119

H.—7

2138. Do you believe that if a largo sum of money was placed at your disposal you could take that building forward without showing more cracks than are shown there now ?—Yes, in the course of time. 2139. How long has it been going on tlrus ?—Prom the time the cracks appeared. I do not know how long ; it has been years. 2140. Do you believe that that building is moving steadily forward now ? —I do. 2141. Do you suppose this ambulatory was moving forward? "Will you explain how this building is moving forward ?—How can I explain ? 2142. Will you explain the direction of the movement ?—I do not wish to explain that. Your experts should explain it. 2143. But can you explain the direction of the movement ? —I never surveyed it, nor did I ever measure it. 2144. Is this movement parallel with the building?—l will not take upon myself to answer that. 2145. Is it possible for it to move downhill without showing a very large crack where the other parts of the building are standing still ?—Quite possible. 2146. How?— The building explains it. It explains itself by cracks and distortions being distributed here and there all over the north wing. 2147. Could you pull down this wall to the middle of the ambulatory-wall at the north end, and not show a large fracture ?—Certainly you could. 2148. Do you give that as a deliberate professional opinion?—l say that the cracks could be distributed all over the surface of the wall. 2149. Then the cracks would appear in a regular curve? How do you account for the large cleft that shows in the curve between the back wall and the middle wall ? —A wrench. 2150. What is the cause of the wrench and of the cracks ? —My dear sir, if I could tell you that I would have the power of the Almighty. I say that your experts assert it, and I believe them. 2151. Well, now, do you know there is a line of water-pipes behind this building? —I suppose there is. 2152. Would it be possible to move down these water-pipes that are under high pressure without causing a leak? —No ; I could not tell you that. 2153. Have you had any experience in that kind of thing?— No. 2154. There is a line of drain-pipes all along the front: if you found that these down-pipes were quite intact, and had never leaked, would it be possible for them to have gone down 16in. in the ground ?—Yes. 2155. Is there any indication in the ground of a forward movement ?—Yes; as in the northwest angle. 2156. How much is it ?—About 4in. 2157. The drain-pipes are immediately behind that ? Will you not admit that they are behind it ? —lf you say so. 2158. In this movement in the building, is there any indication to show where it begins and where it ends ? Can you say where it begins ?—No, I would not say where it begins. 2159. Is there any indication to show where it ends ?—No ; it is beyond my power. 2160. If I bring an expert here to show that the building has moved lin. since 1884, would that upset your theories ?—No. 2161. If I bring experts. If I prove to you that that building has not moved, what would be your theory then ? —A movement in tho ground. 2162. If I proved that that building is exactly where it was, what will you say to that ?—I say it is a movement in the ground. 2163. But it is not a [forward movement in the building ?—I will not say that. Have you proved it was there in 1884 ? [Mr. Blair put in a plan showing the cracks as they appeared on tho 17th February, 1885. (Exhibit No. 27.)] 2164. I should like to ask you, with reference to the details, did I understand from you that all the main details were prepared by yourself?— Yes. 2165. I think you said by your own hand?— Chiefly by my own hand, yes. 2166. And you said you would not look on the building as your own if you did not do so ?— Yes. 2167. Have you any idea how many sheets of details yon prepared?—l could not say that; I suppose about—l could not remember them. 2168. You prepared one of the towers ?—Yes. 2169. Is there any other one that you prepared?—Oh, yes ! 2170. Can you give us any idea—was there a dozen or half-a-dozon ?—Yes, fifty. 2171. You prepared fifty?— Yes, I think so. I will not swear to the number. 2172. Somewhere about fifty ? —I should say so. 2173. Did you send these to Mr. Brindley?—Yes, usually. 2174. Are you aware that Mr. Brindley prepared a great many ?—I am quite sure h6 did; I said so. 2175. Have you any idea how many? —No. 2176. Can you'give us the particulars of those that you prepared, what they were?—Oh, yes ! 2177. You can?— Yes. 2178. Will you furnish them ?—Yes, I will bring them along if you like; but I will not say these are all I did prepare for all that. 2179. Is this plan, the original contract drawings, sufficient to lay off the foundations by ?— Yes. '2180. It is?— Yes.