The Sun.
London, England, 1830-09-17 00:00:00

OPENIN'CI OF 'rim MANCHESTER AND

LIVERPOOL RAILWAY.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT TO MR. lIUSKISSON.

LivEttPoot, WEDNCSDAY NIGH.T.—The Man•
cheater and Liverpool Railway opened this day;
but what Was expected to have afforded pleasure and
satisfaction to, so many thousands, has been the
source of an accident which has thrown a damp nu
the whole day's proceedings, and prevented that
joyous conclusion to it which had been anticipated.
I will not,, however, anticipate, but endeavour, as
far as time- will allow, to describe things in the
course in which they happened. As, however, the
company were not brought back to Liverpool till
past eight at night, I shalt not be able to be so full
in my particulars as I could have wished.
The fact of the Railway opening this day collected
in Liverpool more strangers than ever were known
iu it before at any one time; and it was next to
impossible to procure accommodation at any of the
inns or hotels. An immense number of the nobi-
lity, and persons of chief consideration in the county,
flocked into the town, and tickets, to accompany
the procession, were selling at an enormous price.
The start sac appointed for ten o'clock, but
long before that hour moat of the company
had arrived at the great inclosed yard of the
Railway Company, where the carriages waited
for their reception. At a quarter past ten the
Duke of Wellington made his appearance, ac-
companied by numerous persons of distinction. At
tit quarter past eleven, all preparations being made,
the start took place, and the vehicles went through
the small tunnel at an easy pace, the principle of
motion there being that of an inclined plane. The
whole line of railway, for the first four miles out of
Liverpool, W 44 crowded with persons anxious to
catch a glimpse of the procession, and the cheers
with which the cortege were received were very
enthusiastic. The first striking object we came to
Was the cut that has been made through Olive
Mount; the artificial chasm at this place presents
an extraordinary appearance, and strongly reminded
me of the rocks of Clifton, as seen when passing
down the river Avon between them. The depth
to which the cut has been effected is in some places
as much as seventy feet ;- and from the proportionate
narrawaila of the width, looks still more. .
of the cleverest pieces of execution on the railway
are. the ' SkeW bridges, and'that at Itanehill, in par-
ticular, is worthy of attention; the whole of the
nuetoory'ef that, with the exception of the outer
line, is on. the 'Skew, and is as linen piece of work-
manshlp as I ever saw. Before arriving tit this
bridge, we passed under a wooden bridge thrown
across the railway, which, with the aid of wreaths
of flowers, and of ribbons, produced the effect of
passing under a triumphal arch. Equal to the cut
through Olive Mount in curiosity, and still more
picturesque in effect, is the view from the Sankey
Viaduct, though why called Viaduct I do not very
distinctly apprehend. It is a Inidge conveying the
Railway over a wide stream; but from the waxing
height which it is above • the landscape beneath, a
most extensive prospect is laid open, and unit alto
of first-rate rustic. beauty.

It was tit s place called Park-side, near Newtown,
that the engine otoppod to take hi a supply of vitt!er,
and It Was here that the dreadful accident occurred,
Which I am afraid will terminate fatally, and which,
has thrown the greatest gloom on a day which other_
wise would have passed of with the greatest joy
rot hilarity. The order in which the cars quitted
Livetpool
was r--
The Pleanir

The North stor Yellow.
The Rocket
The Dart
The Comet .
The Arrow Pink.
Tlik Meteor Brown.
_ _

The Northumbrian or Royal Cur, in which the
Duke and all the principal persons of the party, to-
gether with the Directors were, was on the other
line of Railway, so that it had an entire passage to
itself, by which means it was sometimes In advance
of the other cars, sometimes behind, and sometimes
abreast with them, At Parksitle it was arranged
that all the care should atop to change water. The
Northurobrian, being in advance at that time, stopped
tiro, while the others passed her in turn. I was an
the Phomix, and consequently 40head of all the others,
*lid (when we had all passed the Northumbrian) of
course thi*eiliest from her. The first hint we bad
of an Ilea* having happened was a gentleman
earning up at Itill speed from the cars beilindp,and
exclaiming, " Is there, a enrgeon among you ?" But
Whetiitittormentioned that it was Mr. Ilusklison that
was hurt, there was no one that could botieve it;
it teemed to incredible that he, out of the nevetii,
hundred that were in the cars, should be the sok
later Determined, however, to be informed of
correctness of the report, I was ninon to maltric
way back to the.cars in the rear, when the Nordin' :
beam engine aR advancing on the other line of oil.
It oyevoolod me. pasactl-.-the only eat attar:he' , o
?
it wits that which had servid.as an orchestra for ' le
band. The musicians had been removed, antic;
the bottom of the car, attached on a board vowed
with cloth, hey the unfortunate gentleman; Ma,
Huskisson was leaning over him, and about ha 44
dozen gentlemen were also in the ear, to do w
.t.
ever might be possible to mitigate his sulikalifts,l
An eminent medical Wan in theses parts, of the name
of Brasidreth,,wes also with him 1 and it was under
isle directions, I believe, that he was forwarded at'
the full speed of the engine to Eccles, winch is about
three miles nearer to Liverpool than Muncliester hi,
With rovect to the manner in which the accident
tnuk place, several accounts were rife, but after
this hest inquiry I could make among those imenedi-
wtsly present when it happened, I am inclined to
think that the following is a correct statement of
whet tools place.
IL
. :.
Lb* NOrtinnahrlint as I stated before, having
swtorla:
taatietitaitzmhlru of its Intaaetiger4 got' out to
y tied among them Mr. Huskis.
sun„ in the til"4 tittite the other ears were in turn
commit Op cm the other l'
„n I,a the stations who 1 Ifte°"""'"Y'
""d
""i"g
water awaited them. Tile
14,rtinitfxttnttdo
item NwOiarrttillit;ttititro4 had already pasted.
Aet. Jost at it it
altptpp.,athelreen,suMnr,alostkioisoseattto 11:11,1 Mr. W, Mimes,
Nor-
thumbrian; Ur, &tries got let ,drird l'i4,lt
11441681 ml to do the woe. lie%taati,i(4:!,' ;'''','"*.
which to do—whether to pet into the vehic=le, e‘:7l
step on one side till the noeket had passed: Iloe
wavered too lung, and found that the nett,,,,t, en ins

