The Express.
London, England, 1849-07-23 00:00:00

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

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As von IS Sir F. Smith, the Rennie of Anglesey, and
the stiff, do, had reached the ground the signal of attack
was sounded by the bugies, and the assailants advanced
from the cover wherein they were concealed, and, throwing
out sicrnaishers on each side, proceeded espial, up the slopes
in three columns, accompanied by the sappers and miners,
and the flank men earryiog the *eating ladders. The troops
behind the puepets and the heavy guas fired on them as
they advanced. A party of Sappers and of the 17th Regi-
ment got possession of the ditch to the right, and, finding
themselves after vaids obstructed by an impracticable
hedge, they retired miner cover again. The right
wing of the Royal Marines attempted to scale the Belvidere '
battery, bat their ladders were too short, and (as pencon.
mud) they also retired ; the left wing of the mazir.es
scaled the escarp of the fortifications, but were driven back
again by • strong force plated there ; the 17th Regiment was
also foiled in another part of the ditch, and after filing a
fen dropping shots the whole assaulting ;arty »teethed,
being obliged to leave their sealing ladders behind thee'.
This was a brilliant little display, occupying about twenty
minutes, and the effea, as teen from below, was pleasing, as
far as that term can be applied to such scenes.
The preliminary attack having failed, the garrison troops
were drawn off from their ;mallow', tied headed by their
bads, repaired t the greet sane of operations at the other
extremity of the lines. The besieging force having returned
for their ladders, also made a Octour quite round the outer
fortifications and repaired to their stations, namely, the 17th
Regiment in the lanes neer the windmills on the Gillingham
aisle; the It ysl Marine Artillery, with six guns, on the
heights adjacent he • cottage in Gillingham ; • column of
marines in the lanes leading to Eamouth-terrace and the
neighbourieg houses; and another column, composed of
Royal Sappers and Miners and two companies of Royal
Artillery, wit se orders were to capture Gillingham tower.
Thu following is the summary of the forces urged on
both sidest—Tee engineer works and operatics', and thel
meal arrangement' for the attack end deltaic*, were en. l
trusted to Colonel Sir Frederic Smith, K H. and
Royal Engineers, director of the It .yal lingiaiter establish-
Mat The Artillery move meant were conducted by Lieut.-
Colonel Lock, commanding the Royal Artillery in the Med-
way district The defenders wale commanded by Lieut..
Colonel Kelly, of the provisional battalion; and coosided
of a squadron of cavalry, commanded by Major Blachford,
of the 15th Hawn, two companies of the Royal Artillery,
a company of the Royal Sappers and Miners, the provi.
Kong' battalion, and the enrolled predawn, under Staff.
Captain Jenkins. The besiegers consisted of two companies
of the !loyal Artillery, four covenantee of the 'loyal Sappers
end Miners, a company of the Honourable Beet India Com.
peny's Sawn and Minns, the 17th Regiment, under
Lieut.-Col. P. '''Pherson, C. 8., 17th Regiment, and the
Royal Marines, commanded by Liene-Colonel S. B. Ellis ,1
C.B , Royal..Marints, together with a company of the Royal
Marine Artillery, commanded by Captain G. C Langley,
Royal Marine Artillery. The steal comma' er.in.chief at
Itherrness sanctioned the employment of • portion of the
@Woes sad marines of the fleet under the orders of Captain
G. Elliott, of II M. ship Ocean.
The interval between the fast and second operations wee
Occupied by Sir Frederick Smith, the commanding slicer of
the day, in condecting the Master• General and his staff ever
the whole plan of the fortifications, and in explaining the
scheme of attack and defence. The roofs of the casemate*
in which the °Seen and soldiery are quartered were appro-
priated to the spectators of the siege Nos. 1 and 2 be* re-
served for the Mt* of the officers of the garrison and the dock.
