The Express.
London, England, 1852-08-05 00:00:00

THE ISTHMUS OF

AMERICA:

Tens Firma Proper, on the great Western Conti-
nent, was one of the earliest discoveiks of the great Colum-
bus, and is now known to form a large part of that isthmus
which connects, by a continued link of land, North and
South America. It extends in • N.W. direction frum the
lat. of 8 deg. N. in tho meridian of 76 dog. W. long., to the
het. of 16 deg. 30 min., and 18 deg. 30 rain. N., is, the me-
ridian of 95 deg. W. long.—a distarmi of upwards of 1,3e0
geographical miles. The narrowest parts are, find, between
Chagrea and the Bay of I'etema-33 miles in a direct line;
second, through the province of Chiriqui in Veragea, to
miles, in the weridian of 82 deg. W. long. ; thirdly, from
Len Alvarado, in the Atlantic, to the Bay of Tehuantepec,
in the Pacific—a distance of 92 geographical miles; and,
fourthly, from the mouth of the river St. Juan, on the At-
lantic, in lat. 10 deg. 40 min. N., to Niel:lye, on the Pacific
—in a direct line 120 geographical miles, hut from Mateo
' only 95 miles; and, fifthly, from the Gulf of Bole, , at the
bottom of the Bay of Ilonduras to Trinidad, in the Pacific-
-70 geographical miles.
Ever sauce the discovery of this isthmus, and it became
known that it war bounded on its southern shores by the
Great Pacific Ocean, the attention of Europe. hos been
directed towards it; but while the whole of the rest tout
of America to the 42 deg. of N. latitude remained under
the dominion of Spain, and was sealed by her Irene the
commerce of foreign nations, little opportuuity ear had
of tecertaining the capabilities of this istlineu-, red the
means afforded by it of communicating with the 1%6k:
Ueecan from the shores of the Atlantic. But educe the
authority of Spain was overthrown in that quarter of the
world, fluid the power and dominion or the Unite., State,
has been extended to the ahem of the Pacific, the iner,as,4
communication with the islands in the South Sea, aril the
great rise and cot, nding trade of' the British eqluni,. of
Australia, Van Diemen'', Lead, and New &Melee the
1 attention of the world has been steadily and strenely
' directed to find the easiest and most practicable mute
which this isthmus can be crossed, to order to afford
more rapid and safe communication with all tile shores of
the needle and the islands in the South Sea than by the
long and a angerous navigation round Cape Horn. Every
practicable point has been examined, and the desirable els.
ject can no longer remain uncertain or doubtful, cud is, ii
may now be confidently stated, about to be attained.
There are eight points where the communication from
the Atlantic to thu Pacific is more or leas prat unable, and
more or less difficult. First, by a junction of the head
waters of the river St. Juan, which fall into the Pacific in 4
deg. N. lat., with the head waters of the Atrato, which,
after a course of 210 miles almost due north. falls into the
Atlantic in the Gulf of Berke. Thiejuneti tttt is teeiest
through the valley of Itapedura, in which valley canny
can PALS in water, during the mire, from river to riser.
But this valley is of high elevation, and both fir, re
very rapid, the distance front sea to sea 3.50 mile., and
through very unhealthy spots. The Spanish gm,. ro.
meet, about 70 years ago, had decided to try a routine-
' nication at this place, but the breaking out of the American
war and the French rcvulutiouary war, diverted their at-
tention from the project. Secondly, a line tram the mouth
of the River Topics or Cupiea, on the Pacific, in l it. 7 deg,
30 min. N. to the Atrato, by the River Naiin, a deep
stream, and the distance from the Atrato to the sea, only
about 611 miles. The eumrni, level, however, of the valley
near to the head waters of the streams mentioned. at
' about 25 miles from the l'acific, is at least 400 (let, and
' the line subjected to the dangerous navigation of the
Atrato. Thirdly, the line from the mouth of the Atrato
to the Gulf of San Miguel, a distance of 65 geographieal
mike. The head waters of the streams, which hero rue in
opposite directions to the points adverted to. approach
near each other, but the lowest summit level of the Loot
between them is at least 500 feet above the mem. The
mouth of the Atrato, b 'sides being &onerous from moving
saud banks, is very evrompy reel most unhealthy. Thus
Scott well describes,

THE FATAL COLLISION ON THE LONDON
AND Nolan-WESTERN RAILWAY.