was dose by Ms side, he saw that it was necessary
to do something, but even then hardly knew what
step to take, and, as a last effort, endeavoured to get
round the door of the Northumbrian, which was
standing open, and so gain the steps which were on
the other side. As he took hold of the door to do
this, he must have thrown his gravity too much
upon it, for on its suddenly turning on its hinges,
on being seized by him, the motion throw him off
his balance, and before he could recover, he was
dragged down by some part of the projecting ma-
chinery of the Rocket, and the consequence was that
the left thigh fell on the railway, close to the wheel
of the Rocket, which instantly passed over it, in an
oblique direction. There was a natural and spon-
taneous shriek from every one who witnessed the
melancholy circumstance, and prompt assistance was
afforded to the sufferer, who fainted away from the
severity of the injury.
The velocity of the Racket having been materially
checked shortly before, it advanced on the party
standing round the Northumbrian so suddenly, that
it was a sort of saurve qui peat when it was per-
ceived. I believe Mr. Holmes was the first who
perceived it, and he called out to all to cling close to
the Northumbrian, which advice, had it been taken,
would certainly have prevented the accident, for the
interval between the two Railways is full six feet,
and it was only by Mr. Huskisson's having lost his
balance that he was brought in contact with the
Rocket. The accident happened about five minutes
to twelve.

By the time that Mr. HuskisSon recovered, Mr.
Brandreth was in attendance, end made a cursory
examination of the'ektent of the mischief. A com-
pound fracture of the thigh h, I fear, certain; the
muscles also of the limbs were entirely laid bare,
and presented a dreadful spectacle.
As soon as Mr. Ilusitisson had recovered his
senses, the first thing he did was to inquire for Mrs.
Iluskisson ; and a lady who heard him said that she
was quite sure that he would recover, from the
firmness of his voice when lie made the inquiry. Of
course not a moment was lost in making arrange-
ments for his removal to a place of rest, and where
full surgical assistance could be procured. As I have
already stated, he was instantly forwarded to Eccles
for this purpose in the orchestral car.
It is a curious circumstance, that only a minute or
two before the accident happened, Mr. lluskisson
Was congratulating Mr. Joseph Sanders on the suc-
cess of the undertaking, of which he was one of
the Directors. " This must be a happy day to
you, Sandars," said he, " for you have lived to see
the successful end of what you so warmly engaged
in at. the beginning." lie then turned away from
Mr. Sanders, with the observation, " I will go and
shake hands with the Duke;" and he was probably
on this very errand when the fatal event occurred
which I have too much reason to fear he will never
get over.

On the departure of the orchestral car, a discus-
sion took place us to what course the Directors and
party ought to pursue. The Duke at once perempto-
rily declared that he would return to Liverpool ; a
damp had been thrown on the proceedings—there
could be .but one feeling of affliction—and he thought
that on all accounts it would be both delicate and
wise to put an end to the gala as speedily as pos-
sible. Some of the Directors were not altogether
satisfied with this arrangement, but they seemed at
first inclined to bow to the Duke's decision ; and
indeed, on the first impulse, there could be but one
feeling present in the minds of all. But while matters
were still in agitation, it was suggested to the Direc-
tors by some of the . proprietors, that they lied a sort of
ditty to perform, and that the success of the Railway
might, in a great measure, depend on their carrying
through the proceedings :which they had chalked
out, and which were expected on all hands. The
Directors felt the difficulty of the situation in which
they were placed, and further consultution took place.
at length proposed that the Phoenix should
gaintO.Manehester,;so us in a manner to go through
the ceremony that was expected there, while the re.
minder of the cepe'and the engines returned to!
Liverpool. This, however, was also objected to by
several of the proprietors; and by degrees they
persuaded the Directors to be of their opinion, that
they absolutely owed it to the public, and to the
interests which they had in charge, to carry into
effect the original plait.
When this seemed to be the gencial feeling, it
.became necessary to announce it to the Duke. His
Grace, however, still objected to carryipg the matter
further; and he Was joined in his views of the ques-
tion by Sir Robert Peel. •
Mr. Helton, of Helton, then addressed the
He said that he did not wish to make any observe-
lion thetwas beyond what he was entitled to make;
but he, would nevertheless take upon himself to
say, that the procession must go on to Manchester.
The Duke was still 'obdurate. Mr. Sanders and
,Mr. Cropper (ti proprietor) them urged it upon the
Duke, that whatever their private feelings might
,be, they were bound in this instance by a solemn
pledge, Something was expected of them, and I
they were bound to fulfil it to the best of their
lability. It was quite certain that the news of the
melancholy accident would reach Manchester ; and
this rendered it still more imperative on them to go
forward then, and allow them that nothing had gone
wrong in the machinery, which otherwise would
certainly be the report raised to the infinite detri-
ment .ef the Railway. The Directors and Proprietor*
were as sorry as any one that so lamentable a cie.'
cumstunce had token place; •but as it was clear
that it had not arisen from any mistake or
blunder in the machinery, they were bound to do
everything in their power to prevent such a rumour
taking wind. These arguments seemed to have
some weight with the Duke, and they were strongly
enforced by the Boroughreeves of Manchester and
of Salford coming forward, and stating to his
Grace, that if the procession did nor go on to dente
towns they could not answer for the peace of the
places within their jurisdiction—for aoreileh
inent and
.expectation existed natant the people
there, that it was to be feared. they would bear a
dieappointrnent with a very ill grace. To all these
iirgureents united hie Grace at length yielded, and
flits ears accordingly proceeded to Manchester. As
they approached that town, the whole of the hilt*,
seemed to pour out to greet their arrival, and.
'cheers for the most part were heard in all directions;
(sorne few hisses, however, occasionally stole in, but,
'es I apprehended, they were directed' more against
'the principle of the rail-road than any individual.—
There were full as many people at Manchester its
Liverpool, eager to see the passage of the cars;
:arid I think that I may, on a moderate calculation,
**eft, that there could not be less than half a tail-
lion of permits present at one pert or other of the
litre of way.
Pst Manchester the. coinpany staid about half an
hour to breakfast, and then.tettlrned to Liverpool.—
The halt4t.'tho' former place would have been an
hour and half,' but for the time loot at Park-ride,
settling whether the engines, should be turned to-
wards Liverpool or 'Manc4stet.