yard, and their 'military and civil friends and families;
and Nos. 3 and 4 (above the soldiers' quarters) being de-
voted to the accommodation of the Chathamites,
Rochesterites, Boomptonites, and other natives of them
interesting and celebrated localities. The speetatasen the
roof of casemate No. 1 naturally fell into conversatiomal
groups whilst the staff were riding round the lines. All sorts
el questions Were eagerly ask.d and as easily answered a-
lveoli, g the various diggings and mounds of earth that were
arranged throughout the fortifications; but, as may be well
imagined, some of the ,:planation were more amusing than
edifying. One gentleman, who brought forcibly to mind
the epoutenstrif of the Doctor in " Roderick Random, " very
gravely stated, in 'sewer to an inquiry as to the messing
of the words scarp and counter-Karp (which the ditch under
his nose would have enaoled him to exemplify)
that they were terms merely signifying tho difielent
angles of • redoubt ; end another learned Theban insisted
upon it that a stockade was • place where the garrison kepi
their stock of provisions. The other cisemates occupied by
the townspeople of Chatham and Rochester were far more
amusing, owing to the great variety of topic which formed
the staple of conversation. The chief one, however, appeared
to be the grievance which hail been inflicted on these honest
folks by the former postponement of the siege operations,
owing to the illness of Colonel Weare, on which occaaion
it was casually observed that about two thousand pounds'
worth of provender had been spoiled, to ho great
logs of the speculators in London appetites; and the
wishes that were uttered on behalf of the limbs, organs, and
bodily and spiritual welfare of the parties who were at all
suspected of having caused this " awful sacrifice," were such
as to excite surprise at the variety and extent of the ana-
tomical knowledge of those who vented them. The recom-
mencement, however, of the firing put • stop to all these
interesting digressions, and filed the attention of the spec-
tators on the Kent that was going on below.
The assailants advanced from three different points, taking
up their positions in *elation, in front of the lima, throwing
out skirmishen on the flanks and in front, whilst the guns
in the embruures of the warp and on the heights
fired upon the advancing party, the brink of the ditch being
lined with Kilda'', who fired and reloaded as fast as they
could. Tuts ditch, however, was gained ; the scaling-ladder.
were brought up ; the troops descended the counterscarp
into the ditch, and, rapidly shifting the ladder', climbed up
the scarp, when the defenders, who had retreated behind the
rir,apet of the first parallel, now bolted off is the second,
leaving the first to be taken possession of by the assailants,
who also seized the guns that were in the embrasuret, and
tamed them upon the retreating garrison. Another party
of the harpy' (the right wing) repulsed a sortie
made at B'. Mary's sally port, and entering along with the
retreating party, got possession of the stockade raised there,
which they inunedisteiy blew up. The gunboats in the
meantime had advanced, and fired upon Gillingham Fort
and Tower, which they succeeded in taking. The assailants
having now turned the enemy's flank, and obtained possession
of the outer defences and of the fiat parallel, pushed ea to the
second, where they were momentarily checked by the ex-
plosion of the batteries 3 and 4 in the first parallel, width
bad been undermined by the besieged ; a squadron
of cavalry stationed at the Biompton Barrier attacked
in two saccessive charges the left wing of the 17th regiment,
which formed into squares, repulsed them and maintained
their position, the object being to torn the flank of the
advancing party. The second parallel was then taken
possesion of, and the attack on this side of the citadel
slackened for boot half an hour. During this intcrval the
gunboats advanced up St. May's Creek, covering the
pontoons which were destined to form the bridge of
communication between the Wend and the main-
land, iu order that a body of sailors might be
thrown in to the assistance of the besiegers.
Tae advance of the blue jackets was a pretty feature in the
operation; the mans were steadily and rapidly fired, and the
poatoins, each manned by four uppers and • cadet, were
gradually brought into their stations; tho bridge wee
formed, the sailors passed over it, and the attack Was then
commenced on the side of the citadel which overlooks
" Tom all Kona." This being successful, the approaches
were pushed forward, and the third parallel, which was doe'
under the walls of the citadel, was occupied, the garrison
r bastion The
into their denier reroute, the ravens and the
The next thing to do was to breach the counterguard,
which was effected by the explosion of five mines; both
faces of the myelin were then breeched and Winona were
immediately effected by two companies tram each wag of
the Royal Maraes. A breach is the terrace bastion being
made, two companies of the 17th Regiment mousted to the
assault, whilst simultaneously to this attack the ladders
wen placed on the left face of the Cumberland bastion, and
the storming party thus succeeded in gaining pos.
