The Express.
London, England, 1847-06-12 00:00:00

VISIT OF THE GRAND DUKE CONS
OF RUSSIA TO WOOLWICH.

At about a quarter peat eleven yesterday forenoon
the Grand Duke Constantine, attended a brilliant suite,
and wearing the Russian uniform, arrived at the dock. 1
yard, Woolwich. There was no battery of Royal ,
Artilery at the dockyard, the salute being reserved
for the arrival on the common ; nor wee there
any guard of honour, the marines being
in keeping the ground at the review. The Grans:St
was received by Commodore Sir .1. J. Gordon Bremer, C. 8.,
'and the principal officers of the dockyard, and Sir Thomas
Dominion, C.B. and K.C.H., and the staff of the garrison. I
The party proceeded at once to the factory, where Mr. ,
Atherton, the chief engineer of the establishment, I
explainined the uses of the various ponderous machines ,
which are in daily use here. In this little world of mechanics
the Grand Duke spent nearly an hour, and afterwards pro- ,
eceded, in company with Mr. 0. Lang, the matter builder,
to inspect the Royal Albert, of 120 guns, on the stocks, and
now nearly finished. After spending about an hour and,
thret.quarters in the yard the party left, and proceeded to
the mess-room of the Royal Artillery barracks, and were re.
ceived with a royal salute fromthe battery in thegun-park, the
band of the regiment playing the Russian Anthem, and after-
wards • variety of popular airs and marches during the time
the party within partook of • 'sumptuous d6euner. At a
quarter to two the Grand Duke rode to the common. The
review then commenced, the troops being drawn up in the
following order :--The Royal Horse Artillery on the right,
under the command of Lieut.-Col. M. Louis; battalions of
Foot Artillery, divided into two wings, under the command
of Lieut.-Col. H. Willis and Lieut.-Col. T. Gorden Higgins;
and the field-batteries, under the command of Major J. A,
Wilson, the whole being under the command of Lieut.-
Col. C. Cruttenden, inspector of drills. His lm-
Highness was received with a general salute, end,
in midi the Marquis of Anglesea and the staff, mi-
nutelyisYi the whole line. The troops then marched
part at dew thes, the Royal Horse Artillery being under
tie sesmarma 111 Mejer•Gen. Sir Thos. Downman, who is
eekmel-onstinsadant of the corps. The Royal Ilerse Artil-
lery then wheeled to the right and returned at a full charge.
After forming line, they advanced at a gallop and came into
action, going through the movements incident to a field day
with admirable precision. At the request of the Grand Duke,
the Horse Artillery proceeded to execute the manwuvre of
dismounting the gun, an operation which was performed in
a few seconds, the carriages being taken to pieces and strewn
on the ground in an incredibly short space of time. Equally
rapid was the manceuvre of re-mounting the gun,
and firing off the first round, executed. His Impe-
rial Highness minutely inspected the gun whilst
was dismounted, and appeared to manifest • marked
interest in the proceedings, conversing freely with the

enjeants in charge of the uns At the close of the
.
evolution', the Grand Duke addressed Lieut.-Col. Louis, and
shaking him cordially by the hand, expressed the satisfaction
with which he had witnessed the admirable movements of
the troops. The band having played " God save the queen,"
and the troops given the parting 'elute, the Grand Duke
repaired to the Royal Milit try Repository, where he was
received by Lient..Col. Rudyerd, who conducted him over
the Rotunda, where the specimens of foreign ordnance,
models of forts, &c., are kept. At twenty minutes past three
o'clock the party left the common, and procceded to the
Royal Arsenal, where they inspected the laboratory, carriage
and etorekeepers departments, over which they were con-
ducted by the respective officers in full uniform. The Grand
Duke and suite entered the royal carriages at half-put four,
and returned to town, a salute being fired both en their
arrival ass, and departure from, the arsenal. The Rocket'
troop, under the command of Captain Lake, was in waiting
in the marshes, but owing to the brevity of the Grand Duke's
visit, there was no practice either in the marshes or at the
mortar and howitzer batteries on the common.

THE FATAL COLLISION ON THE LONDON
AND NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY.
