The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 25, 1864.

as they are distributed all over the country, it would scorn
to follow that the climate of India is not necessarily
fatal to Europeans in any higher proportion. Hitherto,
the mortality of the army from sickness in India .has
been considerably raised during the period of war. In the
first Mahratta war, in 1804, it reached 134 per 1,000. In
the Burmese war of Lord Amherst the mortality among the
European troops was as high as 130 per 1,000 for the three
years ending 1826. Since that period the condition of the
troops in time of war has been healthier, and all the evi •
denco goes to show that the mortality in the wars in India
is mainly the result of disease. Disease too contributes to
destroy the efficiency of an army in another way. It appears
from the returns which have been laid before the Commis-
sion that in the stations of Bengal 84 men in a battalion of
1,000 were on an average constantly in hospital, a large pro-
portion of the cases being of a syphilitic character. With
this amount of sickness an army of 20,000 British troops in
India would require constant hospital accommodation for
5,880 men, while with a mortality of G 9 per 1,003, it loses
yearly 4,830, or nearly five regiments. A return which
was laid before the Commission by Brigadier-Gen. Russell
shows that out of 1,064 non-commissioned officers and men
of his regiment—the 84th—who arrived in Moulmein in
1842, only 93 landed in England in 1359 after a period
of 17 years' service, so that the regiment had to be almost
completely renewed during that time in India. This re-
turn, it may be added, agrees vary closely with the general
tabular results, from which it may be seen that 1,000 effec-
tives serving in India ars reduced to 96 in 20 years. It
would further appear that the mean term of service in India
is 8.6 years, and that 11 recruits are required annually to
every 100 men, so that to maintain an army of 86,000 men
a yearly supply of something like 10,000 recruits would be
necessary.

Such are the principal facts connected with the rate of
mortality among the European troops scattered throughout
our Indian Empire, but there is, independent of these, a
large force composed of natives, into whose sanitary condi-
tion it was equally the duty of the Commissioners to inquire.
From the returns which were laid before them by the Secre-
tary of the Bengal Medical Beard, it is to be inferred that
the mortality of the native corps at the several places where
European troops were stationed was somewhat under 8 per
1,000; while the average rate for the three Presidencies is
ascertained from the military returns far the 20 years end-
ing 1844 to be 18 per 1,000, 19 in every 1,000 being the
extent of the invaliding. Taus it will be seen that the native
troops experienee a rate ci mortality nearly the same as that
of the civil servants. Their superiority in point of health
to the English soldiers serving in India has often hitherto
been explained on the apposition that their organisation is
specially adapted to the climate in which they were born ;
but it is found that removal from one part of India to an-
other at a distance from their homes has the effect of greatly
increasing the mortality among them, and there is no good
ground for believing that the mere fact that they are breath-
ing their native air operates to so great an extent as to pro-
duce the marked difference, or anything like it, which exists
between an average mortali yof 18 and 69 in every 1,000. The
men of the native army arefor the moat part married. Their
pay exceeds the earnings cf their fellow- countrymen of the
same class, and, except inßengal, the wives live with their
husbands in small huts, which are constructed of bamboo
and matting at a Blight exienditure of money and labour.
The Brahmin of Bengal leaves his wife at home, but visits
her periodically when on furlough. The men generally
sleep outside the huts, except during the rainy season, and
to the fact of their possessing those separate hats, and not
being cooped with several of their fellows an one sleeping
apartment, much of their superiority in point of health to
the European soldier is attributed.
The Commissioners, with all these points before them,
and being aware that the Iritish soldier in India is a some-
what expensive article, vere naturally dwell upon the expe-
diency of taking steps to preserve his life, not only upon the
score of humanity but alio on that of economy. After a
careful examination of the statistics upon the subject they
find that £lOO is on an average annually expended on the
European soldier serving it India. The loss of a man who,
with all his arms, costs the country that sum, reckoned at
only a few years' purchase, is not to be lightly regarded,
especially as it occurs frequently and inopportunely in the
field, when his services are most required. Taking the
annual death-rate among tie English troops in India at the
amount already stated-69 in every I,ooo—and the whole
European military establislment in that country at 73,000
men—the number proposed—it is evident that it would re-
quire 5,037 recruits per annum to fill up the vacancies caused
by death alone. Now, a deah-rate at 20 per 1,000 to which
amount the Commissioners express a confident opinion the
present rate might be easil: reduced, would render neces-
sary only 1,400 recruits pee annum, so that the excess cf
mortality presumed to be avoidable is absolutely 3,577 lives
in the year.

