The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-05 00:00:00

Lord Mal m.e sbury on Polish Affairs,

At the ann .uai meeting of the South Avon Agri-
cultural So(siety, on Tuesday evening, at Christ-
church, the. Earl of Malmesbury presided. In pro-
posing the " Army and Navy," his Lordship said :
In drinking to the great success of the army and
navy, and to a continuation of those honours which
they have always earned and still continue to earn,
we cannot but eiongratulate ourselves that we are
not at this moment in need of their active services.
although I feel it is my duty to support these two
institutions, upon which the safety and honour of
our country rest, yet I am glad to say that there is
no need at the present time of their active services.
\Ve 'nave at this time, I hope, good. promise of peace,
as far as we are concerned, although other nations
are now engaged in war. Not long ago considerable
comprehension, and I think a very reasonable appre-
hension, existed that we should engage in warfare
on account of Poland. I cannot say, gentlemen, how
much personally I deprecated auy such war. I have
deprecated;publicly in my place in Parliament any
course of ection that might have the effect of involving
us in a war on behalf of that nation, and I would de-
precate it again in the strongest and most earnest
phrases. (Hear.) It is not, gentlemen, that Ido
not feel as every Englishman must feel for the
sufferings endured by that country. It is not that
I do not contemplate with regret the tyranny under
which they are bound—(hear, hear)—but with all
these feelings, which are the feelings naturally of
overy Englishman, I cannot forget there is a duty
paramount to these sentiments—le duty which we
owe to our country. (Cheers.) consider it to be
a general principle that our army and navy should
be only employed in our own defence, not in any
aggressive action whatever, except in the case of a
war, where there is absolute necessity for acting in
self-defence. We are doubtless, as regards this
question, placed in an awkward position. There
have been men in high station, of very generous
sentiments, and gifted with stirring powers of
eloquence, who, driven on by the most generous
:
feelings, have inflamed the public mind with regard
to Poland. So much has this been the case that I
am afraid a very bitter misapprehension has taken
place among the Poles themselves, who may have
looked forward to active and material interference
on the part of this country. It may also have been
a great disappointment to our ally the Emperor of
the French, -ho judging from the language of this
country, thought we would go hand and hand with
him in an European war. Now, these illusions
have disappeared. To me they have always been
illusions, but not so to a great portion of the public ;
and. it has disappointed the Poles themselves, who
have been encouraged in what I feel to be a hope-
lees struggle. I feel that the sentiments of this
country are so decidedly in favour of peace that
there are no reasons why we should enter into
a bloody and expensive war under the present
circumstances of the Polish insurrection. I
have felt it rather to be the duty of all
public men to discourage rather than encourage
thase illusions of which I have spoken. This has
occurred to me more forcibly during the last two
oc three years. Men of high honour, men devoted
to their country, have, under the influence of a
generous enthusiasm, called upon me and always
pressed upon me to advocate their cause in Parlia-
ment, and speak in favour of Polish liberty, and the
emancipation of the Poles from Russian domina-
tion. I know I have been thought by them cold,
and perhaps unfeeling, from the manner in which I
have received them, from my having always de-
clined making any such speeches, and from in-
fhanaing the mind either of Parliament or of the
public by complying with their desires. I thought
it was a paramount duty that they should not be
deceived, that they should not think and judge from
the words which I or any other public man might
utter in Parliament that this country would go to
the extent of actively interfering, or would go to
war with the Russians, or call upon any other na-
tion to assist us in emancipating Poland. I think
in so doing I did my duty. (Hear, hear.) I know
those who made speeches and inflamed the public
mind, as I have said before, are men who have acted
and felt generously; but they thought, holding no
position of responsibility, they might say what they
liked and do what they liked, and to them must be
attributed the false position in which we have stood
with respect to the Emperor of the French and also
the Poles themselves, both of whom have been de-
ceived by the sentiments of this country—l do not
mean the sentiments of a body, and a generous body,
who, sympathising with the sufferings of the Poles,
hare sought to involve this country in a war in
their cause. I believe all danger of such a war is
past, and our army and navy, well drilled and ma-
nceuvred every day, may continue to wear their
swords in their scabbards, and wait for the time—
and long hence may that time be—when this coun-
try shall require their services. (Applause.) In re-
ferring to the volunteer movement his lordship said,
—But really, feeling what I have said upon the
army and navy, it is impossible to exaggerate the
importance of the volunteer movement. The effect
which it has produced abroad is even greater than
upon our owu minds, and proves that those who see
from a distance see more clearly than ourselves, and
better appreciate the consideration and value which
such a movement must have in the eyes of Europe.
It has rather increased than decreased, notwith-
standing the natural idea that after a time many
have got tired of it, or are too much confined by
business, and find too much to do to follow it up.
it appears that the average number of volunters in
t" country is much the same as it was two years
ago. (Hear.) Gentlemen, you know perfectly well
the reasons
I had for quitting the corps; I should
never have quitted it unless I felt it impossible to
do my duty ender the now system under which you
are placed. I felt it impossible to fulfil my duties
at Southampton,
and I would not show as captain
the bad example to
the men of mixing excuses for
non-attendance, felt
into the hands of a
it better to put that office
occupied with other public man whose time is not
ziblic business. lam sure
under him the corps
support it to the beat of your power.
and that you will
me
ibernpeaow.er. In any way
that it pointed out to
jail to that corps,
whether in the way of subscei
in offering imons—(cheers)—in
finding substitutes,
lusements in my
park or anywhere on my "atsatmea, shall always be
veyinitaote,. friends and
glad to see the corps again
comrades, and also in a public
4E: view, , seeing
that Christchurch produces a corps
goou as any
other in the country. (Cheers.)