ADJOURNED INQUEST WOLVERTON, FRIDAY
EVENINO.—This morning, at nine o'clock, the jury re-
assembled.
Capt. Symonds of the railway department, Board of Trade,
was present on the part of the government. Captain Huish
and Air. Bruyeres, the general manager and superintendent
of the 'midway ; Mr. Macconnell, chief of the locomotive de-
partment; and Mr. Barnwell, of the firm of Poker and
Ca., solicitors, were in attendance on the part of the North
Western Company. Mr. Joseph Payne, the barrister and
deputy coroner for London, was present on behalf of the
friends of the deceased Mr. Millar, and a legal gentleman
for the constable, Bernard Foosey.
The following is the corrected list of parties on whose
bodies the panel was sworn,
Mr. Roger Woods Millar, aged all, secretary of the Smth London
Ragged Schools; Mr. John Simpson Sherratt, of Lichfield, formerly
*moats. of the Lichfield Rallw, Company; Mr. John Clifton, sired
213, late In the service of Moore. Delimm, Ponley, and Smith, of Wig.
more.etreet, Caveredish-square, drapers; Mr. John Com of London,
clerk la the London and Westminster Hank; Mr. Thomas Makinson,
of Magdalen °allege, Cambridge; Mr. James B. ltattersy, Iran
founder of Dundee, and Mr. Henry Smith, manager of the Steam
rocket Company, Fleetwood.
The friends only of Mr. Millar and Mr. Clifton were pre-
sent during the investigation. On the coroner taking his
seat, Fussev the accused constable, was brought into the
room in custody of the local police.
William Manners said : I am an engine-driver, and have
filled that situation between two and three yeses. I drove
the engine of the mail-train en Saturday night last. My
time for leaving the Euston station is 45 minutes past 9, but
on Saturday night last we left about 10 minutes behind time.
We, as engine-drivers, are under the control of the principal
guard whilst running between stations, and under that of
the station-master whilst at stations. On Seterday night
we stopped at Watford and Trion stations. We were three
or four minutes behind at the Tring station, and arrived
there about three or four minutes before 10. My lamps
were put on at the Euston station. They were, one lamp in
front showing a white light, and a red lamp at the tender,
showing red forward and white backward. 18! the Foreman
—On the night in question I bad a hump out of order. and I
could only show the white li?ht, and could not change
it, in accordance with No. 2 of our printed regula-
tions. By the Coroner—The green light is used for
the luggage-trains, and Rule 2 states, that the buffer-
light of a passeneer-train shall be white, and on a luggage
train green. When I had the regulations given to
me I had no other instructions. I consider they are suf-
ficiently plain for me to understand. The exhibition on the
line of a green light means caution, and • red light means
danger, and to step immediately. If I were to meet With
an accident on the line I should show a red light, to
stop trains from running into my engine. The buffer lamps
usually keep in very well, but the tender lamps sometimes
go out. We can see the signals at the bridge on the London
side of the Wolverton station, at night, at half a mile dis-
tance. The night, OD Saturday, was rather hazy, and it was
raining, but I saw the white signal at the bridge. I slack-
ened my speed as soon as I saw the signal, and shut off my
steam at about 240 yards front the points, and, at
the same time, blew the whistle. Immediately Air I
saw the constable on the bridge (Foesey exhibit his
green lamp. That indicates caution, and I instantly
put on my breaks, both at the engine and tender.
By the jury The engine I drove on Saturday night I never
drove before. It has higher wheels than Cause I have been
in the habit of driving. I cannot say that it was of greater
power. I drove that engine by the authority of Mr.
Walker, my superior officer. I never drove a mail train
before, but I have driven passenger trains for about fix
weeks or two months. I have several times driven a night
train. The engine is not of the same manstrUctiOn as thee.