Assuming the cost of re ruiting, training, and landing
men in India to be no more than £10) per man, this excess
of mortality is equivalent to a tax of £l,OOO a day, irrespec-
tive of the extra sickness ndicated by a high death-
rate. The point, however, is one with respect to which
the Commissioners entertain very sanguine hopes. A care-
ful examination, they say, of he causes of disease, and the
character of the diseases prevalent at the more healthy sta-
tions in India, lead them to expect a greater saving of life
eventually than one of even 49 per 1,000. They go so far
even as to cherish the idea that the day is nit far distant
when the natural death-rate in times of peace of men of the
soldier's age in India will be no higher than 10 per 1,0,0
per annum, which would bring it down almost to the Eng-
lish level.

Fearful Railway Collision.

PONTYPOOL, Wednesday.

A fearful collision between an excursion train and a
mineral train occurred at the junction of the West Midland
and Taff Vale Extension Raileaky, at Pontypool-road, last
evening. The following are tl.e particulars as ascertained
upon the spot by the reporter.
Yesterday morning an excursion train left Worcester at
7,25 for Crumlin Viaduct, one of the great attractions of
Monmouthshire. All went on well until the train was on
the way home in the evening. The train had only travelled
about six miles, however, when the occurrence we are about
to narrate happened. On the return from Crumlin the train
consisted of ten passenger carriages and three break-vans,
each having a guard to work the break. They approached
the Pontypool-road station at about half-past 5 o'clock in
the evening, and had been pre3eded about ten minutes by a
coal train. Pontypool-road itation is approached from
Crurnlin on a rather steep incline descending to the station,
and the run in is also on a sharp curve. The driver of the
excursion train was coming ,own the incline, the signal
being " All righ." for his approach, when he saw the goods
train on the rails in front of him. He immediately shut off
the steam and whistled for the break to be put on, but the
impetus with which the train Was travelling rendered a col-
lision unavoidable. The drive; jumped off and esceped un-
hurt, but the stoker, who stuck to the engine, was badly
injured. The collision was fe4rfui,and the cries of the pas-
sengers which followed the crash were terrible. Of the coal
trucks four of the hindermost were completely smashed •
The guard's break was broken from end to end, nothing be-
ing left entire but the bottom. 'The guard, David Jones,
who was at his break when the collision occurred, was fear-
fully cut about the head and face, and one of his hands was
badly lacerated. After his wounds had been sewn up he
was conveyed to Hereford by special train, and now lies
there. The first carriage of the passenger train was an old
Great Western third class, both ends of which were demo-
lished and the sides stove in. The next was a first-class
saloon West Midland carriage, which was served in a
similar manner. Both ends of the carriage were broken in,
and the wood and glass scattered ever the passengers.
Strange to say, however, the passengers in these two car-
riages were less injured than others nearer the middle of the
train. All the passengers were thrown together with great
violence, and many of them were severely cut about the
head, legs, and various parts of the body, but happily, as
far as we could learn, no bones were broken. The confusion
that ensued, as may be imagined, was very great. Among
the passengers was Dr Woodward, of Worcester, who,
escaping with a few bruises, rendered valuable aid to the
injured. Other medical assistance was sent for and Dr,
Laurence and Mr Thomas, surgeon, of Pontypool, were
quickly in attendance, and, having bound up their wounds,
they were sent on by the ordinary six p.m. train and a
special train which followed. It is hoped that the whole
will eventually recover. The most injured are Miss Gee,
of Worcester, and another lady (name unknown), besides
the guard, Jones Miss Gee is injured in the spine. This
is the most serious case. None of the carriages were
knocked off the line or they would have been precipitated
down an embankment. The rails were only slightly bent,
and a staff of labourers has been occupied today in remov-
ingtsley o hindered
in
thederaccident
i s
the ruins of the broken carriages. The traffic has been
Thethe
cause consequence
attributed
neglect accident.
on
part of osfliaghsignal man at the Pontypool-road junction. The
approach to the station from the Taff Vale extension line,
as already mentioned, is down a sharp incline, and the
signal man, William Phillips, had instructions not to let
the passenger train pass untill the goods train, which pre-
ceded it, had been put into a siding. Contrary to these
orders, however, it seems he kept the signal np "line clear,"
and therefore the driver of the excursion train came on
round the curve, and ran into the goods train.
The above are the facts as ascertained on the spot.
Phillips, the signal man, is in custody; and, of course,
there will be an offic al inquiry. The spot where the acci-
dent happened is about three miles from Cwmbran,
where, about two yews ago, a passenger train ran off the
rails into the statior, killing ono person and injuring
others.

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