The Sun. — London, England, 1852-08-28 00:00:00

irb Wtittion+ FRANCE. "he Moniteur contains the following announce- The national fete of the 15th August has been cele brated at Gibraltar with unexpected splendour. The steamboat Sesostris had anchored in the roads on the 13th, and the presence of this ship permitted the French Consul to proceed to the parish church surrounded by Frenoh officers. It was the first time in the memory of man that a French epau ;e Ste figured in a public ceremony at Gibraltar. The Sosostris was dressed out with flags at eight o'clock on the morning of the 15th. The British squadron, under ti ^ orders of Admiral Dundas, consisting of five sail of th,: line, one sailing frigate, with three steam frigates, a corvette, were dressed out with flags (pavoisee) at the same time. The French flag waved from the main mast of each of the British ships. At twelve o'clock a 13.,yal salute of 21 guns was fired from the Admiral's s'_'p. The course adopted by the British squadron pro (ll4ed the greatest and happiest effect on the morale of fr i is population." _The Mediterranean squadron, under the orders, of \‘' ice-Admir a l L a S usse , recen tly v i s it e d the port of la a report to the Minister of Marine, he , l ates that the port is already sufficiently spacious to D:Ilow of the mooring of nine men-of-war and nine .;eam-frigates, and that it will afford a sure refuge at times. He adds that if certain alterations be made, a larger number of vessels can be moored. The Mounted Republican Guard is to be augmented by two squadrons of 150 men each, and will then consist of four squadrons comprising 600 men. ITALY. A correspondent of the baths of St. Gervais, of savoy, writes on the 21st:—".The Duchess of Orleans iz still here, but the young princes are absent on an er:cursion to Annecy. We have been three days without a post, owing to the torrents of rain, which ba.lve caused the road from Geneva to be quite imprac ticable—as much as eight feet deep of water at a place called Bonneville. You cannot imagine the destruc tive effects of the weather in this part of the country —they are quite painful to see. Numberless small houses have been swept away, and the fields situated on the sides of rivulets and small rivers are destroyed and rendered unfit for cultivation for the future, from being now covered with avalanches of earth, large trees and stones of immense size carried down by the raging force of the waters from the mountains. The poor inhabitants will this winter be in great misery. The Piedmontese papers are filled with accounts cf inundations that have occurred in different parts of the kingdom. The province of Ivrea has suffered immensely ; most of its roads are under water, and many bridges have been carried away. The waters of the Dora have committed great ravages in the val ley of Aosta , and accounts from Castellamonte, of the 20th, state that all the streets of that town are under water. A letter from Loretta, in the Roman:Stat es , says that a solemn m ass was performed there b y order of the French Consul in honour of the fete of the 15th. The Consul attended in full uniform, and all the French residents were present. A monument to Titian was inaugurated at Venice on the 17th. The civic, ecclesiastical, and military authorities were present at the ceremony. The monument represents Titian surrounded by the Fine Arts ; below are figures representing the XVth and XlXth centuries. The basement is adorned with five bas-reliefs, representin g p aintin gs of many celebrated of the great artist. The monument is due to the chisel of the brothers Zandomeneghi. MINING INTELLIGENCE. (From the Mining Journal of this day.) There has been more activity displayed this week in ' l ._ l / 2 e share market, and a fair business doing in dividend though with no material variation in price, ex 'pt .South Frances, which have sprung up to 165; Sheal Brewer to 29 and 30. United Mines are at 850; ?asset, 530. In Beford, Alfred Consols, Merllyn, South Tamar, West Providence, and Tremayne, business has 'ouen transacted at steady prices. In speculative shares, :1-,e preponderance of sellers naturally causes a fall, which nas bean, in some instances, submitted to, to effect sales, 7..nd still there are few buyers to be found inclined to do business at the present quoted rates; in fact, we hear of prices much under. In Cornwall, East Tolgus shares have advanced to 351.; Wheal Clifford (which joins United Mines on the east), from 2001 . to 3001.; North Pool to 2201. At South Wheal Tolgus meeting, on Tuesday, the accounts for May and June showed-Balance from last account, 8821. 165.; ores sold (less dues), 2,2741. 16s. 11d.=3,157/. 12s. lld. Mine costs and merchants' bills, 1,6001. 19s. Bd.; dividend of 41. per share (1,024): leaving balance in favour of adventurers 5321. 13s. 3d. At Bedford 'United Mine bi-monthly meeting, on Wednesday, the accounts showed-Balance last account, 92/. 195.; received for copper ore and carriage, 1,9681. ls. Os. Bd. Cost-sheet May, 547/, 6s. 7d.; June, 5291. 15s. 9d ; income-tax, 281.; secretary, office, and printing, &c., for three months, 29/. 163.: leaving - balance next account, 1,7261. 2s. 4d. Ore sold since, 3,3061.55. 8,1. 9 makes 4 ,0321. 83. Estimated cost and expenses for July and August, 1,1301.: shows assets 2,9021. Bs. A dividend of ss. per share was declare d. At Mcllyn Mino bi-monthly meeting, on Thursday, d accounts showed—Balance in hand Tait account. • 16s : lead ore sold, 2,4721. 105.; interest, 1/. 16s. 6d. = , 3,345/. 2s. 6d.-Labour cost June, 3631. 16s. 9J.; July, 406/.45. 7d.; dues, 1241. 55.; merchcuts' bills, 721 4s. Ild.; dividend, 1,2401. 25.: leaving balance to next account, 1,1381. 9s. 3d. A dividend of ss. per share was declared. At Wheal Prudence half-yearly meeting, on the 23d inst., the accounts showed-Balance last account. 491, 155. Id.; cost for 281. 3s. 2d.; March ditto, 171. 4s. 7 d.; April, 391. 35. Feb. , id.; May, 33/. 2s. 6d.; June, 181. 14s. 6d.; July, 221. Is. 3d.-2081.45. ld.-Call in Feb., received for 1 ton of mundic, 125.; leaving a balance to next account of 791. 12s. Id. A call of 12s. 6d. pe:..share was made. At the South Plain Wood quarterly general meeting, on the 20th inst., the accounts showed-Balance last account, 1301. 17 ' 3 11d.; calls received, 1601. 45. - - - - - -291/. Is. Ild.-Lan eer cost for April, 59/. 29. 3d; May, 71/. 153. 711. els . 4d.; commission, & c., 4/. 23. 4d.; leaving balance to next account, 27/ ' !11. -,-- . 13s. 6d.., add arrears of calls due, 'us., makes 441. 3s 61 assets.-The liabilities amount to 671. 1 83. 7d. A Call of 43. per share was made. At Bridford ConsolaXine quarterly naPeting, on Au gust 20, the aecounta owed-Call received on 1,180 s h a res, 590/.-Balat e elastaccount, 3/. 43.; costs for May, 28/. 83 . ld.; June, 411. I_o3. 10d. ; J u ly, 85/. 17s. 101 ; commission., 41. 2s. 10d.; leaving balance to next accou nt, 4 261 . 16s. sd. As the Sala manning and Croft G a strong fe eling Mines bi-monthly meeting, on Tuesday, the accounts ethal Consolidated _ ex were examined and passed, and, as a call of 10!. imed to rid the undertaking of its liabilities, per share was made, and which, there is little doubt, will he the last. At Tremor Mine bi•mont h ly meeting, on the 17th 'natant, : ' t h e account 3 sho wed -Balan c e last a 1-35/. 45 101; rece ived call, 3291 . 53 .a .494 /. 93. e nr t, . Labour cost for May, 661. 53. 5d.; June, 63/. 53. 11d,. merchants' bills, 286/. is. 9 d.: lea vin g bala nce to next *Moan t, 78/. 16s. 9d.; arrears due on old calls, au .; on that 0 1 th e 29th March, 3121. 10s.; and 16th June, 2 181.: make s 682/. 6s. 9d. assets, again3l 746/. 193. Bd. liabili ties, showing deficiency, 64/. 123. I Id. A call of se, per 8334 share was made. At the Coed Mawr Pool Finance Committee meeting, caa Saturdaa, the accounts showed a balance in hand of 1 , 35/. lls. 9d., after defraying all expenses to that day. At Wheal Treasury meeting, held yesterday, the ace ,- ..,unts showed-Labour cost from Nov., 1351, to July 9, 1852, 172/. 9s. ld.; merchants' bills, 151. 15s. 3d. ----- 188/. 4s. 4d..-Balance last account, 71. 6s. 6d.; tin sold iz the stone, 81. 69. 3d.: leaving balance to next account, 172/. 11s. 73. It was resolved to divide the mine into 4,000 shares. To pay off liabilities, and for further pro atendon of the mine, a call of 2s. 6d. per share was Lade. meeting, East Gunnis Lake Junction Mines bi-monthly last account, on Wednesday, the accounts showed-Balance 171. ss. n . lat . , 164/. 53. Bd.; calls received, 3731. 2s. 6d. ------ J ane, ic ?a,.-_Cost-sheet for May, 127/. Gs. 5d.; ditto t c hr ee rno ' n ' t i,__":!. _lod.; secretary, office, and printing, re . c iu e l . .t, tl , C . i . . . 2 , si 10:. 6d.: leaving balance to next ac ive, 1. 261. ' 3 ,5. s d. Arrears of calls due July 17, to per or e , 1„7010s, ea., and estimate of 34 tons of cop aurtalu3 over irat.muakes 5231. 03. 11d. assets; being a At Pertain whties of 185/. Is. 6d. day,_ the account s :I. l i J ane Consols meeting, on Thurs 485/. 25. 4d.; le av i n w ed-Receipts, 9311. 5s • expenses, - eet. - ; were-Balanee at a t.,, b ,, a i , nkc ,r's , 346/. 2s. Bd. ' The call paid at meetin g , .67 - ,er 5 , 3461. 2s. Bd,; arrearsas :.- 'pally, 251.=-1141. ii: , 5 5.; 100 shares eldbth e e f L 1 ..,ace in favour of kbei: l.- Liabilities, 75/. : leaving y At Bottle Hill Mine t a u p e r 7' 3391 . 17s. Bd. general meeting, on Tuf•sday, the accounts showeeial 9i. 4d.; by call of 10a. on 4,550 ! a l : l ance at banker's , N. t., 1t93/. 19s. 63.; interest, .53.; received for ore sold, 928/ . Ze B, 2.2754 ; Balance last account, GIL 183.; mi ne c ' - ' --3 ,2061. 33. sd. leaving a balance balance of new engine, 1,2931. 25. ea advertising, printing, Szc., 54/. 85. a& : l e ,, at expenses, to next account of 102/ 153. 2d., the 1,1861. 103. 4d. A call of 103, per share was liabilities being made. At the West Whea l Towan bi-monthly meatin g Wednesday, the accou nts showed-Mine costs f or Ma and June 1,636/. 11s. 7d.; balance a g ainst adv enturers ls® account, 6.) , 1/. 33. 7d. _-_=--_ 2,560/. 1 5 s. 21-By tin 557/. 