The Express.
London, England, 1865-06-09 00:00:00

COt eourt.

BALMORAL, Juan 7.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise,
drove oat yesterday morning.
la the afteromo bur Majesty, with Naomi Lodes and
Priam Leopold, attended by the Duchess el Athol', west
to Alt.ne-Osithemeb.
Primer Melees and Priam Arthur, alteedod by Mrs.
Goutoo and Wu Bowater, wooded Bea y Board.

Tas Great Western Railway, which has so long
enjoyed an exceptionay good name in respect
of freedom from accidents, is forfeiting its reputa-
tion. But the two which occurred at different
points on this line on Tuesday and Wednesday
are unhappily of • very serious character.
In the one, an excursion train, carrying
some eleven or twelve hundred Whitsuntide
holiday makers, ran off the line between
Shrewsbury and Llangollen, while travelling
at a speed of not less than forty miles an
hour. The two engines which were driving the
train were flung down either side of the embank-
ment, the carriages continued for a little further
on the line, but at length one was overturned,)
and the rest were piled and crushed upon
it. When the dying and dead were extricated
from the mass the number of corpses was found to
reach already to thirteen; thirty passengers were
seriously wounded, and few in the whole crowd
had escaped without more or less of injury. Such
is all that we know as yet of the story. Of the
cause of the disaster there are conflicting sooonnta.
One statement is that the line had at the spot been
under repair, and that the " sleepers " which had
been moved were left by the workmen not suffi-
ciently secured to bear the weight of so heavy a
train travelling at such a speed. Another account
suggests that • defect in one of the rails had caused
the first engine to be thrown off the line, and pro-
&toed in consequence all the subsequent disaster.
It is satisfactory that if either of these
is the true cause the fact will still be ap-
parent to skilful observation, and that we shell
be able to ascertain, when the legal investigation
takes place, whether the terrible calamity has
arisen from causes inherent in railway travelling at
high speeds, or from inexcusable negligence. It
would certainly seem, from the statements made
respecting the violent oscillation in the carriages
experienced for some time before the crash, that the
cause rather lay in the defect of the rails for some'
space, than in • mere flaw at a single point. And'
we must also remember that, though part of the
Great Western system, the train was on a narrow
gauge line, • circumstance which would make the'
high speed more dangerous. Yet even 40 miles
an hour is less than the express speed attained
with safety on narrow gauge boss. We must
then wait for further information before even an
opinion can be formed of the real cause of the
tragedy.
The second accident is, however, capable of
simple explanation, while, happily, it has not been
attended with results so deplorable. On Tuesday
night the mail-train left Paddington at its regular
hour, 8.10. It seems, however, that though
called the mail train, it does not carry the mails,
but that these are despatched in • separate train,
called the letter train, immediately following. On
the night in question the mail train engine became
' disabled at Keynaham, half way between
Bath and Bristol, and came to a stand still,
and • message was sent back to the last preceding
station to stop the letter train. But the weather
being hazy, the signal was not observed, and the
letter train proceeded at full speed, and dashed
into the stationary mail train. Many passengers were
seriously hurt, but fortunately none were killed.
Soon after another train of " empties" approached
from Bristol, and, being equally without notice, Rieman or HEE Dbazsrit room SCOTLAND.-
ran into the dibris which encumbered the line, and Her Majesty, scoomponied by the junior members of the
was also overturned. It is certainly difficult, inlroyat family. mid attended by the ladies and flanit"mtlen
of
this case, to acquit the managers or servants of Fthrehke'rttowtth itetaandiour4od, lio"veeßalulranCeasnue.e :
the company of negligence. We cannot bat beloitayo'sbort
mideooo ot the cow., will make a 'Lip to
amazed that on a foggy night reliance was placed oahocwa
on lantern signals to stop a train known to 1)01 We have reason to believe that it is the inten-
close at hand, and that fog signals were not at um of the Queen to bold %motor Court at Buckingham
once employed. The passengers, however, have Palace before the rims of the season. It is mid that
stated a further complaint against the guards of the Saturday, the 17th lest., is the day appointed by the
mail train. They have addressed a letter to the gni.° for the reseptios.
Bristol newspapers, in which they declare that There will be • full dress ball at Buckingham
they were kept locked in the carriages, although Pld'pri
07,4,761.27twthi11e561 att whie
the ph.hie Re
aaw d.:la Higbee° the
mes
it was known to every one that there was im- I
His Royal Highness Prince Alfred has already
minent danger of a collision, from which they brought his new sod booottmly.boitt four-oared gig, the
could certainly have saved themselves had they Quo, Victoria, into ass p„ the Khios at Boon.
not been compelled to remain where they were. The Marchioness of Waterford gave a charming
And, in fact, it seems that one of them, in the bill last evening, at the family mansion in Charles-street,
carriage next to the horsebox, did save himself Bt. Jarnees•quers, there being nearly 600 guests present.
and his companions from probable death by hap- The house and hall-room were brilliantly illuminated, and
peeing to have a key in his possession with which tastefully decorated with a choice collection of flowering
he unlocked the door. The railway officials Mr Mr Buxton, on the 22nd will ask the First
have put in the plea that the engine
Lord of the Treasury whether he is prepared to give an
driver was in hopes that be could move the train
wer to the application made to him by a deputation
so as to get out of the way of the letter train fol- which waited upon him wawa time sin,. with maid to
lowing. But it seems clear that the pas angers affording the elects in the several government offices the
ought not to have been made the mile bodies on opportunity of obtaining • half-holiday on Saturday atter-
which this experiment of shuffling along with a soros.
damaged engine in front of a sound engine should ' The following members compose the minority
have been tried. If tbe signalshad stopped the follow- who voted last sight for Sir F. Crosalsy's motion for
ins train there could be no cause for avoiding the
%redlead". ma. offl. the
grantJi°. Lthe
presbyterian
S. Buclergy
ti J.
slight delay necessary thus to allay the fears of
Caird, W. Crawford, C. GUM*IL H. Marsh, J. .H.
the psimengers ; if the signals had not that effect, as to* Sir Aairamma Smith,
sr, flea
in fact they had not, the refusal of permission to mad, J. Whits, sad J. Wyld ; tellers, Sir F. Crawley sad
alight was a tampering with human life. IMr. Oar.
It seems, from both cases, that there has been On the 19th Lord Brougham is to take the chair
immunity so long that there is now carelessness. at the anneal meeting of the department of jurithendimes
It is human nature to become through use in- . and won} alb. law, is colleakvill!'illf the National
different to personal dagger, but use ought not to
mama amtel ....
ts.:te: (*is
heed ter ke
6h.
mik.Thaet
lead to indiflereoos to the dangers of • hundred tile Shia Towooo, awlch. net
or a thousand helpless fellow-creatures committed Sr. Eau es Bonoot..—The old Pauline diatiow,
to oar charge. Or, if we most resign which whieb was revived lest year, is to be held at the Albion
ourselves to expect frothing better front Aware es Monday, the 19* last, ffr Probst& Randy,
Subordinate officials, we are entitled to expect' K.C.8,, la the skies.

" Harlberesgh House. Jose 8.9.30 ear-
" Her Royal Higheems the Prioceso of Wes s steadily
advsecleir towards reeevery.
"'The West Owes otatiaose well.
"Amide Fain; M.D.
" E. H. flreesziwo, AL M.D.
Toe Priam of Welts west to Loges Criekel Gyrated
yesterday.