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by Pur-
chasing Horniman's pure Tea ; very choice at 38
.4d
48. "High Standard "at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Bd.), isatuhd
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it in packets.
PROPOSED HARBOUR IN THE DOWNS--A special
meeting of the promoters of t hie undertaking Nv„heid
in the Guildhall, Deal, on Thursday, the Mayor (Mr. Iv.
T. Pettit), in the chair. Mr. Alfred Giles, C.E., attended
and explained the plan of the proposed works. A. basin of
30 acres in extent is to be constructed on the waste ground
near Sandown Castle, to be connected with Sandwich by a
canal 100 ft. wide, through which the water of the river
Stour can be diverted when necessary, to flush out the en-
trance to the basin. The estimated cost of the works is
£200,000. Mr. Giles explained that there will be an outer
harbour, always open, which will have 10ft. of water at the
lowest spring tides, and the entrance to which will be pro-
tected with two arms or piers. The works will not inter-
fere with the drainage of the marshes, and the waters of
Stour will be so seldom required for flushing the basin that
the
river above and below Sandwich will not be injuriously
ttt.,et_ted. On the motion of Captain Botts, seconded by Mr.
wer•e adopted, and it was resolved to apply to Parliament
next session f
com-
mittees of the promoters
to. construct the works. Joint com-
expected
thebprring
appointed to in Deal and Sandwich have been
the matter before the public, and it is
by the capttaii:t.l,:ct will be liberally supported, not merely
of the district, but by the shipowners and
underwriters in
the
metropolis.w The proposed harbour and
docks will supply a
t long experienced—a safe refuge
into and out of whi,b.vane
tide:7ls of a moderate draught can pass
at all times (,f the
weather, and be sheltered
from the prevailing winds,
Moe any
Go3way*
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Molt,

RAILWAY STATISTICS.

ACCIDENTS.

"Fearful Railway Accident," "Loss of Lire on a Rail-
way," "List of Killed and Wounded," " Terrible Disas-
ter"—such are the headings of some of the sensation jour-
nals, which one would almost suppose they kept in stereo-
type, so often are they repeated. In the absence of horrible
murders and terrific battles in America, nothing seems so
popular with the sensation class of publications as an acci-
dentta upon a railway. Every trifling incident of this sort
magnified into something calculated to horrify the weak and
and
nervous, and to create an impression amongst some
knew no better that railway travelling is attended v
with
manifold dangers.
Fortunately, the official tables 000fitdheentaBuopaoh Board
railways.
filTwraaydse
enable us to gauge the extent of a.
number
These official statistics demonstrate that it is not more dan-
gerous to travel by railway
wwayatlhkali
and far less so than
to the° sitbya
streets, The fireside at
of
home,
passengers by railway
in 1862 was 180,500,000. Of these
180,500,000 passengers, exactly 26 lost their lives; and of
these 15 were killed by the extraordinary collision which
occurred in a tunnel near Winchburg, on the Edin
burgh and Glasgow Railway, between two trains com-
ing from opposite directions ; an accident, we be-
lieve, which never occurred before, and which, it
is to be hoped, will never occur again. Deducting
this accident, extraordinary in all its circumstanees, it
would result that only 11 passengers met their deaths from
railway accidents in 1862; but even taking the numbers as
they stand at 26, we have a result of less than one passen-
ger in 7,000,000 who meets his death in travelling on a rail-
way from causes beyond his own control. What life in-
surance company would not be glad to take at a very low
figure a risk which had such a result as the loss of one life
in every 7,000,000 of lives ? Out of every 7,000,000 of
persons sitting at home by their firesides, what is the loss
of life by crinoline accidents, fire, explosions of gas, or
other combustibles? Out of every 7,000,003 who walk or
drive, how many meet with accidents in the thoroughfares
or roads ?

The singular freedom from accidents with which passen-
ger traffic on railways is conducted is shown by a compari-
son between the number of passengers killed, and the num-
ber of accidents to trains. In 1862, whilst the number of
passengers killed was 26, the number of accidents to pas-
senger trains was 52. The total number of passenger trains
run was 2,553,993, so that the number of accidents to trains
is in the proportion of an accident to one train in 50,000.
In addition to the 26 passengers killed by accidents, 9
men their deaths on railways from their own misconduct,
or want of caution. These deaths were mostly attributable
to attempts to get into or out of a train whilst in motion—
a practise which cannot be too severely reprobated, and by
which many officers and servants of the railway companies
suffer as well as incautious travellers. This brings up the
gross total of passengers killed on all the railways of Great
Britain in 1862, to the number of 35.

