The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-18 00:00:00

4

Cabal an

3~tilitatr~.

CHATHAM, Jai. 17.
Till: EN LAbGEMLN t.F CriATIIAM AK.).
Ma morning, Mr. tiabrielle, whose tender for the
construction of the works for the enlargement of
this dockyard, by form.tion .1 the new basins.
docks. factories, amt other buildings, arrived at the dock-
yard, in order to make the necewars.arangements lot the
commencement of the works forthwith. The designs for
the ealtrgenteut of 6: yard will necessitate the takin, in
of .;s0 acres of the land adjoining the present establish •
meat, by which the entire area of the dockyard will be
enlarged to nearly 500 acres. Of this, 74 acres will be deep
water space, consisting of three basins, constructed on
the uatural line of creek, a branch of the Medway. which
'emirates :St. Mary's Island from the mainland. Of the
three basins intended to be constructed the largest will
be the fitting-out basin, which will have a water .ir:a of
$3 acres, with a depth of :to feet, and a wharf.
age frontage of 5,1400 feet. The repairing Loin
will cover an area of 21 acres, and the factory basin
with which it is connected an area of 20 acres, each will:
about 4.1011 feet of frontage. Connected with the repair
ing.basim which will open into the Medway nearly oppo-
site i'poor Castle, will he four spacious docks, each 420
feet to length, with a depth of water of feet it inches
era the sill at high water neaps. Ad. • • the factory
basin, which communicates with the o er two, will be au
extensive range of buildings, covering an area of nearly 20
acres, and including steam factories. smiths' shops. stores.
fittlng shops, and other establishments. The estimated
outlay fur the entire undertaking is one million and n half
sterling which will probably be increased to two millions
when the whole of the proposed works are completed.
The works connected with the construction of the repair •
ins nil fitting basins will be first proceeded with.
A s•mtRA LTV, JAL 17.—APPOISTUNT. —Sub-
lieutenata T. Malony, to the lkistol.

RAILWAY At•C/DENT NEAR GUILDPORP.

An accident occurred yesterday morning on the
lines of the South Western and South Eastern Railways,
neer Guildford, which affords a remarkable instance of
mane from what appeared to be almost certain death.
It seems that the train which leaves Reading at
for London (due at Guildford at $.2'M, and which yes-
terday marnia,; consisted of six carriages, including
guard's van, arrived safely as far as the junction of the
Alton branch with the main line near Guildford station.
Here, however, the connecting rod between the engine
and tender broke, and the engine was consequently
unable to go forward with the train. Knowing the Alton
train to be nearly due (its time of arrival at Guilford
being 8.361, the guard of the Reading train hastened,
along the line with a danger flag in his hand, but the
attempt to avert an accident was too late. The engine
driver and guard of the Alton train seemed to have ob-
served the flag and the train, both hid from them for
some time by a curve, within a short distance of the Reading
train, but beyond promptly putting on all the break
power they could, nothing could be done to stay the appa•
nutty fatal ',regrew of the Alton train, and on it rushed
down au incline of something like one in eighty, until it
smashed into the South Eastern train, which stood help.
leap, :ind broke and destroyed nearly the whole of one end
of a secwid class carriage in it, overturned the seat an-
nexed, and broke portions of the woodwork of the end of
the first-class carriage adjoining. The force of the colli•
1.012 was so great as to knock several of the carriages off
the line, and the noise was distinctly heard at the station.
about MO yards off. Nearly the whole of the buffers were
broken or twisted, and the guard's van received a good deal
of injury in broken glass and the woodwork of the steps,
Inc. None of the South Western train was injured, but
the engine and tender box were slightly damaged. None
of the passenger, in this train it appears were hurt. but
eight or nine in the Reading train were injured. A Mr.
Ingram, of Illackwater, had his eye severely contused,
and was taken to the Surrey County Hospital, where
his wounds were dressed, A Mr. Matthews. of
Ash-vale, had his shoulder dislocated, but on being
medically attended to, returned home. Mr. Catchpole,
of Bloc water, was slightly injured in the knee. A
couple of soldiers from Aldershot were hurt, one very
much shout the face ; and four other persons were bruised
and shaken. The sufferers were taken first to one of the
waiting-rooms at the Guildford station, where Mr. Lyaon,
the station master, who had hurriedly proceeded to the
scene of the catastrophe, had them attended to, Inving
previously sent for and obtained the services of Mr. Sells,
szteln.to Sgeoveoraln
toot the injured persons werern thus
singers went on by the 11.37 train from Godalming. We.
chief explanation at present offered for the aceident takes
the following form:—lt appears that all trains (mouth.
Western) on the Alton branch pass a signal station named
Pink's Hill, about two miles front Guildford, but should
not proceed until the man there gives those in
charge of the train a signal that the line is clear. The
man in charge at the time in question seems to have been
one named Childs, a comparatively young hand. He said
he bad the "All clear" signal from the man at Guildford
(named Smallbones) and signalled
i accordingly to the Alton
train. But the strange part of the story s that Small-
hones is stated to assert that he did not signal to Chihli' at
all. That a frightful loss of life did not ensue appears
to be due principally to the fact that very few persons
were in the train which was injured. A curious instance
of personal escape is told. A gentleman was quietly sitting
in the Reading train after its stoppage, when suddenly he
was thrown from one side of the carriage to the other. and
his hat sent flying through the window. He was not hurt,
but another occupant of the compartment had his face cut.
Several of the principal officen both of the South
Western and South Eastern lines were telegraphed for,
and came down in the course of the day to investigate into
the unfortunate affair.

IRON SHIP-BIJILDING AND THE PRESENT

DISTRESS.