63 Bd. ; ca ll of 2/. 10 5 . per share ( 1,2501): .. leavin g vi eg ba:. 'trice against the mine of 753/. 83. 6d. During the we( k shares ha ve changed hands i n Tr Lited , Minas, Wheal Basset, South Tolgus , Wheal Brewer, M er ll yn, South Tamar, Bedford, Wheal Clif ford, Wheal iteeth, North Pool, Tincro ft, West Wheal Fanny, Tremay Cl'v, Cubert, Great Neptune,a v e, i li a Ni t e a st Providence, iL, Illyn, Consols, Great Badd I Fortune (South Tuivton), Tavy Tregardock, East Tamearrn,., , Treiusis, Garreg, Crib, Peter ' T Lvel van Tavy and Mary T„y:1- K r . ice Albert, Allt-y- Wheal Robert, East llbrieken, South Ca r rn ' Brea, Russell, Ockia - ent Cor l,ol ' , Wheal Trewane, Nant-y-Car,cllhairhw, North Wheal Buller, Zion, Cwmdyle Rock, Tenter (South Sydents,jPV Consols, Wheal Car- Elizabeth, Gawton United,'A ppie p Polgooth, Beacon, Wheal Tebidy, Britannia, East Tolme, Augusta Consols, Miningheompany of Ireland. In Foreign Mines transactions taken place in Imperial Brazilian, St. John del Roy, Cobre, United .rdexican, Grand Duchy of Baden, 6:e. THE SUN, RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE. NORFOLK. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yesterday at the offices, Guildhall-buildings, Mr. S. M. Peto, M.P., in the chair. The Secretary read the report, which stated that the traffic during the past half-year amounted to 56,994/., being an increase of 3,7161. over that of the corresponding period of 1851. The working ex penses charged by the Eastern Counties Company are 33,1074 equal to about 58 per cent. of the receipts. The directors express their regret that a course so unsatisfactory should still be persevered in, as all par ties are aware that the sum so charged affords no criterion of the actual cost of working the Norfolk lines. The traffic continues to improve, and the trade with the north of Europe through Lowestoft is making rapid advance. Three steamers, of 700 tons each, are now employed in that trade, and it is in c ontemplation to increase that number. The Easte rn Counties Company having declared a dividend a t the rate of 4s. per share on the shares of that company, the proprietors of the consolidated stock of this com pany will be entitled, in accordance with the existing agreement, to a dividend at the rate of 1/. per cent. upon the half-year, and the proprietors of the new 25/ shares to a dividend of 3s. per s hare. The agree ment for working the Halesworth and Beccles Rail - way involves no pecuniary outlay or respon sibility _ is upon the Norfolk Company , a nd, as it likely to tgreatlyors have im n p o r ove hesitation tlie traffic i n upon recommending ra their en d i l n i g n e i , t sthe optiondirec by the proprietors. An ab stract of the accounts has already appeared in The Sun. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re port said he had never met the proprietors durin g , the short time he had occupied the chair with so much satisfaction as he did on that occasion. He congratu lated them on the Bill having passed for consolidating the capital of the company, and by the substitution of a 4 per cent. preference stock for the debentures of the company they would save about 5,000/. a-year, or a nd thus place the pr e f erent i a l share h o ld ers equ al to 10 5 . per cent . o n the ordinary capital of the company, in a better position. The debenture stock was being taken to the extent required, so that they might *end der that operation as complete. During the last half year there was an increase in their receipts to the amount of 3,700/. as compared with the corresponding period of 1851. From the 4th of July to the present time that increase had proceeded in a still larger ratio, amounting to more than 121 per cent. gross in crease. They m i g ht on t h e present occas i on cons id er that practically their capital account was closed. There was no liability, excepting 5,000/. to be paid to the proprietors of the Waveney Valley, which sum was lying at Glyn's, in the name of three trustees, to be paid over to that company as soon as they were in a posi tion to give them a legal discharge for the amount. He then referred to the establishment of steam cora• munication with the north of Europe. That arrange ment was proceeding most satisfactorily. The three ships now running from Lowestoft were bringing on every occasion full freights, and such was the demand for accommodation that they would shortly be obliged to place a fourth steamer on that station. He had concluded with the Danish Government a concession for a series of railways, which he believed would be in importance second to none in Europe, and which must be productive of the largest results to their railway, and the Eastern Counties' system of railways generally. One of these lines placed the port of Ton fling, to which vessels during the whole winter, when the Elbe is closed, have access at all times, within two hours of Hamburgb, bringing the latter place within 35 hours of London at all times, and connecting also the port of Flensburg with Twining (taking one hour between the two places), and giving the company ac cess to the whole of the Baltic, by which they would be able to take the whole of their goods to Twining and transmit them to Flensburgb, whence, as all who were acquainted with the traffic of the north of Europe knew, small steamers were constantly running to every part of the Baltic. They would see that the company would command the entrepot of the Baltic, and have practically in their own hands the greater part of that trade. By this concession the company were saved the Sound dues of 12s. per ton upon goods taken to the Baltic. This would leave a large margin to cover the expenses of transhipment, and a large re sult must flow from this source of traffic. The next thing he would congratulate them upon was the thoroughgoing amity with which they were working with the Eastern Counties Company ; and although their relations with that company might not in all respects be satisfactory as to the future, yet the policy of the board had always been one of amity. They desired nothing but what was fair and right ; at the same time, they were serving the interests of the com pany when they pursued a peaceful course of policy, and finding, as they did, the directors of that com pany were not only bent upon exercising the utmost economy, but were developing the resources of the 1 district in a manner highly satisfactory to the direc tors, he could not but believe that when they, with the assistance of some of the largest proprietors of the company, discussed the question of their future rela tions with the Eastern Counties they would be satis factorily adjusted. Major TYNDALE seconded the resolution, which was put and carried unanimously. A dividend at the rate of 1/. per cent. for the half year was declared on the consolidated stock of the company, and of 3s. per share on the new 201. shares. The meeting was then made special, for the pur pose of considering, and if approved of, confirming an agreement for working the Halesworth and Bec cles Railway. The CHAIRMAN explained that the new line would branch from the Lowestoft.Railway, and pass through Beccles to Haleswortb, a distance of about 15 miles. The Earl of Stradbroke and other gentlemen locally interested promoted the line, and it was at their so licitation, and to promote the interests of the Norfolk Company, that he (the chair man) had tak en the active part he had in promoting the construc t i on of the line. It was to be constructed o n a ne w principle, by parties who were locally interested, the la n d b e i ng sold to the company at its agricultural v a l ue . H e thought that the main line, which would receive an accession of traffic, wa s bound to gi ve th e new line a certain amount of the traffic it would derive from the connexion ; and that such an arrangement should be entered into as would be equitable to all parties. They had ascertained that there would be a good traffic on the line, which would be ample to remunerate the company for the outlay. Every care would be taken to make it a model branch line, and he had no doubt several lines would be constructed in other districts on the same prin ciple, the parties locally interested finding the funds. Mr. MACLAURIN estimated that the line would cost 11,0001. per mile without working stock, and therefore he did not think it could be called a cheap line, particularly when it was considered that the line from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds, about four teen miles' length, would be constructed for 100,0001., being at the rate of 7,0001. per mile, including everything. He wished to know whether any con tract had been entered into for the construction of the lin e ? The int o for CRAIRMAN—No contract had been entered rorn the works, and it was not the intention of the for its oters of the line to enter into any contract everythin g , one en. , c onstruction tot until the whole of the land from ofnurstruct the line, including land and 'e,construct other was settled for. They fully ex pectedut 6,0001. per mile. The Norfolk tion by anwirdled:ernoeciceive a benefit from its construe- Company any responsibility. company without incurring must be blind to their own Mr. BASSETT said they interests if they did n o t' s perfectly the matter. Norfolk Company were deeply indebted to Mr. P their thought the proprietors ir chairman, for the of the the agreement. He great interest ha had taken in with the of the agreement Nv Mr. MAcLAuairi was ex planation g iven by the Chairman, as then The resolution approving put and carried. A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman and directors for their able management. The CHAIRMAN, in acknowledging the compli ment, said he had recei ved an intimation from Ma j or Co urt that he was now perfectly satisfied with the accounts, so that he (the Chairman) might congratulate them on having an unanimous proprietary. AMBERGATE, NOTTINGHAM, AND BOSTON. The half-yearly meeting of this co mpany was held yesterday at Grantham, being removed from Not tingham to allow the distant shareholders to avail themselves of th e Great Northern rou te, the Midland being the one hitherto used; Mr. Norton in the chair. The Secretary read the report. The CHAIRNIAN, in moving the adoption re port, remarked that o ff ers o f amalgamation had mutually exchanged betwe en th e Great Wester and • Londo n an d North-Western Companies, but at pre sent without l ea di ng t o any reBu l t ; an d t h e chair man of th e G reat N ort h ern had made an offer to the Midland Comp an y, a l so f or an amalgamationtonohfa of in terests. Thi s proved that though these great com panies h a d such an unlimited command of capital, tale n t, and ability, in the management of their in terests tey still had difficulti es i n d evelop i ng t h e i r traffi c fo r tee profit of their harehold ac cornmodation of the public s ers and the . It need be no matter for surprise, th en , if this company had difficulties also. - Ile object of Parliament in sanctioning, the formation of railways must have been, in the first place, the accommodation of the public , and, se condly, the fair and reasonable reward of the share holders of the several companies. The directors of t which' bbe Ambergate Com pany would tdhoe differences move the difficulties and at present prevented their shareholders from obtain ing the ample return for their capital which they r be s had a right to expect.