As a work of art, and us a commercial specula-
don, I may speak in the highest terms Of praise of
the Railway. I never saw work so admirably eae-
cuted; and I never saw an undertaking more likely j
to prove prnfitablo to the proptietors. The fact or
WI. shares beating already a premium of lOU,
aayx u good deal in support of my latter,ossertion.
Several times in the course of the Journey I timed
the rate at which we went, and as every quarter of
a mile on the line of way is marked, I was able
do this very effectually. Eighteen, nineteen, et. 4
twenty miles an hour I found to be a common ratef
at one time we were going twenty-four miles an
hour ; and Mr— Stephenson, the engineer, assured
me, that after he had deposited Mr. fluskisson, at
Ecclea, and went on to Manehester, for a ourgeon,
he pushed forward at the rate of thirty-three milt.%
an how.

On onr return from Manchester we stopped st
Eccles, in the hoes of hearing how Mr. &ultimo
Was going on. I regret exceedingly to state tint
the account was melancholy in the extreme. Mr.
%AMO. a most enshitnt surgeon at Manchester, has!

attended Mr.'lluskisson ; but though the necessity
of amputation was pressing in the extreme, his pa-
tient was in such a state, that he did not deem him-
self justified in performing the operation. Spasms
had taken place, and it was generally apprehended
that the unfortunate gentleman would sink under
them. It is well known that Mr. Iluskisson's con-
stitution has long been in a feeble state; and there-
fore he was the last man in the world to be able to
hold up against so heavy a blow.
It was not till half-past eight that the ears re-
turned to Liverpool. The Duke of Wellington
absolutely declined attending the dinner to which
he had been invited by the Directors, and got out
of the Northumbrian at that point of the rail-road
which is nearest to Childwell, the seat of the Mar-
quis of Salisbury, whose guest he is at present. The
rest of the company proceeded to Li verpool, and
passed through the great tunnel, which is a mile
and a quarter long—spacious in the extreme, and in
its general effect may be said to realize the most
fairy page of the " Arabian Nights' Entertain-
menu.' Some of the company, however, were not
so fortunate as to arrive as soon at their journey's
end, for owing to the engine getting on a wrong line
of Railway, there were several left at Manchester
without engines to bring them forward, so that at
what hour they reached this town it is impossible
to say.