I have been in the habit of driving. When I came to the
points the jerk was so great that I was nearly thrown uff the
engine, and I knew from that, that we had got off the main
line. The moment I recovered myself from the jerk at the
points I reversed my engine. The distance of the points to
the place of accident is 642 yards, and I reversed my
engine before I had got 20 yards on the siding. The
foreman .• At what speed were you going at the time
you shut off your steam when in sight of the bridge.—Wit-
-1 nese : At the rata of about thirty miles an hour. At the
time the collision tools place we were going at about ten
miles an hour. We could not reduce the speed to any great
extent within 542 yards when the rails are wet, as they were
on that night. On a dry night I could pull up within that
distance. Foamy, the constable, usually exhibited the green
light in his band, on the bridge. When the steam is off,
and I continue to blow the whistle, it is a notice to the
guards to put on their breaks. They can tell when the
steam is off by the engine ceasing to beat. I did not observe
the coal waggons in the tiding until I was close upon them.
There was no light attached .to the coal waggons. There
never are lights attached to the Mending waggons on a
siding. After I passed the points of the siding, I observed
another constable standing on the up line, thowieg a green
light. Had the points at the bridge not been interfered
with, I should, I have no doubt, have been able
to stop at the Wolverton station in safety. I was not thrown
off by the force of the collision, neither was nay stoker. We
neither jumped or fell off the engine. The buffer-plank of
the engine and the buffers were broken off by the force of
the collision. There were two guards to the train. I looked
at the engine, and found that it was all right before I
Wasted from the Euston station. I never had an accident
with any train driven by me before. I knew nothing of •
ralrtrain being due at Wolverton at the time of my at-
There was no luggage-train between Murton station
end my arrival at Wolverton that I saw, en Saturday night,
mating down. Had there been one, I must have seen it in
passing.—By the Coroner I have given my evidence this
morning to • gentleman. The witness pointed out Mr.
Barnwell es the gentleman who had taken his evidence.—
A Juror: I cannot understand how it is that the
signal pat at the bridge showed a white light,
whilst the policeman showed • green one. It
was an apparent contradiction ; the white light in-
dicating all right, and the green caution. I was two
minutes before my time at Wolverton on Saturday night.
Had I had my own engine driving on Saturday, 1 could not
have stopped it sooner under similar circumstances.—Ajuror:
Do you think you could stop an engine of 100 horse power
within the same distance that you could an engine of 50
horse power ?—The witness objec'ed to answer the question,
and said he was afraid to do so ; he ultimately said, I believe
I could stop it in the same distance. If I had a train going
at 30 miles an hour, I should say a strong engine would stop
thEuickest. I cannot stop a train with '2O carriages so
ily as I could a train with only 10 carriages.—By Fossey's
'tor I saw the green light in Fogey's hand on Satur-
day night ; if he waved it about, it would mean extreme
nation ; Foamy did ant wave it about on Saturday night.
=dr Coroner A white light on the buffers of the
of a luggage-train would be contrary to the rules.
I base la • white light on one occasion to a luggage train,
'boa I wad lot get a green one.
Edwin Bradbury, the fireman, corroborated the driver's
evidence, adding that the train arrived at Wolverton two
minutes before its time.
IshaWilliam Cooper : I have been in the service of the
e any seven yews and nine months, five as
is=The train consisted of two parcel vane, • fear
earriagee, five first-classes, one mail yea, • PO4.
alba loader, three parcel vans, and • guard break van,
Asking in all independent of engineand tender, nineteen
'marriage,. Before I started I looked round and saw all was
right. There were three red lamps at the rear of the
train upon the last Ferriage, • lamp at the Post-
office showing • white light to the rear of the train, and
no light forward. To the best of my belief there was
the usual light, called the buffer light, upon the
engine. We- left Euston-square at 8.55, and arrived
at Watford at 913, being eight minutes after our time. At
Tring we arrived at ten o'clock • being seven minutes be-
hind time. I first observed the signal point at the Wolver-
ton-bridge, between a quarter and half • mile off, and
heard the whistle about 30 or 40 yards before coming to
the bridge, and put down the break. A violent swinging
of the van told me we were going off the main line. I
should say the rate we were going at just before coming to
the points was about 25 miles an hour. That was mice rate
when the steam was shut off. The whistle was kept going the
moment we got off the line until the collision took
place. When it did I went to render what assistance
I could, and afterwards went on with the train. I saw the
deceased said the injured parties taken out. The carriage
that topped over was lighter loaded.—By Mr. Barnwell: The
constable could net have mistaken the side light of the Post-
office for a tide light of a luggage train, as is merely reflected
on to the side of the carriage, and is of a different colour.