—(Applause.) The traffic of the line had been increasing ever since it was opened, And though some of it h ad recently been LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 2B , issq diverted, they bad received new accessions which 1 more than compensated th em for the loss they had 1 sustained.—(Applause.) Unfortunately the company was involved in law transactions, respecting which it would be impossible for the directors to give any ex planation at present, but in a short time he hoped those proceedings would be amicably settled, and all would end in harmony and peace. M r . WYLES seconded the adoption of the report. Mr. RONEY wished to ask the directors to give the shareholders some information as to the nature of the agreement at present existing between that company l r ( i n id au t g h b at te t r h ) e matter_anoithis and CHAIRMAN an N c o r r yr t h e_p e _ was in the Mr. RONEY proposed the appointment Court explanation he could gi ve . The o of w a a s the only com mittee of shareholders, who, in conjunction with the directors, should be empowered matte to devise some middle course, This andwas objected settle the t 0 _ by r W. f London, and other shareholders. Other similar po s t i ti them on e were were withdrawn, m madeby various Stephens p r o o ! andrbi Wyles shareholders, but all of h would be obli ge d t o ret i re. y b l r e o s tb s e t r at d in ir g eo t t h o a rs t were they per s i s t e d in he The Chairman (Mr. Norton) was re-elected, as also were Messrs. Wyles and Beasley, the retiring directors. Mr. Samuel Newham was appointed one of the auditors, in room of Mr. John Swann, resigned. On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, a dividend of ls. 6d. per share was declared, and the proceedings terminated. EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW. It appears that the net revenue of this company for the half-year ending July3l amounts to 34,4621, and will afford a dividend at the rate of 3 per cent. per annum on the ordinary capital, leaving 1,1121. to be added to the reserve fund, now amounting to 43,6371. BANK OF ENGLAND. (From last night's Gazette.) An ACCOUIIt, pursuant to the Act rth and 9th of Vtot.ria. eon - 22 for the WOOS among on Ratarclay, the 21st day of August, 1852. ISSUE DEPARTMENT. Notes i55ued........ 35,425,130 Government debt .. 11,015, 100 Other securities .... 2,984,9 00 Gold coin and bullion 21,406,1 63 Silver bullion • • .. 18,067 £35,425,130 I £35,425, 130 M. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. 1852. )ITAZTXLPTIf T. x Dated the 26th day of August, BANICIXG X. Proprietorecapital.. 14,553,000 Rest .... • . 3,288,643 Public deposits (in chiding Exchequer, Commissioners of National Debt, Sav lugs-banks, and Di vidend accounts).. 5,844,525 Other deposits • • • 12,945,084 Seven day and other 1,336,037 'Government securi ties (including Dead Weight Annuity).. 14,139,333 Other securities •• .. 10.714,100 12,6 65 , 018 Gold and silver coin .• 448,836 £37,967,289 -------- X 37, 967,289 M. MARSHALL, Chief Casttior• 1852. Dated the 26th day of August, The Journal du Tarn states that the rain which has lately fallen has begun to do much injury to all kinds o f crops, and in particular to the grap es , w hich are beginnini, to rot from the effiacts of the humidity. RAILWAYS. A report from Captain J. L. A. Simmons to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Foreign Plantations, with regard to such proceed ings that have taken place respecting railways in the year 1851 as have come under the cognizance of the department of her Majesty's Government entrusted with the supervision of railways, has just been pub lished. These proceedings have principally taken place under the more immediate sup ervision of the late Board of Commissioners of Railways, whose functions, by an Act of the last session (14th and 15th Victoria, chap. 64), were, from the 10th of October, 1851, transferred to their Lordships, We subjoin the more important passage of this interesting docu ment : " The report (says the Gallant Officer) which I now have the honour to submit to your Lordships is in con tinuation of the annual reports made by the Commis sioners of Railways, and is intended to place before your Lordships a record of the progressive development of the railway system in the United Kingdom, and of such matters connected therewith as appear to deserve espe cial attention, and more particularly of the proceedings of the department with reference to the safety of the public while travelling upon railways. `INCREASE OF RAILWAY COMMUNICATION. " The increase that has been made in the railway communication of this country in the year 1351, has not been ao great as any of the preceding years since 1844; commencing from that period, there was a rapidly pro gressive increase in the number of miles opened daring each successive year. This increase reached its mini mum in 1848, in which year 1,182 miles of railway were added to those previously opened for the conveyance of passengers. The yearly progress has since 1848 been as rapidly diminishing, the number of miles opened the last year having only amounted to 269, of which 174 co th tl e an r d a , i a lw n a d y B c 6 om in m l u re n l i a c n a d tion were E w n g h l o a l n e d e n x i t n e e n n o S t open for traffic in the United Kingdom at the end of 1851 was 6,890 miles, which are distributed in the different parts of the kingdom in the following propor tions • Miles. In England and Wales ... 5,306 In Scotland... 960 In Ireland ... ••• 624 Total miles open for public traffic in the United Kingdom... 6,,890 " The principal communications by railway which have been opened during the past year have been that part of the South Wales and Forest of Dean Railway which extends from Gloucester to the left bank of the river Wye, opposite Chepstow (27 miles), and the Vale of Neath Railway, from Merthyr Tydvil to the South Wales Railway, near Neath (19 miles). The bridge across the Wye, which is a work of considerable magni tude, is not, however, yet completed. When this bridge shall have been completed and opened for traffic Swansea and an important part of South Wales will be brought into connexion with the general railway system of England. " I have also to observe, that a very important line of communication has been opened during the past year in Ireland by the completion of the Midland Great Western Railway from Mullingar to Galway (76 miles), thus connecting that important port on the west of Ireland with Dublin. The speedy completion of this railway is in a great measure to be attributed to the advances of money which the company have received from the Im perial Treasury, under an Act passed in the year 1849 (12th and 13th of Victoria, cap. 62), by which half a million sterling was authorized to be advanced from the Consolidated Fund on mortgage towards making the portion of this railway which extends from Athlone to Galway." [An elaborate table is then given, showing that at the enu of 1851 there were 5,101 miles of railway, the con struction of which had been authorised by Parliament, which still remained to be completed. It appears from this , table that the length of line authorized to be opened at the end of 1843, and during subsequent years, was 11,991 miles, projected railways to the extent of 326 miles having been abandoned under the authority of Parliament. 