(ANOTHER ACCOUNT.)
As this stupendous specimen of human enterprize
and perseverance has never been described to the
public, the following particulars may not,be uninte-
resting to our readers in London, who have not had
the gratification of contemplating the giandeur arid
importance of the undertaking by a personal inspec-
tion :—The project of establishing a correspondence
by railway between two of the most populous and
important towns in the kingdom, was not started
till 1824, when a Mr. James proposed it to a gen-
tleman, who had great practical knowledge of the
inconvenience of the mode of carriage then prac-
tised, namely, by land carriage, or by water on the
Duke of Bridgewater's Canal, and the Irwell and
Mersey Navigation. The principal inconvenience
resulted from delay; as it would often happen that
goods would arrive in a shorter time from New
York to Liverpool than they could afterwards be
conveyed in from Liverpool to Manchester.—
It having been ascertained that the average
weight of goods in daily transit from Liver-
pool to Manchester amounted to no less than
from 1,000 to 1,200 tons, the projectors
called a meeting, and brought the plan in its
then crude state before the public. Mr. San-
ders, to whom Mr. James had communicated his
calculations, succeeded, after great opposition, in
getting a Committee formed, and in appointing an
engineer to make a preliminary survey. This, how-
ever, was not accomplished without making himself
singly responsible for all the expences, as even in
those days of bubble-hunting, this project was
looked upon by many as an attempt at deception, or
as the wild chimera of a well-meaning but dis-
tempered mind. Nor was this all with which the
projectors had to contend. In addition to the
numerous persons whose interest from being em-
ployed in one or other of the existing modes of
transit made them strenuously oppose any innova-
tion of their monopoly, the undertaking was also op-
posed by the Earls of Derby, Sefton, and Wilton,
who expressed the most decided disapprobation of
the plan, as it crossed a part of their extensive do-
mains. The proprietors, however, with the most
praiseworthy perseverance, published a prospectus,
in which they proved to demonstration the great ad-
vantages which the plan has been since acknow-
ledged to possess. They employed some of the
best and most scientific surveyors in the kingdom in
ascertaining the best mode of construction for public
railways, and the best means of propelling the car-
riages. Various plans were suggested, and among
that of stationing engines the distance of
every mile, and propelling the cailipges a COM.
MlllllOlOOll of ropes and pulleys. This plan
was not only found objectionable from its inude-
quacy to the proposed purpose, but was discarded
sit once, whets it was calculated that a capital
almost equal to the amount required for the prepa-
ration of the' road' would be requisite for the erec-
tion of the fixed engine and apparatus. From the
immense traffic. thit :was expected on the projected
road, the use'of hoiSe power was out of the ques
time and the attention of the Committee having
been directed to this Ipeomotive engines, those in
use at the collieriie of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for
propelling similar carriages to those intended to be
used, made oconsiderable number of inquiries and
examinations. as:to..their efficacy. As the only loco-
motive engines .•that had then been used for such a
purpose wererionnd too heavy to accomplish the
speed of tranaittwith which alone the undertaking
could succesid,lliet came to the resolution of offer-
ing a premiums of 0004 to any person who should
construct a Ideominive engine conformable to the
following conditioits :—First, that the surd engine
must effectually eotisume its own smoke; secondly,
if it weigh tons it must be capable of drawing
utter it day by they, on a level plain of railway, the
gross weight of 20 tons, including the tender and
water-tank, at the rate of ten miles per hour, with
u pressure:of steam in the boiler not exceeding
501bs. on the square inch ; thirdly, there must be
.two safettvalv'es, tine completely out of the reach
.or contralti of the,.engineman, and neither fastened
down while the. engine is working; fourthly, the
engine and boiler Must be supported on springs and
rest on six wheelie, mid the height to the top of the
chisithey must -notexceed 1.5 feet ; sixth, the weight
of the machisiesengine with its complement of water
in the boiler,.niett at most not exceed six tons; and
e,onichine of hisse.weight will be preferred if it draw
after it a propionate weight; and if the weight of
the engine, !.does not exceed five tons, then,the
gross weight tOtiee •drawn did not exceed fifteen tons,
anti the CoMetsity shall be at liberty to put the
boiler, B,tc.tohe test of a pressure of water not
etseeeting,lso4 per square inch,:without being ren-
tiered to,etty damage the engine may receive
in consequenCtt.'. Previous, however, to this pre-
mium being "Shred, four Acts of Parliament had
been broughLite.by the Company. The third Act
stn to mithorisi the Exchequer Loan Commissioners
to lend them the sum of 100,000/,, , This sum was'
raised in. teddition to the sum of 400,000!. which
they bad originally raised on shares of 100/, each.
The last Biltfor improving the line of road passed
the' louso'rat Lords by a majority of 28. Earls
Detby taut Wilton alone voting against. it. These
several Acts of Parliament are estimated to have
test upweids of 70,0004 These necessary prepara-
tions having been made, t.se litre of road was marked
cot, and the first portion of it was commenced work-
ing upon in the.sumtner of 1820, a short distance
from Chat Moss, on the Manchester side, In order
to bring .the reader, however, to us clear • en under-
standing
was i
lce°4lteraohnleati tee rb°erglsistsTu3ri°leosefrtiplieti ei) Rail-
way,o
the 4iverpool end, and we will, therefore,
describe
the different', parts as they present themselves its
proceeding to Manchester, Anti, first, of the Tunnel
--This wonder fn 1 excavation
warehouses
ootilotyuiassiedesus.ti
nAt :I;iinitgpolit;etie;tl,e,,
which would otherwise divide Liverpool from the
t
[rest of the mash The whole length of this subters
fromrlinetintlitle""*o Company'sihfare s
space excavated is 22 feet wide, and 16 feet high.
fit plunging
itisg fronn the
lys tioiot4; fit): at:;egeac:l:7lliiigclielsitets 1,yo)
ff
thtt
trasted by the clear, red,
they
(road. The sides and roof are white-washed, and at first
``night would induce persons to believe that it had been
cut out from a solid rock of limestone. Such however
is not the case, its the greater part of what has been
excavated was composed of blue shale clay and sand.
—The road of the tunnel is an inclined plane,
rising three-quarters of an inch its every yard. With
this proportion of ascent the road measures in a
straight line to the eastern end of the tunnel, This
astonishing passage has been dug out in the follows
itch Owner :—Aboet ten or twelve shafts were dug
into the hill front the top, at certain distances, and
oil the ettall taken. out by the shaft. As the shafts