Jacob Haines re-examined.--I am an under guard to •
passenger train. I put the break down the moment the steam
was shut off. That was about forty or fifty yards from the
bridge. The collision threw me off on my back on to the
roof of the carrier. If the back of my seat had not given
way, the second carriage would have struck me. There is
no other mode of conveyance between the engineman and
the guard than shutting off the steam—By Mr. Payne : If
we had not been put into the siding, we should have stopped
at the station, the speed not being greater than useel.—By
the Coroner : We were going at the rate of 12 miles an hour
when the collision took place. Before the steam was shut off
we were going at the rate of 25 or 30 miles an how.
Wm. F. Smith: I sal an inspector of railway pollee.
Fossey became a constable under me on the 10th December
lest. He was first employed as signal-man at Wolverton
station under another constabia. He was removed to the
bridge, and the charge of the palate there, at the beginning
of the present year. Instedialely e' -t I found
Feeney about 200 yards • -
with a white light ID hi
coming down. When
Gaud God, Foamy, he
the siding I" Ha Ilk
instantly turned dr
said, " I don't knew,
I said, " What

edtee We eecideot~ fauna
me • the Lenin side of the points
n W bawl, York train was
to I readied
„, • • him,
how eine • •
id not anew .•
he light 'w mitur
Mew,
do ra
, • />4
re, • er
114

Issidad a "He !spied, "file is twelve minutes
bikes the " mail." ellediag to his wends. I said " When la
H. Is my pocket." I tol hue to
gleoPier watch
?"
me , H mid,
drinaited on his taking his wail:t-
imed off ids seek ad said, ". Now Foal,. you m
• Ofiethfter renal ia, my cuseody. ' He said, ' Very well,
ti ale my !yes WO" I lead, "I don't know, I hant
▪ fig d, "Well, If no lives are lost, you
may trar me
mimeo es you like—ered as out of the country at once. It
bk.* what I want." I said, " Whatever your feelings ere,
Fury, lump them to mural" I eked him whether after
• teat had passed through the siding, he bad shown any
' signet se the guard. He mid " No, it would have been of no
use." I then walked with him towards the station, and jUlt
OR paring the tens of the accident, he said, I thought it
bailees • geodstrels,hr the lights deceived me." I knew that
amid est In the one, and I said, " That i. second thoughts."
He mats so reply, and I then gave him into custody to
Foliewesestable Maniford. I then went and looked at the
seable and at the mouth sad of the platform, with which I
sompeed Fossey's watch. I found it was four minutes
larlifit thin the station clock, which was exactly 15 minutes
after 11. I then went to assist taking the Livercl mad
tate the Medea. I considered Fossey competent to ' duty.
He made &mistake at the same place while on duty on the
Monday previonaly. The Down Excursion Train arrived
about a es uarter to 9 at night, on its way to Liverpool, and
be maned that twin into the siding. The siding was clear,
std the Nameable at the Wolverton end of the siding
tamed the exam ion train out again on to the main
lime. Feesey's excuse was, he had forgotten the
excursion train, and he was fined one shilling.
By a juror : Only one man had charge of the two signal-
posts at the bridge. At the time of this occurrence on
Baturdey last Fosse, was not aware that he had been re-
ported and fined.—Tbe Coroner It is • very extraordinary
thing that you should report and floe a man without letting
him know —Witness I generally do so when I pay the
men. I received the order to fine him on Friday. The pay
of Feeley is 18s. per week. A man is on duty twelve hours
at a time. Fosse; went on duty on Saturday night at half-
past six, and lie would have gone off at hal.past six the
following morning. —By Foseey's solicitor : The cha-
meter of Feeley is that of a very sober good
man. When I reached Pewee the York train
had stopped. His conduct on Satuiday eight last almost
amounted to recklessness. lam sure I have not made any
mistake as to what Franey said, although he might have been
agitated at the time. Then was no luggage train due on
Saturday night within half an hour of the mail train.—By
the coroner If a train were to get into the siding, and the
points were left to themselves, and supposing there was
nothing to obstruct it, the train would run either into Pick-
ford's warehouse or on to the main line.