2,036 miles of this communication were opened previously to December 1843, 204 miles during 1844, 296 miles during 1845, 606 miles during 1846, 803 miles during 1847, 1,182 . miles during 1848, 869 miles during 1849, 625 miles during 1850, and 269 miles during 1851.] " It appears, however, that a very considerable por tion of these lines will never be constructed, in conse quence of the lapse of the powers conferred upon the companies. A table compiled from the various Acts of Parliament conferring powers upon the companies, and from returns presented to Parliament, shows that the powers, both for the compulsory purchase of the neces sary lands and for the construction of the works, had ceased without having been exercised with respect to 645 miles, and that the powers for the compulsory pur chase of lands had been allowed to expire previous to the end of 1850 (to which date the returns had been made) to a further extent of 571 miles, reducing the number of miles of railway not now open for traffic, for making which the powers were in force at the end of 1850 from 5,101 to 3,885. " From examination of the various Acts authorizing the construction of railways, and of the warrants issued by the Commissioners of Railways under the Exten sion of Time Act, which was passed in 1847 (11th Vic toria, chap. 3), it appears that the power for the com pulsory purchase of the necessary lands have been al -1 wed to expire during the year 1851 to a further extent of 2,418 miles. or could be " The other powers necessary to enable the companies to proceed with the construction of these 2,418 miles, con struct the railways ; however, are still in force, so that if the land had been land has not been therefore r h e f r o e r s e pthe probability, however, is that nearly the whole of these railways, the purchased, e and that the railways will oensstructed under existing Acts of ehetetueorrehbaesed, the companies might still Parliament. If this b ,317 miles wePrewersare 1,500 4 it would appear that there do not remain more than 1, () miles for the construction of which full Parliamentary now in existence; and as the 12 6,890 have been opened, and eel authorized 3,,6 by Parliament, the authority of Parliament, it wou y ld appear -abandoned thu u by u 3,600 miles have been abandoned without the direct sanction of Parliament, and without a corresponding reduction by the authority of Parliament of the capital which the companies are empowered to raise for their construction. From the latest returns which have been presented to Parliament relative t end capital of railway companies, that at the of' 1850 railway companies it appears, by shares or loans, a sum eq ua l t o had raised, eithe r 0 - 46/ and that they ined o wers to raise a 240,27 reta p further sum of 1220 ,431 900/. It appears, also, that at the same date there were 6,621 miles of railway commu nication open, 8 67 Miles in co urse of construction, and d This sum of 122 , 43 1,9001. 4,472 no t then cammence— ofthe • t what remained would, therefore, represent authorised to be raised by Act of Parliament to complete e 4,472 the the 867 miles i n course o f co nstruction, and miles n o t t h en commen ced. But, as it appears by wh a t has preceded that 3,600 miles, the construction of whi c h has been sanctioned by P ar li a ment, have not been, and will probably never be, construc t e d under existing Acts Of "IliMent• it may reasonably be inferred 02;4 9f this, large sum of 122,431,9001,, but a comparatively small I proportion will ever be appli e d t o th e ra il wa y p ur p oses i to which, under the authority of Parliament, it was in tended to be applied. " The sums raised annually previous to the year 1318 cannot be ascertained; but since that period Parliament have required returns from the companies, from which it appears that the sums rahied for railway purposes in 1848 amounted to 33 , 2 34,4181.; in 1849, 29,574,720/ ; and in 1850, 10,522,967/. " The returns of the SUM 3 raised during 1851 have not all as yet been received, and therefore the amount raised for the last year cannot be stated. Correspondingly with this great diminution of expenditure upon works of this nature, there has been, as it would appear from the returns presented to Parliament, a reduction in the number of persons employed upon railways to a very great extent, nearly proportionate, as might have been expected, to the reduction in the sums raised by the companies. From tables prepared in continuation of the similar table in the reports of the Commissioners of Railways of preceding years, it appears that the number of persons employed in making railways was 15,947 less on the 30th of June, 1851, than on the 29th of June, 1850, while the number employed on railways open for traffic had been increased by 3 , 5 89, showing the persons em ployed upon railways to have been 12,358 fewer in 18. E 1 than in 1850. As the very rapid extension of railways consequent on the proceedings of the years 1845 and 1846 appea! - i now to be drawing to a close, a comparative statement has been prepared with the view of exhibiting the fluc tuations in the employment given by these extensive un dertakings. Th e general result shown by these tables is, that on the 30:h of June, 1851, the number of persons em ployed upon 6 railways, either in construction or working, was 197,2 less than at the corresponding period in 1847. It would appear, therefore, that in the interval w hich has elapsed this number of persons, who must have been withdrawn from other industrial occupations in consequence of the great demand for labour created by the impetus given in 1845 and 1846 to the construc tion of railways, had been again absorbed in other occu pations, and obtain a living by other means. 46 The reduction of labour, as divided between the three kingdoms, is as follows: The number of persons employed on the 30th of Juno, 1851, is lass than on the Ist of May, 1847—in England and Wales, by 123,296; in Scotland, by 49,306; and, in Ireland, by 22,6 2 4: total diminution, 197,226, " From this it will be seen that the cessation of rail ) w ay works has fallen more especially upon Scotland, where the greatest proportionate reduction in the per sons employed has taken place. ) The number of persons employed in each country on the 30th of June, 1851, was—in England and Wales, 80,612; in Scotland, 8,802• in Ireland, 17,087. Total, 106,501. " . " On the subj ect of accidents t 9 is to be observed that 36 passengers have been returned as killed, and 375 as injured, during the year 1851; those numbers showing a very great increase as compared with the preceding year, when only 32 passengers were killed, and 183 injured. It must not be assumed, however, that all of those accidents to passengers were accidents arising from causes beyond their own control, and are therefore to be considered as attributable to the dangers of railway travelling; for, upon examining the returns, it appears that during the year 1851 no less than 17 passengers were killed and 20 injured owing to their own misconduct or want of caution, leaving 19 killed and 355 injured as the total number of sufferers from causes beyond their own control. With respect to the 37 passengers either killed or injured by their own miscon duct or want of caution, it appears that no fewer than 24 of these accidents (9 killed, 15 injured) arose from pas sengers either attempting to get into or out of trains while in motion. On this subject it may be worthy of observation, that during the same period (the year 1851) 8 servants of railway companies—persons, therefore, it may be presumed, in the habit of moving about more or less upon engines and trains—were killed, and seven injured, from the same cause. Such a statement ought to operate as a caution to passengers not to leave their seats or to attempt to get into carriages while the trains are in motion; for, if experienced officials constantly employed upon railways meet with such frequent disas ters from this cause, it is naturally to be expected that inexperienced people, in making similar attempts to get either upon or off trains in motion, will be much more subject to accidents of this character. Proper caution on the part of the public in this respect would produce a very material diminution in the list of casualties; and it may deserve consideration whether it might not conduce to this caution if notices were posted conspicuously in stations and carriages, warning passengers of the danger to be apprehended from this improper practice. " After deducting the numbers of those killed or in jured by their own misconduct, or want of caution, it would appear that during the year 19 persons were killed, and 355 injured, from causes beyond their own control. This result, giving a total of 374 sufferers, when viewed with reference to the number of passen gers conveyed during the year, which amounted to 85,391,095, appears not unsatisfactory, being about four in 1,000,000; but, when campared with the returns of the preceding year (1850), it appears that the traffic has not been conducted with nearly the same degree of safety in 1851 as in 1850, for while the number of pas sengers convoyed has increased in the ratio of about 17 per cent., the number of passengers injured by causes beyond their own control, which may be considered us a measure of the relative safety upon railways during dif ferent periods, has more than doubled, the ratio of in crease being 104 per cent. " I will be found also, upon reference to the last an nual report of the Commissioners of Railways, that the casualties in 1850 more than doubled those that occurred in 1849, so that, relatively, the risk of danger in travell ing upon railways appears to have considerably in creased. It is; matter of ob serva ti on th a t this in crease of accidents has taken place concurrently with the extension of the system of excursion trains, which has been principally developed within the years; and i t i s also to be observe d , that aa in two e s period th e num b er of persons employe d upon eac h mile of rail way open for traff i c ha d de creased,uthhlest ame as shown by th e returns presented to Perlis rraht, hich are made up f or the 30th of June i n eac h ew year, a t which date it m ay b e presumed that the excur sion traffic 13 in full operation. The average number of persons e mployed upon all the railways in the United Kingdom open for traffic were, on the 30th of June. 1849 per mile; 29th of J une, 1850, 9.56 p er m il e; 30th 'oli9 27 per 1851, 9.49 p er mile. attributable number of "It i s , however, right to ob serve , th a t this redu c ti on in the avers (; © r e persons employed may be in some degree g to improvements in th e manage ment of the railwayvraego s, and to the consideration that the railways which have been opened in late years have traversed less populous districts than the railways first constructed, and have therefore required fewer persons to conduct the traffic upon them. It has been desirable, with thought a view to ascertaining the causes of these accidents, a n d to t h e cons i deration o f th e q uestion w he t h e r any remedial measures might not be adopted, either by P ar li ament or b y t h e companies; themselves , to analyze the reports that have been made . by the inspecting officers ap pointed e ither by tho Commi ss i oners of Railways or Lordships to inquire into such of these fuel by your _ e-eed to call for investi • These reports dents as see— gation, he A will bo found in t pleendix (Nos. 25 to 64), and have reference to 41 accidents, comprising the whole of