of course were dug in the course that it was in-
tended to take, the shafts and the lateral excavations
working into each other, formed the tunnel. The
thickness of the mass of aground which forms the
roof of this arch varies from five feet to seventy.
This immense piece of labour required several hun-
dred men to work night and day for nearly three
years, at a cost of 33,9374 14s. 2d. There is also
a smaller tunnel passing through the rock from the
upper end of the large one to the warehouses on
the top of the hill. On leaving the tunnel the rood
is perfectly level for about a mile, till you arrive at
the spot where it crosses Wavertree-lane, where a
descent of four feet in a mile commences, and con-
tinues for five miles and a half under several hand-
some stone and brick bridges (in total number sixty-
three, costing 99,0000 Beyond the cutting is the
ravine cut through Olive Mount. The surface of
the Railway here is seventy feet below the surface
of the ground. Then follows an embankment for
two miles. This ridge varies in height from
forty-five to fifteen feet above the level of the
country. At some places the base is 135 feet wide.
Then you arrive at Rainhill, where there is a level
plain of two miles, on which the first engines were
tried. The ascent then follows of an equal decli-
nation and extent as the Whiston inclined plane
above referred to. The road then comes to Parr-
moss, where it is formed of clay and stone, across
a bog twenty feet deep. The embankment is, in
reality, about twenty-five feet in depth, although
only five feet are visible above the surface of the
Moss. About half way from .Liverpool to Man-
chester is the great Sankey viaduct. This is an .im-
mense bridge of nine arches across the Sankey canal
and the valley through which it runs. This asto-
nishing work of art and perseverance is truly su-
blime; for as the Railroad passes over the viaduct,
the vessels may be seen sailing beneath them. The
next object worthy of great attention is the ridge
over the Chat Moss, commencing at about nine
miles from Manchester, and extending for four miles
and a half towards the town. The road is actually
formed on u bog so fluid that it was found impossible
to drain it, as a rod of iron laid on the top of it
would sink in by its own gravity. The road was
made by pitching almost innumerable waggon loads
of clay and stone in the intended line, and many
thousand loads disappeared in the bog before any
thing like a road was discerned.
Everything being in readiness across the moss for
receiving the rail-road, the Company were obliged
to have recourse to wooden instead of iron sleepers,
and at last effected as good a road as any other part
of the line, and considering the expense of that 41
miles of bog to have been less than the average ex-
pense for the same distance on any other part of the
road, although, from that perishable nature of the
wood sleepers on which the rails rest, it will be
much more expensive to keep in repair. As this
road is constructed on the most improved principles
yet known, some account of its formation may not
be unacceptable. On the clay and stone on which
the road is to be formed, a layer, two feet thick, of
broken rock and sand is deposited, one foot below
the sleepers, and one foot distributed between
them. The sleepers, us they are called, being the
blocks on which the rails of the road rest, are com-
posed of blocks of hard free-stone, from Peel, in
this county, on the excavated part of the road (about
eighteen out of the thirty-one miles); while on the
raised embankments and the mosses the rails are
supported by sleepers of oak or larch. The stone
blocks are about two feet over, and about a foot and
a half thick; for the reception of the chairs (which
are the bones of iron which secure the iron rail to
the stone sleepers), two holes are drilled in the top
of each block, and filled up with hard oak pins ;
the chains are then fastened on by two large spikes
being thriven through them into the oak pins, which
process is forced to be so secure, that it is almost im-
possible to separate a chair from a sleeper, when thus
fastened. The rail upon which the wheels of the car-
riages run are made of malleable iron, about two inches
brood at the top and forming merely u prqiurevg (11;
This is found to answer much better than the old
method of having the carriage wheel to run in an.
guilty shelves, as the snow and the dirt was always
putting them out of repair. With the rails on this
road there is the least possible friction and chance of
impediment. The wheels of the carriages are eight
or nine inches broad, with tt flange or projecting
ridge on the outer edge of about an inch broad and
an inch and a half high, to keep the machine mike rail.
The rails are about twelve feet long, with about five
sleepers to support each of them. They are formed so as
to slip into the sleepers which they are drawn through.—
On the inside hollow of the sleeper there is a sort of rabbit
or square groove, which receives a corresponding ridge on
the rail. When the rail has been placed on it, a entail iron
wedge is driven between the inside of the sleeper and the
side of the rail opposite the ridge. This drives the ridge
of the rail so securely into the groove of the sleeper, that it
is impossible for the rail to shift without moving it. On
a road thus prepared celerity and safety are nearly certain.
In fact we may say, without fear of contradiction, that so
pleasing, easy, and steady a motion cannot be given by
any other mode of conveyance. The carriages are broad
and low, so that all the weight they carry, as well as their
Own weight, acts as ballast. The rate of travelling is
spoken of as being likely to average about sixteen or
eighteen miles air hour, so that it will bring the two great
towns, Manchester and Liverpool, within half the present
distance from each other--that is to say, for purposes of
despatch. The people of both towns speak with confidence
of the practicability of breAfasting at home in the morn-
ing, and return to thinner, after having twice passed the
length of the Railway, and hardly any doubt remains that
before many years we shall have a line of Railroad from
Liverpool to London.

CEREMONY OF OPENING THE RAILWAY BY
TIIE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, &c.

bur readers will, no doubt, feel anxious to learn the
particulars of this important ceremony, and, as far as has
been practicable, we will endeavour to supply them that
gratification. On Tuesday, the whole of that part of the
country seemed iu as much commotion as if they were
threatened with a foreign invasion, and every one was
making his way for Liverpool, to be, if possible, preseat at
the opening. In Manchester every stagecoach, post.
chaise, and vehicle of every description was hired for the
Liverpool road. So great was the scarcity of post-horses
that his Grace the Duke of Wellington had only been able
to secure one pair, although lie had beepoken them on tl,e
previous day. His Grace passed down the road to Child-
well, the Marquis of Salisbury's seat, on Tuesday after-
noon, and was well received wherever he was recognized.
In Liverpool " the sensation" was first rate : not a bed
could be procured without great difficulty snd seine priva-
tion. Every inn was full, and the anticipation of an in-
teresting event was legible on every countenance. The
tickets which had been issued for the excursion on the
Railway and the dinner had long before been seized with
unusual avidity, awl although some courtesy or Jimmie.-
dation has generally in such cases been extended to the
Presa, it was, on this occasion, absolutely refused. It ap-
pears that we alone were not subjected to as enormous ex-
pence in sending down a reporter for nothing, but that
others were in the same situation: A Liverpool Paper gives
the following account of the affair, and we so far concur
in the propriety of the conduct of the Liverpool Presses
to give its own words The facts of the case are simply
thew—Tile Directors of the Railroad, anticipating
that numerc us applications might be made by persons con-
nected with the public press for admission to the Welling-
ton rooms, on the evening when they shall have the ho-
nour of entertaining the Duke of Wellington, and know.
ing that there would not be accommodation for the whole
of the Reporters that might apply, came to the resolution
Denigreagetoedrsu,ndweirktooomkadtoe perform
the of employing one person, who should supply a report of
the proceeding* to the Liverpool Paper of the following
morning. The person Ties
uttelhodr
the
beft
ht eliinee screen,p
a.ncilg'usar.
included
among gthaegedmuetnytil,rsauripior:lunaglY,'from some observations that passed
eti,,,,yo
wishingvh as natoi
toe
to compromise
citonh;apt r
otlieis
corner, Reporter
hebehind
e ilriirsinecaec: aware that he
was not to be admitted to the table. The Reporter, bow.
taking
among the musician, (the usual custom being to afford
Reporters good places at the table), declined the
the Directors, ou ir'sbetihnagt dhiestinnecittlhyesrtuwteodultdo o
among the company. The conductor, of the Liverpool
grounds on which the
orintghethLomta_iadodr
the
Inlereposar,teroodecboelo pt
iinnegdwsintoiflnoe, eormtasednkneocoftfei withtrihepe
unanimously approved of hie conduct. Wee Pr:ceding',
belief, that
our
Provincial Press, will consent to report t
e except be Was the representative- of that pPressi and
roeeedings,
through 14 public, admitt t-,-. of the to this tam an the

footing of a gentleman. This is a plain statement of the
affair, which .as become a topic of general conversation
in the town. The public will be the losers by the exclu-
sion of persons connected with the Press, from the inte-
resting and nationally important proceedings on Wednes-
day next."