mesien of the citadel. The successive explosion of
those heavily loaded mines canoed a great deal
cif fear amongst the non-professionsl spectators. It
was hairiest* to the eilliliene who witnessed the spec-
tacle to sae the position of the officers at every point of the
'ammo ; they were always in front of their Men; the first
to doessad the ladders; the first to ascend the scup and to
barn*. edge of the dial", waving their swords, and
encoareglag their mess to some en ; and although this was
mely • thane fight, is real Wien the allows take pre-
cisely the same peados& So is Wynne* bolded the
tremMies, sad thsg the wallas, the eeppeas were
' Assn as they worked tide way through

FIRS AT THI WWI BKIDOS RAILWAY STATIOn.•
Wednesday morning, about two o'clock, a fire broke out
in a building adjoining the Swannington railway baking
elfin. It was disc wend in the first instance by abo
man, who was awakened by the now of the slates crack-
ing with the bey. He at once proceeded to the polio.-
station in Town Hall lane. and gave the alarmnd
infor.i.ation was immediately forwarded to Mr. Henryfl
Scott, the Superintendent of the Borough Fire Police.
The building, which was in flames, was used u a slue and
carpenter's shop ; and the origin of the fire was attributed
to the spontaneous combustion of a quantity of cotton
wadding kept there. Thus were also about 400 gallons of
deposited in the building at the time, and this made the
of
ouctlagrrion appear as if a much greater amount
property was being consumed than was really the cue. For-
tunately the canal was within a few feet of the building,
affording an ample supply of water; yet the exertions of
the fireint n were inquired for an hour and a holt' before the
booking office was out of danger. It is said that the dsmaire
amounts to 1,0001., and that the stock was insured for 4001.
and the building for 2001—LeicesUr Mercury.
SINGULAR °CUL:BRE...ICU CM THE SWANNINOTON RAIL.
WAY.—On Tuesday nx.rning, as the coal train on this line
was proceeding to Leicester, and when near Glenfield, the
engine-driver suddenly perceived a fine bullock appear on
the line and turn to meet the train, head to head with the
engine. The &Distil ran directly up to its fiery antagonist,
and by the contact was killed on the spot. There was no
time to stop the train before the infuriated beast came up. It
was afterwards discovered that the animal had made its way
on to the line from a field adjoining.—Leicester Mercury.
A NARROW ESCArS.--COSSUNICATION WITH RAILWAY
GUARIM.—A correspondent has forwarded to us (Leeds'
Mercury) the following status, in to show the isnrortance of l
some ready means being provided for railway passengers, in
sea- a of danger, communicating with the guard :—" Lass
Wednesday I was a passenger 11 the half-pest 7 a.m. train
on the Midland line. All went on well uhtil we had passed
the Royston station. I sun after observed the carriage in
which I was filling with dust. I changed my seat and
opened the opposite window, in the hope that the dust
would blow out. I then laird to a peraln in the same cm-
putout of the carriage that the dust came from underneath
and soon after 1 felt there was something wrong. The car-
riage began to shake, and the oscillation increased in violence
until I enuld not keep my seat. It is impossible to convey any
idea of the strong motion which in a short time it acquired. I
immediately shouted at the top of my voice, ' Stop, stop.'
b being in th• carriage next to the luggage van, in which was
the guard, I succeeded in making him aware of our danger,
but he cated not make the engine man hear him, though tee
shouted until he was actually hoarse the neat day. W• re-
mained in this terrible state for at least five minutes, the
trains the while going at from tw ty-nfive to
We got
miles an
hour. Eventually the train wise
stopped. o out, and
on examining the carriage I found that the hook which con-
nects the springs was tone, and the tire of the first wheel on
the right side was also gone, while the carriage itself was off
the line."

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL.
lJnivnasiry or Loienox.—The etrancil of dde university
have app.intod Monday. August 6, far tho cousemeement
of the evuoineion for the degree of Barham of Medicine;
°etcher 22, for Bachelor of Arm; November 5, for Bachelor
of Medicine (strand examination) ; November 12, for
Bach. for and Doctor of Laws ; and November 26, for Doctor
of Medicine.