the 19 passengers before stated to have been killed during the uses beyond their own control, and 319 of the year by ea - d as th 355 before state e whole number of persons in jured during the year from like causes. "In addition to these casualties to passengers, 9 ser vants of railway companies w ere kill e d an d 4 i n j ure d b y the same acc idents, so that it will appear that the 41 re ports, w hi c h are analyeed in the following observations, em brace all tho more important accidents which have during the year u occnrredpon the railways of th e United Kingdom. .. These accidents may be cl ass ifi e d un der two h ea d s:— " 1. Those w hich arise from acc id en tal failur e o f ma chinery, or from defects in the roadway or works. _ " 2. Those whichrise frome defects in the establish mentand management of the railways. `` This a bead m ay be further subdivided into—. . A, Inherent defects in the system upon which the traffic is conducted. .. a Defects in regulations. " C. Inattention t o regulations, or inexperien ce of ser vants. e nunetuality. , •D, Want e -• r . Of these 4 1 sect dents that h been a y ere ported upon, to belong exclusively to the first class, while only appear the second class, and in 14 ass ' while 25 belong to - .. are in s falling under both classes In le volved circumstances g ' ' circumstances aff e• of the 41 accidents were of the .. et, „mg works the machinery or therefore under the first head. Two of them o n l y, so far to have traced, appear been purely ac • as they could b© exclusively under that head• in el dental, and to fall . A circumstances affecting cu., the the estab lishment other 14 are involve. t of the railways. In of and ma involvednr"m"mistakes, either from fiva-- these latter were at what are commonly careless nesstreee or inexperience , oints at junctions or sidings, meeting or facing P ce of reducing, as far as pracgtis, showing the importan these useful but otherwise ob jectionable the number of s As at present generally jectionable contrivance • self-acting; that is, when not con structed these points are _, d they are always ' in one held otherwise by hand, ,_. i t by weights, and th e position, being retained in trains then pass over them always in one dir ect i on ; after being used to turntrains in another direction they by the action of the resume their original position by they© points act weights. It is to be observed, that but if risk in trains properlypassin g there ought to be other hard over them; but if a stone or a h n e y moveable points substanceno the should chance to get between t ray open; or if the Points should, from a jerk of a passing is great reason to fear r cause, shift theirosition , Cher©len on 1 . d e . ine an partly that the train may pass partly a - a. happened to three of the along the other. This actually cases referred t o , producing mos t dangerous accid ents. It some means * It is worth y of considerat ion whether should t . or facing not be provided by which all race lug poi nts which ere p a - constantly by passenger trains ..sed over shall b e fi xed at all times , the means provided bei ng applied befor e t h e such that th e fi teten i ng cou ld not be a points are coin fetal y closed. It i s believed s believed that means for this plirpos ° a might be provided of a very simple and inexpensive nature. the first head it appe are d " In fo ur o f t h e case s under chiefly in tho locomotive stock was deficient,tasked; in two of th em conse quence of the. engines being over that the perm anen t way was out of repair; in one case a f bridg e h a d b een part ly t a ken down for alteration, with out proper precautions having been taken to warn th e drivers of coming engines; and in one case the station accommodation was inadequate for the requirements of the traffic which had developed itself upon the railway, " Under the 4iviaion of what has above been termed the etablishmeut of the railways, including its manage ment and staff of servants, it appears that in 27 cases are involved circumstances which come under the Class A, in 13 cases are involved cirenineiancee which come under the Class B, in 23 cases are involved circum stances which come under the Class C, and in 23 cases are involved circumstances wteien come under the Class D. Out of the 27 cases in Class A, in which are in volved defects that are inherent to the system upon which the traffic is conducted upon railways, it appears that in two cases the luggage placed on the roofs of car riages had taken fire; in 24 cases collisions between trains had occurred, and of these 19 were cases in which trains convoying passengers had come into collision with passenger trains convoying goods; four were cases iu which passenger trains had come in contact with pas • senger trains; in one case a goods train with a goods train; and in ono case a passenger train with a return engine unaccompanied by a train. The facts as stated above appear to point to the principal defect in the system, viz., that merchandise and minerals are con voyed over the same lines of rails that are used for the conveyance of passengers. " One remedy for this principal defect of the system would he the addition to existing railways or lines to ha used exclusively for the heavy traffic of goods and mi nerale. This would mitigate the evil and much reduce the chance of accident of this nature, but would be ge nerally inapplicable on account of the vast expenditure that would be requisite to carry it into effect, and, after all, it would only partly remove the chances of collision, which would remain, to a certain extent, so long as pas senger trains traverse railways at different speeds. Another remedy that suggests itself is tho separation of the two descriptions of traffic, goods and passengers, and conducting thorn at different times. This practice has been adopted to a great extent on many railways. the goods being conveyed as much as possible by night, so as to interfere with the passenger trains to the least practicable extent, Tha third remedy that suggests it self is, that all trains, whether goods or passengers, and all engines which traverse railways, should be worked to well-adjusted time-tables, and that punctuality should be enforced. In twenty-three of the accidents as to which inquiries have been instituted it has been ascer tained that the trains have been unpanctual or irregular as to time. In twenty-ono of the collisions it appears that irregularity of the trains was one of the concurrent causes which tended to produce them. Upon considera tion of the reports it appears wonderful that more of these accidents do not occur; for it is recorded that in some instances goods and mineral trains are sent along railways under the direction of engine-drivers whose only instructions are to proceed to the destination in tended for their charge, dropping trucks at stations where necessary and taking up others, without any in structions at all as to time, but with the understanding that they aro to got to their journey's end as best they can, so that they deliver the goods at the required places. This understanding or instruction is, however, subject in most cases to certain general regulations, such as, that no train is to follow another within a given time, and that goods trains are to be shunted or moved off the main line when a passenger train is expected within a stated time. Experience, however, shows that these re gulations are not sufficient, and the principal guarau tee of safety when the traffic is conducted on this system is the vigilance and superior intelligence of the drivers and persons to whom is intrusted the conduct of tho trains. "It is found on many railways that a largo proportion of the goods traffic is as regular and capable of as much exactitude in respect of time as the ordinary passenger traffic. There can be no valid reason why goods traffic of this regular nature should not be conducted upon the same principle as the passenger traffic, with carefully adjusted timestables and with punctuality. As to other traffic which is in addition to the regular or ordinary traffic, and is of a more fluctuating nature, including goods and passengers conveyed by what are commonly termed excursion trains, or special goods trains, it may be well ques tioned whether a general instruction to an engine driver to proceed on his journey to his destination, taken in conjunction with the regulation above alluded to, is a sufficient security to the public that the traffic will be conducted with a duo regard to the safety of the tra vellers conveyed by railway. " It is to be observed that an improper use of the dis cretion allowed to the driver not only endangers the safety of the train which he himself is conducting, but in a greater degree that of the trains in front and rear of his own train. It might be impossible to provide a time-table for theta trains for any length of time before the trains are run, but it is worthy of consideration whe ther the responsibility as to the hours at which trains are to pass along each railway or part of a railway in either direction should not be placed upon one person, who should be a responsible officer of the company, without whose permission no engine or train should be &lowed to pass along the railway." The report then states that the occurrence of acci dents to an excursion train on the Great Western Rail way, and to a train on the North-Western Railway at Bicester, had led the Commissioners to urge upon the directors the great necessity of working their excursion traffic with the utmost regularity. The report then wont on to state that, independently of the absence of time tables for goods and mineral trains, which existed on many lines, another circumstance which tends alike to produce danger is, that when time-tables are pro vided, the trains aro not worked with punctuality to the times denoted in them. This want of punctuality may arise from several causes:— " 1. From an improper arrangement of the times in the tables, either from not taking sufficiently into ac count the character of the line itself or the detentions to which particular trains arc subject