We learned that no persons could be admitted to the
Directors' dinner but those invited by ballot. This system
of exclusion has been carried so far as to exclude Sir G.
Drinkwater, the present Mayor, and Mr. Porter, the late
one. With regard to the former gentleman, we believe
that some reason did exist for the exclusion ; but with re-
spect to the latter, every one in the town is surprised, as
he seems to be generally respected.
On Wednesday morning, as early as seven o'clock, the
people of Liverpool were seen flocking in crowds to the
Tunnel, in order to secure good places for a view of the
procession. The whole line of road for the distance of
seven or eight miles out of Liverpool, was lined by dense
crowds, and several public stands, to which the public bad
been admitted at half-e-crown a head, were completely
filled. Ten o'clock was the time fixed on for starting—
eight of the Company's beautiful' locomotive engines were
brought down to the mouth of the Tunnel at about half-
past nine. While these masterly productions of human
intellect were being paraded up and down on the road with
the same ease and under as much command as a small pony,
we could hardly persuade ourselves that we were not look-
ing on animal life. The steam flowed from them with a
curiously sharp noise, and considerably heightened the de-
lusion. A person who has not seen it, can have no idea
sf the graceful and easy movements of one of those machines,
and the power with which they perform their work is really
surprising even in these days of mechanical improvement.
!The Duke arrived about.ten, and his arrival in the Corn-
ipany's yard was greeted with considerable enthusiasm by
the immense crowd who had assembled. On his arrival
a cannon was fired, and we regret to say that a man who
,was standing on the opposite side of the railway had his eye
blown out by a splinter of wood, which was supposed to be
a part of the ramrod. The splendid state carriage which
wo have described on a former day as prepared for his Grate,
was taken down the tunnel for his Grace to alight. The
military band played " See, the Conquering Hero comes !"
and in a few minutes the Duke was drawn from the tun-
nel. He was almost surrounded by ladies in the carriage,
and was loudly cheered by all the spectators. The
Northumbrian engine then " took him in tow," and drew
his carriage and the one that contained the Directors up
the road, where he waited till the company had taken
their seats and were attached to their engines,. It was
calculated that about 700 persons were carried by the eight
engines, and asmuch as ten guineas had been refused for
a seat. A more astonishing approach of mechanism to
the tractibility of animals has, perhaps, never been
achieved. Among the celebrated personages who were
expected to attend the Duke in the procession were, Prince
Esterhazy, the Marquis of Salisbury, Earls Cassillis,
Glengall, Gower, Wilton, and Lauderdale ; Viscounts
Belgrave, Combermere, Grey, Ingestrie, Melbourne, and
Sandoo ; Count Potoki ' • the Bishop of Lichfield and Cl-
ventry ; Lords Colvile, nacre, Delarnere, F. L. Gower,
Grenville, Hill, Monson, Stanley, Skelmersdale, and
Wbarneliffe ; Right Honnuraldea C. .Arbuthnot, J. Cal-
craft, and W. Huskisson ' • Sir J. Graham, Sir R. Peel,
Sir Samuel Scott, and Sir Jeffrey Wyatville ; General
Gascoyne ; Wilson Patten, Esq., M.P., H. Brougham,
Esq. M.P., the Boroughreeves of Manchester and Salford,
&c. As we could not get sufficiently near to see who ac-
companied his Grace, we cannot say, however, who were
not there, with the exception of Lord Combermere, who
had sent a letter of apology for his absence. Prince Ester-
hazy, Sir Robert Peel, and Mr. Huskisson, we know, were
present. After all the poisons had taken their seats, and
the procession had started, they went along very safely and
steadily.