The inquests wore opened yesterday simultaneously
it coo airy and at Docker'soiate, where the bodies of the
die, it% um lying, the latter, after en indentificatioa
t boa af Mr. Iledington by his relation., was ed-
ey a.,. Y
I,,ur d until ni at Weitneeday. The inquiry at Co.
'...-inr.Sllll/ proceeded with to some extent, but the evidence,
;it, as it went, was completely corroborative of that ,
glitch appeared in yest,rday's F.zoress. A minute
aasntinatioe of the engine and fire-box will made by the
jars.
Amongst the sufferers is a young man, traveller for Mr.
wholentle stationer m Birmiuithans. The shuck
11s• w great that a book in his breast pocket was completely
dou .let up, end his bouts were cut in strips, fortunately
without materially injuring his feet. The unfortunate
youth Ineyd wae sitting opposite to him at the moment of
ih, collioms. The tint rifest of it was to throw hint into his
gnus; be appear, to have been subsequ, oily dashed from
the cirri ',V. Another of the stiff, nTS is Mr. MSOOklll; gun-
mule. r, St. Mary's, Birmingham, a deserving young menu-
Goan r; be now lies at a cottage a wile from the scene of
the St col. at. in a very precarious state.
Tbc jary impaiinelled at Coventry to inquire into the
einunistances attendant on the death of the youth, WiLians
we-e swore at noun before W. 11. Seymour, But ,
the „Neer ler the di.trict. The first witries. called was
Mr, Emma HUI, wife of Mr. C. NV. Hill, of Iligtsch,
yasiiaghasa, who recognised the body of the deceased. lie
wa- sin year. old, unit quitted I.er house shout nine
eVoielioa the morning of the accident. Deceased was son
ig Mr y Ylosd.of Orford.
Jeel.tmon, the driver of the engine, sworn—
II ft nirni.ugh.an with the train at fifteen minutes pest
Ria„. Tai.lty morning; it was • passenger train. When
I dal! ,as Illy way to London the engine wu in guest
worison.: or.!er. .ehout a mile from Uimpton Station it
bran to Omite about. sad the dust and gravel to fly about.
pet oa tee Make and whistle, and turn, tithe steam off.
Wittig round I saw that the train of carriages had
Mint sway (noun my rapine and got on the down line.
The only at -rAtion in the engine was th it the ash.past wee
mew sway it se.. tit yards behind me on the line. and
winkle', rolled op. 1 bad examined the a.b.pan before
started and found it all right. I can't say how the straps
that beta the ash.pan got forced out. The down train from
la animator, ran into the up train momentarily, and at that
time the up tr-ki• had not steadied itself. I come on to
Doeler's.lane. and stopped the line. Afterwards proceeded
lath my engine to Coventry. Int .naa.ion wee given to
Ruth! ar..l mi.:chain by telegraph (or assistance.
A11.1114i1 Marshall was neat sworn—l em foreman of the
tonnotise departs's-at ea the London and North Western
Laos ,y at Ilirea•erhasn. It is my duty to guanine every
mime hence it haves. I examined the engine No. 1.13 on
Taiel iv morning before it went out. The ash pea was
ean and ere are, so wee every other part of the engine. I
h.se Mitt foreman tea years, or close on it.
Timms Lee, swots.—l em an engine driver on the
Leolon sod North West, rn Beltway. I was driving on
Tuesday morning from Leamington to Birmingham, and
wa g ii.a nom to 30 mites an hour. I saw the up train
a:I sale ou the line half a moment before, and then 1 saw
th, ,antue. lying ou my rails. and tried my best to stop
the nein,. but I ran into them. My engine was thrown
on the rails to the r cht. I saw the d. ceased on the bank
web an umbrella. Ile was lifted into one of the vans, and
Woe to Coventry.
Janie, Clawford was called—He said, I am foreman of
the lee intoner depot tenent at the Rugby station, and have
6-en in that situation five years and • quarter. Yisterday
winner I examined the engine No. 1.53 before it came out
of the shed. I tound her all right. limbs had sot been so,
I shatild not have allowed her to leave the station.
Ceoner—What do you believe to have occasioned the
sect. n:
Witi.e.s—l have made a careful examination of the
eng.a, on, the accident, and hem the appearance of the
eLstay•.- whie‘ arc broken nut of the sockets, I think the
ma. peen must hive h..il a blow during its journey between
Birmnithese and the place where the accident happened.
fly Mr. Derr —Oa the 2'lrd of last month, this ash-pan
was cr. nethened by five new bolts and one new "stay.'
Cy the Coroner—ln my experience I never knew an
steal, ut of a similar character. I was six years in the same
situation as 1 now hold on the Gloucester Mid Birmingham
railway.
By a Juror—Had the ash-pan been struck by something
en the road the driver ought to have felt it, though he
'ingot not have done so. Idu not however believe that the
ash.pin came off at the moment it was struck. The blow
inizht have loosened it only, and it might afterwards become
detached. I examine the ash-pans, every night when the
lure-Lars are taken out. We are always very careful about
this.
Coroner—Have you anything more to offer, Mr.
Whitten ?
Mr. Whitten said he had examined the ath.pan, and he
would give the result of his examination either as evidence
or as an oral statement to the jury.
Coroner—Whichever you please.
Mr. Whitten then said, in the absence of positive proof,
which of course in such a case must necessarily be wanting.
any opinion as t. the cause of the accident must he mere
conjecture. It bad not been shown that any obstruction
had been thrown upon the line, and from an examination
of the esh-pen he was inclined to believe that time had