at particular stations. The remedy in this case can always be applied by re-ad justing the time tables experimentally, until they suit the conditions of the line and requirements of the traffic. " 2. From the motive power not being sufficient to al low of the appointed times being kept. The deficiency may arise either from the excessive weight of trains or from atmospheric causes, such as damp and frost, by which a bad state of rails is induced and the adhesive power of the engines diminished, or it may arise Leoni very bois terous weather. The remedy in this case is equally evi dent, no engine should be tasked to do more than it has adequate power to do with certainty at all times and in all ordinary conditions of weather. " 3. Want of punctuality may arise from purely acci dental failures of machinery, such as tho fracture of some part of the engine. These causes of delay appear to be of comparatively very rare occurrence. " It only remains to advert to the cases in which in attention to regulations or carelessness of the servants of the company are involved. It would appear that in 23 out of 41 cases, into the circumstances attending which investigations were made, considerations of this nature wore involved. " These may be divided under two distinct denomina tions:— " Ist. Occasional—Those caused by i ne xperience or carelessness of individuals. " 2d. Ilabitual—Those caused by genera l inattention to regulations on the part of tho servants of the com pany, exhibiting, as a natural consequence, a laxity of discipline throughout the whole management of the railway. " On this subject, as to which it is very difficult to give any accu rate statement , and to sepa rate the two classes, hension that on some railways the disregard of regula it appears that there is much ground for appre tions is habitual, and the general discipline lax, from the fact that breaches of the regulations issued by the direc tors of railway companies for the guidance of their ser vants are of very frequent cccurrence under the imme diate supervision of the superior officers of the railways, and in which many of them participate, or of which at any rate they are cognizant. This may bo induced by the regulations themselves not being very explicit, as appears to have been the case in some of these accidents, as, for instance, the collision that occurred onj the Eastern Counties Railway at Ponder's-end, on the Bth of January, 1851; or by defective supervision and inspc Lion on the part of the railway companies over their servants, such as would appear to have been the case upon the Midland Railway, as shown by the accidents, the reports and correspondence relative to which aro to be found in appendices 48 to 53. Discipline upon rail ways is of the greatest importance, both to the public and to the companies who are subject by the occurrence of serious accidents to great losses, and to the nayment of compensation to injured persons; but, notwithstanding the direct interest which the companies thus have in maintaining discipline and enforcing the regulations which they themselves have considered necessary for the safe conduct of the traffic upon their lines, it has been the duty both of the Commissioners of Railways and of the Lords of this Committee, to animadvert in some cases in very pointed terms upon the neglect of these regula tions. It is a subject to which it is desirable that the attention of railway companies should be especially called, both as affecting the safety of the public and the profits of their undertaking, as the only security the public can have in this respect is in the companies themselves, who alone have the power, by the adoption of carefully con sidered regulations and careful supervision, to enforce an efficient state of discipline. " It appears advisable, in considering this question, that some few observations should be made upon a pro position which is considered by many as holding out a prospect of obtaining a greater degree of safety upon railways, viz., to prescribe an interval of time to be ob served upon all railways between succeding trains, and which should at all times be strictly enforced. This proposition has been adopted on some railways, but does not appear alone to afford a sufficient security for the safe working of a railway. Tho object to be gained in fixing an interval of time between the trains following each other upon the same line of rails is, that upon an accident occurring by which the stoppage of a train is occasioned, and the lino of railway obstructed, there shall be sufficient time to admit of a signal being sent out to protect the rear of the train that is stopped. This time must depend on the nature of the signal. In fine weather a light or a flag is employed, according as the necessity for its use may arise, by night or by day, which may be eeen for a considerable distance, provided the view be unohatructed eith er b y curves or ob j ects in the vicinity of the railway. In fo ggy or thick weath er a detonating signal is attached t o the rail, which, upon being exploded by the passage of an en g ine, gives a loud report, and thus communicat es the required signal to the driver. This latter signal requires that the man whose duty it is to fix it should a ctuall y hav e arrived at the place where the signal first becomes avail a bl e , an d i s therefore the most unfavourable condition under whi c h signals can be applied. Upon thoeo pple in charge of the train receiving a signal to stop, it is their duty to apply the means provided upon the train, for arresting its progress with the greatest alacrity. Tho distance to be traversed by the train before it will come to rest w ill d epen d, first, upon the alacrity with which the and, secondly, upon the ex t en t of those means as compare d wi th the weight and speed of upon the li ne , also into con s id erat i on the incline miens are applied , t t i h o e n s t r a king also and the con dition of the weather. The distance, therefore, from any obstacle at which a signal must be given in order to secure the safety of the traffic requires to be pacer tained with reference to eaoh railway, and the weight of engines and trains in general use upon it, the speed at which they travel, and the means for arresting their progress provided upon each mile. " The intervals bete/Lem succeeding trains should be made up, therefore— " 1. Of the time consumed in stoppin, , the first train. "2. O the time consumed by the guard or man who is responsible for applying the signals in going out to the required distance with those signals. This time, in a case in which considerations of public safety are involved, should be determined under the most unfavourable con ditions in which the signals can require to be applied, such as a dense fog. A liberal margin should, moreover, be allowed in each consideration in the interval so cal culated, which will seldom be less than 10 minutes, and may be more. Upon railways where the means provided for arresting the progress of a train are very powerful it might be reduced. " Few companies adopt a less interval than 10 minutes; all, however, have rules by which it is imperative upon their servants to exhibit at all signal stations the danger' or stop' signal for a certain interval after the passing of every train, so as to prevent at each of these points, which average a distance of not more than three miles apart on all the railways in the kingdom, a dimi nution in the interval considered necessary by the ma nagers of the railways to be maintained between the trains. In any regulations of this nature, as in all others that may be adopted, safety would still depend upon the vigilance of the servants of the companies, and the effi ciency- of the machinery. " From these considerations it appears manifest that to prescribe a certain fixed interval of time applicable alike to all trains, taking the responsibility out of the hands of the companies, would be improper, as each line with its gradients and curves, and the train arrange ments in force upon it, would require separate conside ration. To enforce upon all companies a uniform regu lation in this respect would, moreover, be unjust; for upon a line of light traffic, whore trains do not succeed each other with great rapidity, fewer servants may be employed upon the trains, and fewer breaks used for stopping the trains, a longer interval of time being adopted; whereas upon a line of heavy traffic, railway companies may find it in their interest occasionally to station men within signalling distance along the line of railway, in order to save the time consumed by a guard in running out with and placing his signal when his train shall, from any cause, have been obliged to stop. The prescription of a minimum interval, as deduced from a line of great traffic, would tend to diminish ril -1 ther than increase safety in travelling, as it might lead those companies which do not use the precautions em ployed upon the line of great traffic to adopt the mini mum interval without examination of the data and de- tails upon which it was founded, and so relieve them, in a great degree, of that responsibility which should attach to them. " Probably one of the best means that can bo recom mended for promoting the safety of the public upon rail ways is an extended use of the electric telegraph, by means of which the traffic upon a railway may be so worked that no two trains shall be upon the same line between neighbouring telegraph stations at the same time. All lines do not possess this adjunct to their es tablishment, which requires a considerable outlay of capital and a large establishment of clerks. Upon some lines the telegraph stations are not sufficiently near to one another to allow of its being used for this purpose, so that although the use of the telegraph may, no doubt, be very much extended, its adoption upon all lines, and its employment in the manner here described, cannot be enforced. " TRAFFIC. " A detailed analysis of the statistics of traffic upon railways having appeared in the last report of the Com missioners of Railways, including the traffic for a period of live years, I