LivaarooL, .EIGHT O'CLOCK.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT to MR. HUSKISSON,M.P.
The procession has just returned from Manchester; but
I am sorry to inform you of, it is feared, a fatal accident
to Mr. iluskissen, the popular and highly-respected Mem-
ber of this town. As I said before, the procession went
on smoothly for the first half of the journey; and the dis-
tinguished passengers, and the company generally, ap.
peered highly delighted with the steadiness and velocity of
the engines. The Northumbrian, which drew the Duke
and his distinguished suite,. showed several different rates
of speed, and appeared to be under the most perfect coin.
mend. As that engine and the Duke's company were on
the right hand line, of the Railway, and the engines and
carriages containing the shareholdera stud ticket-holders on
the left line, each part of the procession had an excellent
opportunity of observing the command and power of the
inaehines. At length the Duke's party, which had shortly
before passed the others at a rapid pace, stopped to take in
some water and fuel, and several of the party alighted.—
The other party were a considerable distance behind,
and, from the level of the Railway, did not appear to
be coming very fast. Prince Eaterlialy, Mr. Huskisson,
and several other gentlemen, in inspecting the engine,
came round into the space between the two lines
of road. As they were much struck with some parts
of its construction, they were too much interested to
think of the engine that was bringing the first portion of
the other part of the cavalcade. The space between the
inner rails of the two lines of road is not more than three
feet six inches or four feet, and the body of each carriage
projects about a foot over the wheel on each side, thus re-
ducing the space when one carriage is passing another to
about two feet and a half. The noise of the approaching
engine at length roused the company to their danger, but
not, however, before they had time to have got out of the
way. Several gentlemen who were there did so, and had
no snore time for retreating than those who remained;
among the latter were Prince Eaterhazy, Mr. Huskisson,
and several others, among whom was a very stout gentle-
man who seemed to stand much the worst chance of the
whole. All those who remained, except Mr. Milldam,
seemed to do so from choice, but the latter gentleman
seemed very nervous and in great trepidation. Perhaps
his late illness and present debility contributed to deprive
him in some measure of his presence et mind—hot what-
ever was the immediate cause, Mr. Huskissen reeled
round, and fell with his thigh upon the rail which the
approaching carriages were to traverse. The engine
whizzed past without being hardly inconvenienced by
the obstruction, and Mr. Huskisson bad his thigh
terribly crushed. The injury was a compound fracture,
but from hie recent illness, and very doubtful convales-
cence, it is feared it will produce his death. The whole
company was in the greatest possible state of alarm. The
Duke of Wellington, Sir R. Peel, Prince Erterhazy, and,
indeed, every one alighted and rendered what assistance
they could. Dr. Hunter, Professor of Anatomy, from
Edinburgh, and several other medical gentlemen were
present, and immediately decided on the nature of the in-
jury, and the necessity of removing the unfortunate gen-
tleman to some quiet place. Mr. Huskisaou appeared to
feel most poignantly from the fracture; indeed, so much
so, that lie begged them, for God's sake, to let him lie on
the ground and bleed to death. His Grace the Duke of
Wellington advised an immediate return to Mr. Huskia.
son's house at Liverpool ; and this course was also advo-
cated by several other gentlemen friend. of Mr. Huskis-
son. It was contended, in opposition, that the greatest
danger would result from disappointing the thousands of
people who were assembled at the Manchester end of the
line.

At length a gentleman respectfully informed his Grace,
that if the procession re►urned, it must he on his respon-
sibility, as, from the late feeling of the Manchester people,
who had repaired from work on purpose to see the pro•
cession, it was to be apprehended that they would tear up
the Railway. At length:the unfortunate gentleman was
taken to Manchester, and every possible attention was
paid him. It is feared his leg must be amputated. The
Doke will not now, it is expected, dine with the Company,
and every body seams to regret sincerely such an unfortu
nate accident, on the first day of opening the Railway, to
one of its best friends.

The road front ienyon to Manchester was crowded on
every point. At Eccles the people literally swarmed both
on the road and on each of its &des. The engines here
slackened their speed to avoid accidents, and passed slowly
through one of the densest masses of human beings which
we ever saw congregated together et one time. The pro-
cession entered Manchester amidst the loud cheering of
the multitude.

The Duke of Wellington, and several of the other per-
sonages in the grand carriage,. remained in the vehicle, re-
! freshmer.ti being conveyed to them from the company's
warehouse. The rest of the passengers who composed
the procession ascended to the rooms, where refreshments
were laid out, and where they all partook most plentifully.
The Duke of Wellingtou left Manche ter about four
o'clock, and got out ere he reached Liverpool.. The other
part of the procession did not reach Liverpool till ten at
night. The accident which befell Mr. fluskisson disar-
ranged every thing.

Half-past Ten.
Dr. Brandreth, who accompanied Mr. Huskisson to
Eccles, joined the last division of the procession at that
place. He left the unfortunate gentleman at six o'clock,
and reports that there was scarcely a hope that Mr. Hus-
kisson would survive till morning. No operation had been
performed, the medical' gentlemen deeming it altogether
useless to put him to'the pain of examining the limb, Mr.
Huskisson was quite sensible, and so great was his stony,

that he **praised s wish for'tipiidi Woo treroideilli4
feting's. He had made an Wadi* to his will, received
the sacrament, and was resigned to his fast liworautd*
kisson was in a most deplorable *tat& ThisO*ol444Afir,
and awful accident has cant a gloom over tbe,toyee-ef
verpool and Manchester.

•

(From the Liverpool. Coorier)
This day has been long looked forward to SA
memorable epoch in the annals of Liverpool, ie Oar-
quence of its being appointed for Out opening of the RIO,:
road. The Duke of Wellingtion and a largeAort4lo.o4'
nobility and gentry, amongst whom was our.Righs ii9o%
Representative, proceeded to Manchester. The )01011$11',
thither pasted off to the high gratification.of every
dual. It is, however, our painful duty to record L'lori
melancholy accident which occurred to Mr. Hoek** ja
the course of the journey back. The particulars, afire
we have been able to collect them, are as follow
On arriving at Kenyon-cutting, the party stet)
take in water, and the passengers slighted. .
Iluskisson's getting out of the car between the two lime
of road, the door of the car was open, at his back, when
the Rocket engine, with its traiwofearrhlgege
one of them struck the door, which, by that mes,ssr,
thrown against Mr. Huskisson's back, who it!
down, and the wheels of one of the carriages' tit,VPTer-
his leg and thigh, and fractured amid a dr•iidfol
Dr. Brandreth and two other medical ,gentlesolo
were of the company immediately name to hiseadetilta:
when it was found indispensably neceesarythae
Hon. Gentleman should be removed to this** NI, 7,,,
dwelling. The engine was therefore detached te"F"'"'
Duke's carriage, and the seats taken from one ef:tbtother
end fixed on the engine, on which Mr. Nusitisma WS:
placed, and carried to the resident*. of sll'l4°H,, 4frb;
Blackburn., vicar of Eccles, where, WA reret
now lies in a very dangerous situation.