Mr. Blatt, the station-muter of Wolverton, said, the
points were always kept set to the main line, and a train en-
tering the siding at the Blue-bridge would come out again
on to the main line at the Wolverton station.
The superintendent of police of the whole line stated that
a light on coal waggons sa a siding would be an impedi-
ment to the working of the line. especially a red light, as
every Unit% would be stopping. I cannot account for Fossey
imagining that the train on Saturday night last was • lug-
pge train.
Capt. Breyer.s explained the nature and signification of
the different lights,and added that it is impossible to make
mistake between a lagere train and a pateengertratle.
Mr. Bedford produced the lamp used by Foray, On
policeman, which exhibited, by means of slides, a green, red,
and white light.
Mr. James Edward M'Connell, superintendent of the
locomotive department, stated that it would be • very great '
&Laid risliois if some means could be adopted for • better
system of signalling the guards, or giving warning of
danger, but altoough every attempt has been made by the
most eminent engineers in the country, it ha. failed or been
abandoned. It is a point to be determined that two breaks
are too few fur one train. Fourteen wheels were completely'
lock. d at the time of the collision, with !ill wheels running
the reverse way. There could be no doubt, however, but more
breaks would have caused the stopping of the train mow.
A Juror: I should wish to know how the first four carriages
should escape uninjured, whilst those in the fifth were se
dreadfully crushed.—Mr. M'Connell : There are various
points for consideration. There is no doubt that the four-
teen carriages having the momentum checked, although
going at the rate of 10 miles ae hour, was quite sufficient to
take up the carriage in the manner it wee —By the Coroner:
I thick it would be very desirable to place all the heavy car-
riages in ruin% if a collision was to take place—But what
would be the result if the collision was to take place behind ?
—Mr. M'Connell I to express my admiration of the
courage of the stoker and engine driver, in Wee turned into
a cutting on a dark night, and making no attempt to save
their lives by jumping off the engine.
James Finden, one of the passenger :u the train, who
appeared seriously injured, was next called; hut beyond
proving that he we, in the carriage with the deceased per-
eons, his evidence was cf no importance. He said he had
received every attentien from the company since the
accident.
Mr. Frederick Parker, superintendent of repairs of engines.
and earriares at the Wolverton station, deposed to the injury
done to the carriage by the accident ; and also that from
what he saw the fifth carriage had pared under the fourth
carriage, the passengers being all driven into the last com-
partment of st. The foreman of the jury paid a high coin-
photent to Mr. Parker for his conduct on the night of the
fetal occurrence, in risking his own life in rescuing the per-
sons injured from the canape
Thomas Ogden, police-constable : I saw Fosse,- directly
after the strident, and was there before Inspector Smith. I
asked him if he lied the reel light on to step the York train,
raid he said he had. I said then was • pitch into the geode'
train, and he said "is there ?" He said no more, and sat
down under the bridge, and I went away.
Captain Bruyeres, at the request of the coroner, here en-
tend into a lengthened explanation of the r. ason so mode-
rate a fine as 1,. was ed upon Fossey fir turning the
areursioo train into the siding. It wassolelyon accountahis
previous good character, and being reported for the first time.
There was another thing in his favour, the train itself was
coming into the station at the slowest possible rate, and ha
might have supposed that there was • passenger train fol-
lowing it, and that the engine-driver wished to go into the
siding for safety, and it was thought that the fine and the
d would make a great impression on the man's
Price, • juror : But &wording to the evident*
of Mr. Inenector Smith it appears the reprimand has
set ham given. Mr. Bruyeres: Yes, I heard of
' it kr the first time this day.. When a NM is
reprimanded it should be communicated to him at once
and I shell feel it my duty to call the attention of dui
emenitles at their sent meeting to the fact of it nut having
loss dene.—Mr. Fries: I all your attention to it became
it dose appear to the jury and to the public that the fining
of a nee for neglect of duty is treated by those who ought
to reprimand him with levity_ end indifference. In answer
to vestiges teem the jury, Mr. Brumes said that be had
never indeed my absence of mind about Nosey. If it bad
been a possenger train he had turned bite a siding on the
Ant cateashe he would have beset kamestly dismissed —Mr.