THIS RESTORATION OP HARROW CHURCH. The re-
opening of the ancient parish church of Harrow-on-the-
Hill, atm its complete restoration, ter k place on Thursday
lie, the Right Rev. the Bishop of London, all the local
and neighbouring clergy, and many old Harrovian misting
on the occasion.
PREPEKSHINTII. Rev. J. RAKER, to Littleton-upon-
Severn R., Uloue.; dio. O. aad B. ; 521. ; pat., 8.. C.
Lippizcott.
Rev. H. B. TRISTRAM, to the parish church of Castle
Eden ; pat., B. Burdon, Esq.
Rev. D. Wlifasv, to St. John's, Carrington P. C., Co.
Line.; 1501.; pat., Bp. of Lincoln.
Rev. J. R. Broca, to All Saints, Islington P. C., dio.
Lon. ; 1601 ; pat., Incamb. of Trin. Church.
Rom. W. T Surma, to Buckliusd P. C., Kent., dio.
Cant.; 1391.; pat., Abp. of Canterb.
Rev. 8. Paumtnron, to Little Hallingbary R , Eats, dio.
Roth. ; 2591., with residence ; pat., Charterhosise, Lon.
Rev. F. W. RHODES IS Bishop's Stortf..rd V., Hert-
fordshire ; silo. Roth.; 4191. ; pat , Proc. of St. Paul's.
VACANCIMI —Dolman. P. C., Kent., dio. Cant. ; 1131.;
Rev. J. W. Horsley dee.; pat., Abp. of Canterb.
SOUTHPORT P. C., Lane., cio. Mae; 1071.; Rev. W
Ducker dee. ; pat., P. H. Fleetwood.
Colton It., Staffordshire ; dio. Lich.; 4611., with resi-
dence ; Item. C. 8. Lander (the pat.) demigod.

NAVAL
ADMIRALTY, JULY 21.—ArPOINTMINTIL—To Hogue—
Master's Assistant: P. V. James; Clerk: J. W. Monk. To
Pyramtn—Boatawain : W. Ridout ; Carpenter: R. Lockyer.
To Centaur -Lieutenant: N. B. Bedingfield. To Excellent
—Lieutenant: 0. Borland. To Cuckoo—Lieutenant: A.
D. W. Fletcher. Ti Coast Guard—Lieutenant: H. L.
Griffiths.
Ponesnonon, Jute 20.—Adventure, store ship, Wel-
lington, Eq , master commanding, arrived hat evening from
Rio, after a quirk passage, having left that port on 28th of
M ty. The ship on the station were disposed ae follows :
Hydra, Rifleman, Griffin Lionet, and Crescent, receiving
ship, at Rio; Spider sailed on 25'h for Buenos Ayres, and
Kestrel and Lizard hourly expected at Rio from the latter
port. The commodore, Sir Thomas Herbert, is Raleigh,
with Harpy, at Monte Video. Tweed, at Bahia. Commo-
dore Stony was at Rio wi. h Brandywine, frigate, and Percy,
twig, Americans. Also the French armed store ship,
Fulton and Vasco de Game, Portuguese line of bottle ship,
and a corvette of 20 guns. Dr. Clark, of Hydra, tame
home passenger by Adventure, and also a number of invalids.
This ship sailed from Portsmouth on 20:h March last, and
went to the Isle of Cobra direct, and thence to Rio, having
put her cargo of stores on shore at Cobra, and received
another on board, and returned to Spithead in the space of
122 days. Adventure brought home 17,0001. in gold, an
31,0001. in bills, and seven intermediate mail-bags.—The
Linnet packet was to sail on the 2nd of June for England,
with the mails.—Childers sailed this morning for the east-
ward, to be paid off.—Phasnix, st.-sl., will convey the next
mails so the coast of Africa, from Devonport —The several
steam tenders in port will proceed to Portland on Wednes-
day unit, and convey a battery, of artillery from hence,
which is to assist in the ceremonies attendant on the laying
the first lime by Prince Albert, on the before-mentioned
day—Pantaloon. brig, remains at Spithead.