should have considered it unnecessary to present any analysis for the present ycar; but consider ing the great event of the Exhibition of all Nations which took place in the year 1851, and which must al ways render that year remarkable in the annals of this country, I have thought it desirable to give a short state ment of the traffic upan railways in that year, which has been, as it would appear, materially affected by that important event. It appears that the number of passengers travelling on railways in England and Wales, which in 1850 amounted to 58,514,435, reached 70,471,179 in 1851, showing an increase of 20 per cent., while the receipts from these passengers rose from 5,888,6031. to 6,952,6121., being an increase of 18 per cent. The mean length of railway upon which this traffic was conducted had in creased in the same period only 6.6 per cent. It appears that in the preceding years, for which returns of traffic have been prepared, the average annual increase in the length of railways in England and Wales had been 21 per cent., being more than three times tho rate of last year; and that, while the average number of passengers has increased annually 11,03 per cent., the receipts from passengers have increased 6.4 per cent " Hence it would appear that although the railway communications in England and Wales have in the past year increased at a rate much below the average, being about one-third, the number of passen gers has increased at a rate nearly amounting to double the annual average , and the receipts derived from them at nearly three times the ordinary rate of in crease. Tho number of passengers in the last year has exceeded the number which would have been conveyed by railways, if they had only increased at the ordinary rate, by 5,50'3,602; and the receipts from them in the same manner 687,1381. This increase is in a great measure to be attributed to the vast extension of facilities for travelling afforded to the public by means of excursion trains, which in 1850 had received a great impulse, but was developed in an extraordinary degree in the past year. If the same reasoning be applied to the traffic upon railways in Scotland it w ill b e seen that the mean length of railway open for traffic during the year has increased in about the same ratio as in England—viz., 6.2 per cent., while the number of passengers has only increased from 8,84.4,191 to 9,286,313, or 4.9 p e r cent.; and the receipts from them from 600,0821. to 622,5491., or 3.7 per cent. This increase is considerably below the ave rageobtained from the traffic returns of preceding periods; but as the average annual rate of increase of railways open for traffic in Scotland, as obtained from those returns, was very high, being nearly 32 per cent., it would not appear that any very accurate deductions can be made from a comparison with their It is to be observed, however, that the results are very striking as compared with the previous conclusions respecting Eng land and Wales. " With respect to Irel an d, th e resu lts of the passen ger traffic are of the same nature, when compared with those in England and Wales, as in Scotland. The mean extent of railw a y over w hi c h it was carried hasin creased 121 percent., while the numbers conveyed have only increased from 5,495,796 to 5,633,603, or 2.5 per cent., the sums received from them having risen from 339,0761. to 365,6031., or 7.8 per cent. "The receipts from goods have increased during the year, but not in such a marked degree as those from pas sengers. In England and Wales the sums received for the transport of goods have risen from 5,480,771/. to 6,044,1831., or 10.3 per cent.; in Scotland from 721,1761. to 814,053/., or 12.8 per cent.; in Ireland from 174,9591. to 198,4591., or 13.4 per cent. This augmentation i the goods traffic has been in each case in a higher ratio than can be accounted for by the increase to the rail ways opened for its conveyance, although it has not been comparatively so great as in former years. " The general results of traffic over all the railways in the United Kingdom show that the aggregate number of passengers conveyed in 1850 amounted to 72,854,422; in 1851, to 85,391,005; being an increase of 12,536,673, or 17.2 per cent. The gross receipts from passengers in 1850 amounted to 6,827,7611.; in 1851, to 7,940,76 4 / 4 showing an increase of 1,113,003/.,:0r 16.3 per cent. The gross sum received for the transport of goods amounted in 1850 to 6,376,9071.; in 1851 to 7,056,6951.; showing an increase of 679,788/., or 10.6 per cent. " The gross revenue of all the railways, arising from traffic of all descriptions, which in 1850 amounted to 13,204,6681., amounted in 1851 to 14,997,4591., or very nearly 15 millions; showing an increase in the receipts for the year of 1,792,7911., or 13.5 per cent. " The report stated, in conclusion, that the Commis sioners had found it unnecessary to continue the legal proceedings instituted to enforce their order requiring the Great Western Railway Company to complete the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway, as the company established for constructing the latter railway would be enabled to complete the undertaking from their own resources. THE COUNTRY MARKETS. WAKEFIELD, AUG. 27.—With fine weather, harvest is going on favourably in this district. The market to day is fairly supplied with wheat, amongst which there is a sprinkling of the now crop, to which millers pretty muc h confine their purchases, at prices ranging from 40s to 463 for red, and 47s to 52s for white; we make no change in the value of old. Oats and shelling sell slowly, and are rather lower. English beans are scarce, and rather dearer. Grinding barley is held for full prices. New. Old. WHEAT, per qr. 60Ibs per bushel:— s. s. s. Suffolk, Essex, and Kent, red —to 43 to 45 Ditto, white 46 50 Norfolk and Hunts., red ... 40 —. 42 Ditto, white 45 48 Lincolnshire and Cambridge, red —— 40 —42 Ditto, white 45 47 Yorkshire, red 40 4 , 8 2 Ditto, white ... 45 '* 4B Dantzic and Koni gs b urg , w hit e .. 44 -- 3 42 Lower Baltic and li am b urg h, re d... 33 38 Mediterranean, red ... ••• BARLEY, per quarter of 8 bushels:— 24 -- 26 Grinding per 30 atone 21 28 Foreign ... BEANS, per qr. 631bs to the bushel Small, fine Ticks S 3 - 35 32 - 34 ... ~-.--- -- 29 - 32 Fore' gn •• OATS, per stone:— ••• ••• ••. • ... ....- Mealin ... —d to —d 11d to 12d Feedin g : ..... ... —d to —d 101 to d Forei gn :: . . ... —d to —d Km to li d SHELLING, per. of 2611 b ... 27 —2B -. MALT, per load of 6 imperial bushels 38 -... 41 PEAS, per Imperial Quarter :- Blue and white boilers Grey and Feed 30 - 33 29 - 32 'ALS. AR Qrs. 12,22.4 Wheat ••• ••• " 863 Barley ••• *" •.: 191 Oats ••• ••• "" 210 Beans.— ••"*. 106 Tares ... ." BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, AUG. 27.—Rather morn business bus been done in our market this week, but pr i c es show no sip s of improvement. Refined is in better demand at firmer rates. R ura h as b een on l y spa ringly dealtin, but prices con tinue firm.—Bristol Mercury. NEWBURY, AUG. 26.—Since Fri day the weather has been Womble fer the iu-gmhoring o f the crops, gad Qrs. Rapeseed ••• 1144 ••• - Shelling ... „. 369 Linseed •• • ••• •• • Malt ..• ••• • • ••• Flour ••• ••• ••• 11110 great progress has been made iu clearing the fields. Tfi" day we have only a moderate supply of wheat, shout a fourth part consisting of the new growth, which is of in different quality, and worse condition; this led to the demand being nearly confined to old, which fully supports late rates; whilst the new i 3 a drug, and raugss tram 3Gs to 44s per quarter. In spring corn, although sse have a little new, the supply is but moderate, and late rat's have been about supported. L I TERPOOL, AUG. 27.—Several purcha ses of Amer full ican flour were made by speculators , o n Wednesday"; et prices, bat with more favoura ble weather since them ils lers and dealers have been cau tious operators, aSt this morning's market the business transacted heat w w as mode rate, and at a reduction of Id per bushel on asd 3d to 6d per barrel on Tuesday's quotations. There w thas no alteration in the value of any other article of grain trade, with a limited demand generally. E XE TER, AUG. 27.—Cattle Market —The m arks t WAS w ell supplied with both cattle an d shee p , and many from lot s changed hands. Prime bee f, Ss 6d to 9s; inferior, 7s Gd to 8s per score; ba rreners, 4e Gd to ss; cows and 4P to calves, 8/. 8s to 12 / 12a ea ch. Butchers' 50; ca lves, sd. Sheep, ewes , fro m sid to sd; wethers, 5.1 to lamb, 6d to 6Ad per Ih. Pork Caresses —The sup-pIY was a trifle Lager than last week , and p rices sbout tee same —from 7s Gd to Ss 6dser score. Pannier—Torl.(l poults, 5s 6d to 65 Gd; gees e, 5s to Gs each; ducks, 4 3 to ss; fowls, 2s 9d to 35 6d; pigeons, is 9d per couple' grouse, 7s to 8s per brace; leverets, 2s 6d to 3s Gd; ra 7 bits, 10d to is each; butt er, 10(1 to 1 Id per lb; e g ge6 , 1 to 18 for Is. Corn Exchange—Prime old wheat ivii offered at 6t 6d, which in some instances was obtaired; the price ranged from 53 9tl to Cs 6tl; ne w barley, 35heb 4d , ; new oats, 2s 6d; old ditto , 2s 9d to 2s lld per bo Fine flour, 36s to 38 s per sa ck. Wool —The top Pri ce is BAd. DliNnicrr, AUG, 25.—Several samples of new wheat were exhibited, and proved to 5 we l r . o from 13s 6d to 14s new wheat, and 145 6il to 159 for o d Barley and oats at last quotation. be very fine. Pries - e of WaExtust, AUG. 2G.—New wheat, per meastir 751bs, 6s; old wheat, good sample, Gs to 63 Bd. I'ol7 toes in limited supply and little advance in prier, per measure of 901bs, 2s 4d to 2s 6d. Ducks, per ooriP e s : 2s 4d, 2s 6d, to 3s; butter 9.i-cl to 10d per lb ot 18 ounce . RIPON, AUG. 26.—White wheat 5s 9d to 6s 3d, red ditto 53 d to Cs Od, ditto new, 5s 9d to 6s ; beans 4s 6d to 45 9d Ise! bushel ; barley 00s to 00s ; oats 18s Od to 235, new ditto ' 2;55 to 23s 6d per qr. ditto 16s Od to 17s Od per load ; barley ON Od to 00,3 Od per qr.; . Wirrnaner, Aug:. ',G.—White wheat, 17s Od to 18s 6d, red beans 15s Od to 15s 6d per load • oats Ild to Is per stoe. KNARESBOROUGH, A co. 25! 