Pram Daft yes think the thee them who may happen
. to trawl is on eamnisa leek as valuable as those in a
peassagee trek ?—lit. Rearm I do ; but on the patent
semen there was every ay for him, in comequence
of the train oaths in so slowly.—Mr. Price -hoped
that the penes whose dot it was to reprimand Fussy
mead be reamed frees his eition; fee if the reprinased
lad ham gives. or the men diseinesed, he should net have
hem hen dais dg.—Mr. Nevem was the ezemised at
emilmaide kink as le Melnik of einunsakedni
• heesesed the vire end the Xr.
• nesodisned a poet meny —flat hod been tide bir;
• sr lad etnewasel so well se au system.—A wee
dun if t
ire hey had a goer= every carriage, all
of dle=it bo eigesd.
tuilways, who attended
ley earn of the ffiernmeg=7, in seam to the jury mid
*OM be
in
points, end, Ikea the ap
*soy yam print. They They me stakining, sad always bile
fkli km auk ilk. Makes they Me tokens', they mast
• v lame. These seek are laded heing-points, in
immoveara of the bake 'ennisti into them at
She M. Where there 'is ion traffic, I should 1
smonmood the ditemikeanseof kw points ; but where
Moro is a large balk as el alb Hoe, it must be otm.
Mama is u eve_ gendine. I km& however, called the
alteeties eke tad& of thionevny to it, and shall, to
the newt I make to the eamanimimee of railways, do the
same. Mk real to have the mreepet breaks on the tender
suilleism to stop any teer
_het when it has • nthe
Wad it, the momenta Migeraft prevents its trap-
• prig it. I it hos be.. the einem to place •
pad's broth • skeet ahem from the engine tad
• ther et the end of the train ; end this I brink
Maid ke oesident. The tender had all the wheels looks&
• umiak emend esniep the link down. The last van bed
she He breakdown ; but that was not of sufficient power to
sip timi asematum of Ike carriages between that and the
Mime break, sad, as the weakest always goes to the wall, the
meekest or lightest loaded of the carriages was broken up.
46 pliant cloths, by means of plane and sectiens,
showed the whole bearing of the case.
At nine o'clock the inquest was adjourned.

_ ELECTION INTELLI4

E.LLIGENCE.
Essex, No•TS.—On Wednesday, Mr. nohow, tag am&
date in place of Mr. C. 0. addremsed tae telltale at
Braintree. The town was ales with Me inarats.
lion that Mr. Onley had in mss squenee of Mame,
sad that Major Beresford, ono of the present members for
Harwich, would be offered in his pleas es the amend conser-
ved.* caadidaeo, in conjunction with Mr John Tyrell.
Essa=,Bous t.—Arreeqquisitionatnuousßarrett Lenard,
Esq.. to beams, a eandidat. for this divides of the county at
the monies elesden, b stated to be la somas of signature.
LIIIIIOIOLIIIIII2I Reetieg of the inituentiol
agrioninebla wbo attend Ommibarn maritst was held on
Ileltdmispialt, for ememilmehe the matte of the repimmeetatioo
of delft Linsaboblves, am It im likely to be elected b 7 the
reelmemet of C. Tllllll.Note. It was stated that Lord
Iberrisky mead be • tiondblale to supply the vacancy ; but
It was die amiss@ whh that, hi pretenses, the Marquis
of Ormsby sbeeld be solkdted acme lanyard and a no.
=I bat Ina memorial to the Marquis of Exeter was
representiag Mat the wbaidlsei memeddetod his son,
Lord Burghley, tor sot Inexploienesd a man to
repromon a imp erne . eiltoar documents,
it was mated, would be missed ib smiket towns of the
Morwry.
Limme.—esterday a with" of them eteathems of the
• Libersiataol Linty ia
salsom e o thef
mi
of Leak favourable to the
Oter held at the Reborn
• =esise Olikee, to enddime.e.ept to be taken with
Mr. Alderman
”Mtappymeldolg
aboultid del it mei mlittitt asst of the mem-
' aeriefee ems Mr. Aldam, their present
listalleas in be wan not nowilliog to renew
fie oar of beesagh if there was a rearm:-
ebb would bs acceptable to a majority
*Om expressed their views, and