Per square inch by hydraulic pressure. The weights upon each wheel, when the engine is full and light, are to be carefully ascertained separately by a machine which the company's engineer shall consider satisfactory. Any part of the work which is found to be in any way defective, or not in accordance with the tests or other requirements of this specification, will be rejected. The contractor must provide, free of charge, all tools and labour required by the company's engineer for the inspection of the work.

Preparation for Shipment and Packing - After each engine has been tested, and the company's engineer, or his deputy, has intimated his approval of them, they are to be taken to pieces and prepared for shipment. The boilers, frames, and other heavy pieces are to have wrought iron rings or hooks rivetted to them, for facility of lifting when being shipped. The boiler, frame, and cylinders, with platform plates and buffer planks, may be shipped in one piece, care being taken to box them up with wood and otherwise protect them from damage in such a manner as shall be satisfactory to the company's engineer. Each pair of wheels, with its axle and cranks, is to be shipped in one piece, the axle journal and cranks being carefully protected by zinc paint and wooden lagging, and the cranks and pins well boxed in with wood. All other parts, including the awning, are to be packed in strong cases lined with tin, well soldered down, the case containing the lamps being further packed with straw in a crate. All parts and cases are to be distinctly marked with their weights, and such descriptive and shipping marks as may be directed. The costs of packing and markings, as well as the costs of delivery, are to be included in the amount at which the contractor tenders to supply the engines.

Drawings – The contractor is to furnish, with the second engine, three complete sets of detail and general drawings of the engine, exactly as made, on tracing cloth of double elephant size. Each set is to be fastened together with strips of wood and brass thumb-screws, and is to be fitted in a circular tin case marked as may be directed. The cost of these drawings is to be considered included in the amount of the tender.

The engines are to be constructed and delivered as follows; - weeks from the date of acceptance of tender. The first four engines are to be delivered within – weeks, and the remainder thenceforward at the rate of one engine every week until the delivery of the whole is completed. The whole contract shall be completed within - weeks from the date of acceptance of tender. Tenders are to be delivered at the offices of the company, Nicholas-Lane London, E.C., on the 9th November,before one p.m. They are to be addressed to A.P. Dunstan, with the words "Tender for Locomotives" on the envelope. The general conditions are as usual in this company's specification.