'Wheat 5s 6d to 6s 3 195 d ; tune 4s 6d to 5s Od per bushel; barley 2 93 t o 31s; oats, O per qr. • 6 ,, 1b INVERNESS, Aua. 2l.—Wheat, per qr, weighlr4,, „ per bushel, 385 Od to 41s Od; ditto, old, weighing 6`2luhli'n; bushel, 00s Od to 00s Od; barley, per quarters Welshingwei r ; 541 b per bushel, 25s 6d to 2656 d ; oats, per quarter, imper ial 421 h per bushel, 17s Od to ISs Od. Oatmeal, per .. boll, 15s Od to Os Od ; ditto second, 14 s6d to uOs Od; ba r 'Y meal, Ils 6d to Os Od ; peasemeal, 153 Oct to Os Oil; billgirr stone, Os 7d to Os Od ; first flour, per 2801 b., 3450 d to 3 6 ; f Filb second ditto, 27s Od to 28s Od; oatmeal, best, per stone 0 riey... imperial, Is 6d to Os Od; ditto second, Is 5d to NOd ; 3 meal, Is 4d to Os Od ; peaserneal, Is 6d to Os Od; scat ,flourer: 2s 6d cash, 2s 9d credit ; second ditto, 2s Od cash, 2 54 a ce 4 d dit. Potatoes, per stone, 4d to Od; beef, per pound, 4d to 6d; veal, 4d to sd; mutton, 4d to 6d; pork, 3d to 4t; fowls, each, 10d to 12d; chickens, per pair, 10d to 12d ; ' l ' "...) fresh, to each, Od to Od ; eggs, per dozen, 6d to Od; butter, 9d to 10d per lb ; ditto, salt, 8d to 10d ;d croudie (curds), '',!. ~ Od ; four-pound loaf, floe, 5d to 6d ; tto, _ second, 4d to as , coals. r cwt, 9d; hay, per stone, 8d to 10d. ~, pc: ~ , TUE CLOTHING MANUFACTURES. _ FOREIGN WOOL, AUG. 27.—There has been Daga,7, partitively little business done during the past w °!:. either is foreign or colonial wool, but prices eontinu° very firm. ENGLISH WOOL, LEEDS, AUG. 27.—There has been a fair amount of business done in combing and clothing wools. Prices are quoted the same as last sveek• eet LIVERPOOL caprice AUG. 26.—Business is q ui r k without change in . Imports for the past r . ' l; o consist of 40 bales Italian, 74 bales Peru, 91 d ales Alpaca. a s malle w b°/ / 1 YORK WOOL, AUG. 26.—We had only which of wool at our market to - d a y , two-thirds of .„" es moor wool, but in conseque nce of the extreme Prlueits asked, a few large parcels remain on hand. Long wu daYS continues at the same price a s on the last market TRADE OF LEEDS. --In the cloth-halls not much_no_, ness has been done during the past week, and stoslse. °: all kinds are on the increase, and held for rather bign7. prices than were similar goods which they rePIVoi This is owing to the advance which took place i 3 ver y at the London sales p receding those which ha" more busi,„ two recently closed. In th e warehouses," a little neas been done uring the curret week than for or s three weeks previod usly; but business has bee n by 0 means brisk. T R ADE OF LEICESTER, —There iS a very e xtensi ve business doing in all branches, and great difficulty, is fi r : perienced in getting the hose seamed up. The . Yu:. market is not brisk, but as wools fully I naint la their price, the spinners hold stock with confidence. . BRADFORD, AUG. but little summed up in few words, " Plenty of business, for or no profit to any except the merchants. in 0 26.—The state of trade here may Do pieces were firmer; also for yarns used in the n° Cot trade. Yarns for export were less inquired after. ton warps obtained an advance. • no TRADE OF MANCHESTER, AM 26.---ThOrP is a quite so much business doing, but prices are stead)" , 6 ` n producers still hold for an 'advance. The demarld for printers runs upon 60 reed 26 inch, 66 reed 2 7 52 reed are also firm, with a good demand. ID n 3 a d , n ; pollams there is also a good demand for printing an d ju u to export to Brazil. For India and China shirtings, p a re 71b utilitiesq and 66 reed, prices are steady, and these c loths! the kinds moFt requisition. For T cloths, long and domestics, O ttere is not much change. For Ya r .l inch, and generally there is rather a large demand. The P Tl ,, n d trade continues rather active, and owing to the increl" value of cloth, new pattern s are rather dearer to u a bDoY.: but goods taken from stock ma y be had at forma cl tatisns. The market appea rs g enerally to disPhilieu healthy tone, and a fair amou nt of business has b „, ' k, done during the week, but not equal to that of last virc t s' TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM, AUG. 26.--Tho fancy or' t „. 0 bobbin-net continues on the whole to improve, bat tb_ 6 :l l d is a variation with different firms. The workmen 'lb° machine owners, convinced of the want of stamina i n el s strait down nets, have been scheming to introduce a ar mesh, which, without traversing the threads,.sh6ll ben the ordeal of washing. The object, it is said, has vow ~pa been effected by the manufacture of au article ter m ed blondley, which is the firmest net yet made either hY 1 , machine or cushion, and which, even under the na i k nr , i ° l - ci cope, has all the appearance of a traverse rou d• S' u l tt ee it succeed, it will cause a new era in theg naanchinc„;" • trade. The black silk and silk lace trade geeer a " "till slowly improvieg. The curtain branches, dull, have a shade improved. The l'ickl Ole os o ro rapidly improving—the French have Tickler ceutresoulb°,riced in this manufacture. Velvet is slowly pr y ogress in :i °l t bobbin-net Keei and warp-net, and it is reported that Alon,„ -e m ti e the ing velvet. The cotton hosiery trade, mak. ian, of Rue Amsterdam, Paris, has a round ', l.— a ll iri nearil all the numeroussilk k branches, is in a very fair conditioe, ~boo frames,l i h s o t s le ie e r r y ly tr e a x d t e th , e w t. hich once employed nearly v T.—YKSTIRDAY. :he close of t he market :••••', ,J H as well ..... ........... _lsDs3 dd Larnbt o n ............. . 1 R uss ell's Iletton ...... 1 5 3 6 u i Stewart's ••• •••• •••• 3tl Shotton ............. Belmont ................ 14 etton Lyons Main—. 1`59 pd jKeno ................ 143 3tl Sou th Kelloe ............ las „a Brown's Deanery ...... 139 Seymour Tees •• •• • 1,50 1 fees ......• ... . . ...... «. .. 1 30 i3d Elgin ........... • ,A 3 o,lLlangennech ........ ;=v Nixon's Merthyr au u . 2 /, 0 1 Cardiff ......... ... od Ramsey's Cannel ...... •," 100 Sold , (3, _ - 3F IANGE.-FI uDA• G" ibraltar...•••••••,. ON .. 30 67 7 Leg horn •• •• •••• • 25 VOIIICO• ••• " , 4 1 •• •• •• apl o • • 123!4 Palortno,peroZ.• • 03,74 p : N rs h Pi e : :w ebs i r i n E ti i n e sn'a o . i r p i l k Yr s . 7 6 1 . - 7:3 0 : Fore i gn Geld Inbare... ,, s 0 o Portugal Gold Coln .• 0 Spanish Doubloons •• n 4 N o w Dollars •••• •• 0 ON Silveri/I bars •• •• 0 COAL MARKS' Prices of Coal per ton at t North Percy Hartley 13s 9d New Tanfield ... l2s 6d New Pelton Main l2s Od Ravensworth'sW. Hart 14s 9d Tantield Moor ranfield Moor Butes l2s 6d Whitiredge's W. Hart; 14s 6d Wylam Wall's End, &c. Brown .... .... l3s 6d Gosforth .. • • Harton Hedley ... .. Lawson l3s Od Peareth (uns.) Eden Main ....• l4s 3d Braddyll lietton Ships at market. COURSE OF EX( Amsterdam .......... 1l 19N Ditto, three months.. 11 1 Rotterdam 12 I'A Antwerp 25 52 1 A Brussels • •• .• 25 52% llamburgh ••.. •• 13 953 Paris, 3 days'slght •• 25 32!h Ditto, 3 months .... 25 52;,', Marseilles .......... •• 25 52 Bourdeanz...... • • • • • • Frankforton.Maine.. • • 121% Berlin • • .. • • • • •• • • • • • • Vienna, effec. do ••• • .. 12 2 Trieste, ditto.... 12 3 Petersburgh .. • • • • • • •-• Madrid • • • • • • • • •• • • • • Cadiz ........ • • •• 491. Barcelona •••••• •• •• .• Seville— •• .• •• •• •• ••::. o'o ll rADVERTISENENT,]---TLIE EARL OF ALDVOII _uloo, AND HoLLowys l'iLAn astounding cure by this ruin c_ . Dif medicine, atter every other means had failed. See extract troniB4, Lordship's letter, dated. " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb 21 ' „ re ef. Professor re Sir : I beg to acquaint you that your pills ha _ o e fected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach which all the 0 4 eminent of the faculty, at home and all over the continent, hsit'3l4.. Signed) " ALDBOROUGU." These WOllderall 0 13 " p' been able effect; nay, not even the waters of Carlsbad or will retietrnob'iany di(gra,sef of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also 11011,,t1; ointment) .1 ro essor Holloway's Establishment '244, Stran". b.► al l medicine vendors throughout the civilised ;WO' --._ ____-------- --- BIRTHS. OF A SON. T r ibe, On the 26th inst., at Woolwich, the wife of 11 . Esq., Royal Marines. the On the 25th inst., at Brook-street, Grosvenor-square, wife of Henry Knapp, Esq., of Upton-Park. A DAUGTER.. On the 25th inst., at OF ms Bloobur H y Rectory, the 1100. 1111.3 " Montagu Villiers.the 11° .On he 26th inst., Devonshire -place, Portland -place wife of J. L. Elkin, Esq. ---- --- ---_ ------- MARRIED. On the 24th justßrompton, Yorkshire, Whitehall Po'l, Fso i ' ''' ate of the 6th Dragoons, only son of J. W. Dod, l';' 4l '' M. p., of Cloverley, Shropshire, to Emma Matilda, daughtr of the late Lieutenant -General Sir 1.1. M. Vavasour, DO ' of Melbourne and Spalding, Yorkshire. - On the 21st inst., at Undley-hall, Lakenhe ath, Suffolk' aged 58, Thomas Waddelow, Esq. On the 20th inst., at Bedford, Mrs. Smith. aged 94. __ A On the 23d inst., at Richmond, Surrey, Mary, s ec daughter of the late John Gimingliam, Esq., Walworth. ,‘_ On the 24th inst., aged 69, Frederica Louisa, relict of to° late John Thompson, Esq., of the Adelphi. the Rev. Peter Ewart, rector of kirk' -‘, e aret, Ou the 24th inst., at Rickmansworth, liert.s, Arn li n O gt n on ti , 'e Y 2 o s r kthsthiinrst." wife of Thomas Weal, Esq, late of 13eddington, uffolk. ..... -----------46 of London : Printed and Published by MIIRDO YOU :12, No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun OiEce, .t fi ; o f Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy. ii 3 Ale co w— Dlicl4loo, S4iirclie r, Allgad 2 6 , lica• kt. A THE CI DAY, the A eetie Teni d ays), fro] Wilson-st; 34, on the Finsbury. Further btained his Friend e atensive Bumm er - Which s o his friend< coarse va. combine t Moderate The Fah its neighb rccl aire co Call attl places he co "1 airea, Every be I T 76 ' condition factur ed IPI 10 Ai a ' th gou<a la s pie Plic: • tr of ti I.lnattbler :j a t t ", at Q , er a talli toot of x tUr aber .t tile Saturd Te eti be 15 ,,r i Dort k , wirer of atra,:aa 0 r the 4.(1 41 . e "D ' kr, A N tilt lkt 1.41 1 li 111 "A