JULY 22. —Archer, st. el., is ordered to join the steam or-
dinary at the port, vice Ptionix, commissioned.—Hogue,
GO, screw shit., Capt. Mscdougall, at Sheerness, is expected
to leave the beginning of nest week for Spithead.
ROYAL %Gases. —The detachment of the 3rd division,
now oo command duty at Pembroke Dock, is to be forthwith
relines° by the Portsmouth division—viz., Capt.. Evans and
Hadfield, with s. M'Arthur, Pickard, and Farmer, and
%detachment somisting of eight sergeants, ten corporals,
four drummers, end 175 privates of the divisional, and one
sergeant, one corporal, and twelve gunners of the Artillery,
companies of the mils. They will take passage in Vesuvius,
at si., to Pembroke. The recruiting for this corps, which
has been some time suspended, it is probable at co distant
period will be recommenced, the several divisions being only
177 over their establishment. A draft of the artillerymen
of the corps, consisting of one sergeant, one corporal, one
trumpeter, and 17 gunners, embarked in Ithcenis for service
on the Coast of Africa.
WooLwtca, JULY 20.—Vivid, stum•yessel, Muter-
Commander L. Smithett, having completed her defects, has
left to join the squadron which is to accompany her Majesty
on her approaching visit to Ireland.—Violet, steam-packet,
Master-Commander J. Sherlock, arrived yesterday from
Doer to receive a new funnel, and to have some defects in
her machinery made good.—Prometheus, steam-sloop, has
been towed to Deptford by the Monkey, to be repaired ; and
the Styx, which has been repaired at that port, was brought
hack yesterday to Woolwich to be fitted.—Vesuvius, steam-
sloop, under the command of Mr. Bellamy, master attendant
of this yard, and a crew of riggers and seamen riggers, is
ordered to leave this port on Monday nest. She proceeds
first to Portsmouth, where she will embark a detachment of
r.,yal marines, to ranee the detachment stationed at Pem-
broke. She will thee proceed to Devonport, taking with her
the baggage of H. 0. Ward, Esq., Governor of the lonian
Islands, which she will transfer to the Queen, 116, at
that port, she then proceeds on to Pembroke and after land-
ing the marines, will embark the relieved detachment and
bring them to Portsmouth. The following ergineers have
been appointed to her : B• Hoare, chief ; F. Akers, first
class ; li. Blandin, 2nd class ; J. It. Johnson, 3rd class.—Per-
sian, 16, Com. Bullmea, is rapidly fitting for sea.—Ships and
steamers in harbour : Fisgard, 42, Commodore-Superin-
tendent H. Eden ; Black Eagle, steam-vessel, Muter Com-
manding S. B. Cook; Lightning, steam-vessel, Master com-
manding J. Petley ; Monkey, steam-tug, Second-Master W.
Bryant ; Violet, steam-packet, Muter commanding J. Sher-
lock • Vannes steam-shop ; Charon, steam-vemel ; and
Athol, troop-ship, Master commanding J. B. Pearn.—ln
dock : Hermes, and Archer, steam-vessel.—ln the basin :
Persism,l6,Connitander Stillman ; Volcan,iron steam-frigate ;
Firebrand; Grappler; Rhadamanthus; African; Flamer;
Aleut); 'and Vulture, steam-vessel.
JILT 22.—Dreadnought, seaman hospital ship, was towed
down from Deptford yesterday afternoon, and taken into
dock at the top of the tide. Although such a large vessel,
she was docked without the slightest mishap, the flood tide
being at its height —The Devonshire, 74, has been moored
in the river where the Dreadnought was fixed, and the
patients have been transferred on board till such time
as the males of the teller vessel are completed.—
Athol, Ineso-ship, Muter Com. Poem will embark
the eemmanke of Royal Artillery and Royal Sappers
and Mem for the Cape of Good Hope and the Mauritius
on Wedunday aut.-11r. Gottlieb, stuns receiver at this
pert, hes been egraded b ill the same °Moe at Devonport,
visemX bosomed; amd Kr. Jeremiah Owen, supervisor
of hie bun stone receiver at Woolwich,
b.

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