completely worn away the bolts fastening the straps on one
side, and thus the ash-pan hail given way. This be thought
Merited a reasonable clue to account fur the accident en-
fond by the circumstance that the driver had sworn that
he had experienced no shock, which he must have done
lad there been any obstacle on the permanent way.
Coroner—Then you coaclude that the faulty butts were
Overlooked.
Mr. Whitten—No; if 1 were to do so I should be im-
puting blame to some p.rty, which lam not, but I think it
quite risible, seeing that the engine is five yeus old, and
that it is some time since it has bees overhauled that some
of these bolts might have proved defective.
In reply to the coroner, the witness Crawford here stated
that he examined the engines previously to every journey,
and, if any one was found defective it woe replaced by a
sound one, and was seat to Wolverton with a certificate of
the repairs requisite, which were at once executed.
The coroner expressed his readiness to facilitate the ends
of justice by hearing any additional evidence that might be
adduced ; and Mr. ilruyeres and the officers of the com-
pany th dared themselves most anxious to throw any light
that could possibly be obtained on the accident. ti nder
these circumstances, the suggestion of a juror that some in-
dependent machinist resident in the town should be re.
roosted to examine the engine wee readily agreed to, and
a Mr. Mosedals haying been solicited to act, proceeded to
the spot in company with Mr. l'rosser, the high constable.
After • lapse of about half an hour,
Mr. Joseph Mustilale we. called and examined. Be
said—l have just been to the Coventry station, and have
teen the engine No. 163 and its aslopen. One of the nibs
which holds up the pan appears to have been broken off for
some time, and the others appear in a very bad state. But
the tire wee in the engine, and I could not swathe it pro-
perly.
The Coroner—ls the fire in the engine now ?
Witness—lt is. The
the
thing Id altogether in • bed state.
The urns work belonging topan was decayed; but they
haven't got it all here. There are parts that are not here
now.
The Coroner—Be good enough to repeat what you have
just said. This seems important.
Witutss—An engine and aah-pan have been shows to me
this day at the Coventry station. The " rungs or nitre "
that hold the fire-guard to the firebox are decayed.
The Coroner—How would that be produced—by wet or
what ?
Witness—By the heat of the fire, and the tenth of time
they have been in me. They are doss to the fire.
The Coroner—Can you give any idea as to bow the ash-
pan came to fall off, or to break off, or to be wreathed off?
Wit/ow—Well, I should say that it has fall= or from
the decayed parts of the iron. It seise to be altogether
gate, the iron dose.
A juror—That is the general impression of all of we.
The Coroner—Then there is a lie somewhere. The wit-
new Crawford said he examined the engine yesterday
morning and the firebox sad salt-pan were perfectly safe and
right.
Witness—l should like to examine it more closely. If
the My were out I could judge better, but speaking from
the present appearance of the seer end aibe I snowed say
they were decayed, imam' through from the heat of the are
and the friction.
A juror—Worn thy, feet?
Witness—Tee, was ilism Ifs hos* of time they
have been in wear, or tom
The Coroner—This does not at all wee with what has
been stated before. Crawford said amen the Zird of last
month tire new bolts were put in.
Witness—Yes ; but those are not the bolts, those are the
These nibs might have been decayed whew he put the
lie bd.. in, and he not have noticed it. If I bad lied the
other parts of them I should have been better able Melody,
end they have thus somewhere.
tree juror here suggested that Crawford should be re-
called. Another complained that be should have been pre-
sent during the examination of the last witness ; and is:-
wombs dropped of anything but a complimentary charier
ter towards the coroner, several of the jury asserting that
they hail a duty to perform as well as that gentleman, lad
that if they sat there for a week theyw
would at all events
doehr,e
eetheir obligations to their fetiotowsemes sad to
thiTt 61'
• The Coroner said if the interruptions were persisted is
he would clear the room entirely ; mad a juror declared
that the coroner had " caught him up" several times, sad
that ht would ere justice done.
A Juror (to Mr. Moredale).-eTeo cams der that one of
these slays was broken before yesterday morning?
Witness.—Yes, as far as I ma see; but remember, they
are immediately under the fire ; sad it is quite impossible
to take a proper view while it Is herniate, se t is at
present.
The Juror summated (apparently with the uncurraneeof
his fellow.jurymen) that a public impaction should Ulm
place when the engine would be cool.
Mr. Whitten hoped that in the MUM= the Lord Chief
Justice or the Home fkrretary would be tO sethat some thoroughly independent acientiarglidentlenome
Might malm an inquiry into the circumstances.
encurrently with this remark from Mr. Whitten, Mr.
MCOOdril was praying that the same course might ho
adopted.
The Coroner promised acquiescence in their views, and
the Proceedings were adjourned for a week.

Doc& nu's-Lae n,Weinesday Wiest.
This afternoon, at 4 o'clock, Mr. WWl= &Tans Poo'.,
the eoroner (or tbs • Mae •• ;111,700 TN";
ef the body of Ms. ••°l4"
the sufferers. The Iva uswalisi Or way Ina ad-
*aim; the statism.