The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-12 00:00:00

occasions a series of risks which no railway author

ties are entitlt d to run. How often would five or
ten minutes' difference in the starting of the trains
have saved many precious lives, and spared years
of suffering. There would never be an excuse for
putting so many lives in jtopardy for the sake of
saving a few minutes, but if a reason for

it could ever be found it would certainly
not exist on an excursion day when the
time of the travellers is of very little value.
The chief cause of the disaster was, however,
the defective state of the fencts along .he line. I
seems that the constructors had trusted in that flat

marshy country, to the ditches and dykes beside 01
the low fences, to keeping off intruders. This was
certainly not wise, as the event has too sun. ly
proved. A matter of such vital importance should
❑ever be in any way dependent upon circumstances
and chance. As is always the case after an
accident of any kind has occurred, there are plenty
of persons ready to come forward and testify their
perception of the danger, and it certainly seems
strange that no steps should have been taken to
avert the disaster. .Every driver and guard who
passed along the line must have seen the state of
the ditches, every farmer or farmer's man, who
drove sheep or cattle off the line, must
have known of the risk. It would not have
been too much to expect that some of the ,

railway officials might have remembered Low much
was left to the protection of the dykes, which the

st, to of the surrounding country might have ri-
minded them were liable be affected by the wea
ther. But so it is. What is everyone's business is

no one's ; what was safe yesterday will pass muster
to-day, and nothing is done till some startling

disaster adds another to the long list of railway
tragedies. Such events are to be regret' ed

by the shareholders as much as by the prin-

cipal sufferers. Not only do they cost them large
sums for compensation, but they damage the re-
ceipta and shake the confidence the public are very
willing to place in the direction of our railway

travelling. In the cause of humanity, as well as
in their own interests, the officials are called upon
to look closely into all matters affecting the safety
and efficiency of tneir line ; and although the recent
disaster has brought upon one company a censure,
it is to be hoped that others will take every pre-
cautiun in their power to prevent tte repetition of
the calamity.

ROYAL GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION.—The Gal-
lery of Illustration is annoucced to close on the 20th
of this month, when there will be both a morning and au
evening's entertainment. Tile season has been very pros-
perous. Mr. Reed takes "The Charming Cottage" into the
provinces, and will be accompanied by Mr. John Parry,
who intends to repeat his very successful domestic scene,
" Mrs. Roseleaf's Little Evening Party."

MR. BEVERLEY, the sceve painter, recently had four
water-colour drawings sent by him to Colnaghi's, these
four being at once eagerly bought up at 150 guineas each!
The marriage of M. Chas. de Molly, Attache to
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, with Madlle.
Amet, granddaughter of the Duchess d'Abrantees, was
celebrated last week before a large and distinguished circle
at the church of St. Philippe du Roule. M. de Mouy's
book, entitled " Philippe 11, et Don Carlos," was, a few
days prior to his marriage, crowned by the Acad6mie
Frangaise as being one of the cleverest books that had for
some tun made its appearance.