The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-02 00:00:00

THE STROOD TUNNEL _OF 7HE NORTH
___

KENT

RAILWAY.

STROOD, Aria. 31.—8 y dint of great exertion, labourers
being employed day and night, the permanent way
in the Strood tunnel, which was turned up by the fall of
a waterspout on Saturday, has been so far restored as to
admit of the passage of trains to and from this station.
Had the extraordinary visitation happened a minute or
so later the train from Gravesend, coutaining some 200
or 300 passengers, must have been exposed to the full
fury of the flood, the formidable character of which may
be judged of from the circumstance that at one time
there was a depth of water of four or five feet. As it
is, however, the preservation of the passengers may, to a
great extent, be attributed to the prompt action of the
driver of the down train. It was going at its usual rate
through the first tunnel, and on nearing the " lay by," the
open cutting, he saw the rush of water along the line,
and the carrying away of the sleepers, metals, &c. He in-
stantly shut off and reversed his steam, applied the breaks,
and was so successful as to bring the train to a stand
before it could reach the disturbed ground. A minute
inspection of the works had been made, and beyond the
damage done to the line, and some portion of the walls,
by the action of the water, the solidity of the tunnel is
not at all impaired. Shortly after noon on Saturday the
rain descend« d in torrents, and a heavy dark cloud
which hung over the Neighbouring hills and obscured
their summit from view, seemed to break immediately
over tt e spot where the " lay by" is situated. The tor-
rent carried away every thing before it, and swept with
tremendous velocity down the shaft. The country for
some distance round was fl ,oded to a considerable depth.
Some men who were winking in the tunnel had a won-
derful escape; they heard the rush of water, and by
some extraordinary exertion contrived to reach this end.
As soon as the disastrous event was telegraphed to Lon-
doe, the directors made every arrangement the time
would allow to carry on the traffic. Numerous vehicles
were sent down so as to convey the passengers from
Higham station to Stroud by road. On Sunday after-
noon, however, one line of rails in the tunnel was so
far restored as to allow the trains, up and down, to go
through, and the road convict anus ware withdrawn.

ROYAL NAVAL SCUOsL.—Yesterday a special
general meeting of the governors and subscribers to this
corporation was held hi the council-room, New-cross,
Deptford, to take, into consideration the propriety of autho-
rising the council to erect a new chapel, contiguous to the
school; Sir W. Owen Pell, in the chair. The minutes of the
last court having been read and confirmed, the chairman
stated the object for which they hAI met. The plans had
been prepared, the ground marked out, and the tenders for
the erection of the edifice sent in, when they found, upon
reverence to their s9licitor, that they could not legally pro-
ceed without the sanction of a special meeting. Mr. Kitson
moved and Mr. Inglis seconded the following resolution:—
" That the council of the Royal Naval School be authorised
to erect, on such portion of the land and hereditaments
now belonging to the Royal Naval School as the council shallconsider most fit and proper for the purpose, a chapel con-
tiguous to the said school ; and to fit up the same with all
things necessary and proper for the performance of divine
servicethiited
therein, according to the rites and ceremonies of the
Church of England and Ireland ;
of the said school.
tor the use of the
masters, pupils, officers, and servants
pursuant to the provisions of the said Act of Parliament,
called the 4
Royal Navi,l School Amendment Act, 1551.'
The resolution, upon being put, was carried unanimously.
The chairman announced amongst. the subscriptions received
the building-fund were the following sums :-1,0001. from
Vice-Admiral Bowles, C. 8., president of the schori; 100/.
from his Grace the Duke of
the Patriotic Fund ; 110/. fromi(3ap
A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded
J. N. ads
ed the business
esSzc.
oof
motipg.