ANOTHER. ACCOUNT.
(From the Afanchester
friends travelled was truly magnificent'
The carriage in which the Duke of Wane* "'n 4
The 'tocan
thirty-two feet wide, and is supported fen° eight largisraPstbL
wheels. The sides are beautifully ortunneen''s:- a
Grecian scrolls and ballustrades, richly gilt, supr,
massy hand rail all around the carriage* litt4fn; d;eql•
centre of which an ottoman was the
,11**$,
pany. A grand canopy, twenty-four Wet longs Vow,
aloft upon gilded pillars, and is so contrivedjo of
ered for passing through the tunnel. The d the
rich crimson cloth, and the whole is .sertleetjahn'
ducal coronet. The other seven eeginall Pent"'”"aiddly,
have stated along the north line. The two fiat,_
the Phenix and the North Star, each drew fire `
the Rocket drew three, and the Dart, Con°6
Meteor, each four. These engines are built M •mo
Stephenson. It was intended that lefeatee•:"P"Alie
and Ericsson's engine, the King William mud Own
laide should have been also employed on this OCt
they could not be got ready in time. The tOtfd
of persons conveyed was, we believe, 772.
They procession did pot proceed at a partio°llll, the
pace--not more than 15 or 16 miles an benr;,..,,,j de
course of the journey the Northumbrian aceeZi'iy4.
retarded its speed occasionally, to give the P".olo.kibi I
lington an opportunity of inspecting the 1003 t "
parts of the work. ittle 0°
On the arrival of the procession at Perkaille* (l, id
this side of Newton,) the carriages stopped t° I"'A 1
""tpt
supply of water. Before starting from Lieet:t 4j Is*.
company were particularly requested no ;(1," led
carriage., and the same caution was repeated wriortgalr
directions describing the order of procession. L' stta
standing this regulation, however, it appears "'lii
d.
Huskisson, Mr. William Holmes, M.P., and ottolf:„Fl
men alighted from the carriage of the Duke of Welnitrild
when the Northumbrian stopped at Parksitilw as
moment they descended into the road, three '
of thel;o4"`
the other line, the Plurals, the North Star sad'. die
die
had passed on towards Manchester, and the othilZ,oo
Dart, Comet, Arrow, and Meteor, were rapidly —l,; to
Mr. Huskisaon with Mr. Holmes were standing deal
road between the two lines of railway, and had h /do
in that situation no accident would have °wined* This
lines being about four feet distant from each off!'
luckily, however, Mr. Huskiseon imagined that O
!'"S° ‘1".
not room for a person to rtmel between the lines ..„ddi
other engines were passing; and, under that ilea bli (
he made an attempt to get again into the oserinti. 014
sfitoirepepetdhaitt,hebulost
Duke, before the Dart came up. With this vielefle..iddah
of the door of the earrings* and pulled it epee 1117,—• the
tbehifsobrea,lat:eise
wasan feollmbpsiocukell:;c:;;;;
rails of the other line, the moment littiorPbewr,;l4diSl
the Dart. The conductor of that ea rn° &add,' be
wheels of the engine and one of thosec of the
tached to it passed over the right leg of the unfortuna body
man, which was placed across the rail, his basal Coda"
being under the engine,. The right leg was fright°, "Jo ar
tend below the knee, and we understand thi this
peered to be fractured,—althoegh the precise
latter injury was not immediately ascertained. 'ins •
Wilton, Mr. Holmes, and Mr. Parkes, solicitor.
introa
mingham, (the author of a work of soot tale
the Court of Chancery, and to whose kindoe" ":4410000
debted for these few particulars), raised Mr. "1141 M
from the ground. The only words he utterelai (DP
were to this effect :—" I have met my dealt' twist,'
give me." The first thing that was done W& 11"; ha,
handkerchief (in the manner of a toaraiquet)_," of
round the wounded parts of the limb, for the P
stopping the effusion of blood; and the Pri Tiitoota
being detached from the carriages, it tens ..1111/11r, IP*
with the greatest possible speed to 1:14:cles Wt"' —„„ir
kisson, the Earl of Wilton, Mr. Stephenimn: -bur 101
noirise
medical fentlemen who happened to be PfilendLilisir
their--D'--D'
no surgical instruments with their--D' Ott
Ott'
London, and Mr. Brandreth, of Liverpeeo dto
arrival at Eccles, Mr. Huskisson was eenll/"ebire
house of the Rev. Mr. Blackburne, Vicar of •tal''';itislieitett
adjoins the road, and the engine proceeded in and
as we have already described, with Lord Walt:
Stephenson, to procure farther medical assists°

DINNER GIVEN BY THE bIRE6I*IB grgril
RAILWAY COMPANY TO THS •

WELLINGTON.
(stoat atm OWN coLR isrosno/10
It would be impossible adequately for
rriltSithal
al
the public the sensation which the see,welk
had occurred to Mr. Ifuskiasun, produced,";.‘;lo,l73
morn than fifty gentlemen were present; sls caw*
passed
easuAstehfAdtoleurr .ogt Br
ff ougham,
cloth
aawmcsu: blaiiwnujiedtarhaaldntblrtliaelt :ggniluto
o,pipvinjvleire;::
siloblYze uta
jog: 411
er
nagement of Mr.Radley, of they Abdelphi Notelot0• 4easnitto
he
depression had pervaded the whole cou'll, and_Atig
company shortly. Ile felt too muuh oierlS" pull
myw"pt!lirassomeoniptioi:rete:watnaingneraekr;deyati:lnli'oendftlisliae,lullerensriphto:ii,:sde:Lyetialrtinirlilaiaacnntno—saleriejlxoir:er:yeLat'll:ry:ftlywrs. rift ebTzeisibtru:if
event effected the minds of all nesent, that sue gm°
ad,
• of
It is a fact not unworthy of remark, tuts Nut'
ends of the tunnel is adorned with the inscripti°!' oioo
kisson and Free Trde," an that on this first °eye et
which he has beena an thed Railway he should
i. hltiogitt
with an accident of so serious a nature. It orroe•
the Duke will not dine with the corporation to""