Unfortunately there is a class of accidents on railways
which represents a very much larger proportion than those
which occur to passengers. Whilst the accidents to pas-
sengers are so very small, the accidents to those em-
ployed upon the lines are proportionately much greater,
Whilst "the number of passengers killed by accidents be-
yond their own control" amounted to 26, the number of
"servants of companies killed Ly accidents beyond their
own control" amounted to 20 ; and whilst " the number of
passengers killed or injured owing to their misconduct or
want of caution" was only 9, the number of servants of
companies killed or injured from the same cause amounted
to 89 killed and 25 injured. This disproportion is, of course,
the more remarkable if the numbers are considered in their
relative proportions to the numbers of travellers in the one
case (180 millions), and the number of servants in the
other (say 100,000), But then we have to consider that
they apply to different descriptions of trains. In addition
to the 2,500,000 passengers' trains which run every year,
there are 1,600,000 goods and mineral trains which
do not carry passengers. And these trains, a large pro-
portion of which run by night, and which are of much
greater weight than passenger trains, although they
do not run at such high speeds, are, of course, equally, and
in certain cases even still more liable to accidents. Goods
trains, mineral trains, and cattle trains are not so well ap-
pointed as passenger trains ; they are not expected to be
driven with the same skill or by machinery of the same
power; they are frequently less carefully attended to in
transit, at stations, at facing points, and on inclines. They
are obliged to " shunt" at different stations to avoid pas-
senger trains which are coming after them ; and from all
these causes they are rarely so well able to keep time as
the passenger trains, which proceed at higher speeds.
These circumstances must all operate against goods trains ;
but, nevertheless, the official returns do not show that they
are proportionately more liable to accident than passenger
trains. Of the 1,600,764 merchandise trains run in 1862,
accidents only happened to 13, of which there were 7 from
collision, 5 from trains getting off the rails, and 1 from the
bursting of a boiler. But it is to be observed that when
accidents happen to goods trains, which carry no passen-
gers, the injuries to life must always affect the servants of
the company. Hence one of the causes of the dispro-
portion.

But the loss of life to servants of the companies owing to
their own want of caution is a far more serious item of these
statistics. That so considerable a number as Sd of our
fellow-creatures should annually sacrifice their lives
through their own carelessness in the performance of their
regular daily duties causes very anxious feelings. What
are the circumstances under which these poor people fall
victims to their own imprudence? Oa examining the offi-
cial records, i; will be found that these accidents occur
mainly to station masters, porters, platelayers, signalmen,
breaksmen, and others who incautiously cross the line, or
attempt to communicate with trains in motion, or to couple
or shunt waggons, between the buffers of which they are
caught and crushed. A large proportion of these accidents
appear, unhappily, to occur from over-zeal in the execution
of duty, as in the cases of a station master at Sandy, in Bed-
fordshire, killed in leaving a train in motion with which he
had been in communication, and of another station master
on the Eastern Valleys (Monmouthshire) Railway, who fell
between the train and the platform while attempting to
fasten the door of a carriage, On the other hand, there are
cases of imprudence on the part of experienced men for
which there would seem to be no excuse. On the North
London Railway, for example, a guard lost his life last year
in consequence of climbing on the roof of a carriage whilst
the train was in motion and coming in contact with one of
the bridges.

Whilst these are cases in which the railway companies
are to be rather commiserated than blamed, there are cases
recorded in these official returns in which the accidents
clearly arise from the condition of the line, and in such
instances no one can have have any sympathy with the com-
panies to which they occur. The accidents at the Brighton
Railway Station at and near to London -bridge appear, for
example, to have entailed more mischief than those on
almost any other line in the kingdom; this is entirely attri-
butable to the over-crowded condition of that station and
the character of the route of the Brighton Company in and
out of London. In the record relating to this company
particulars are given of the series of accidents following :

June s—Collision between a passenger train entering the
London-bridge station and ono leaving it. About 15 pas•
sengem injured.
Aug, s—Collision at London-bridge station between a
special passenger train from Crystal Palace and an engine
which was shunting. 24 passengers slightly injured. -
Sept. 13—Slight collision between a passenger train and
a luggage van in the London-bridge station. 7 passengers
slightly injured.
Oct. 6—Third-class passenger leaning out to fasten the
door, which he had previously opened to release a lady's
dress, came in contact with a bridge, which was too near the
rails, between New-cross and Forest-hill, and was killed.
Nov. 6—Collision. The 8 a.m. down express Brighton
train overtook and ran into the 7 55 a.m. down South
Eastern tidal train during a fog between New-cross and
Forest-hill. 22 passengers and a guard injured.
Why are two express trains started in a fog in the month
of November within five minutes of each other from the
London-bridge station ? Why are the lives of passengers en-
dangered, if they chance to put their heads out of the win-
dow of a carriage between New-cross and Forest-hill ?
Parliament is very responsible for these occurrences. It
forced the South-Eastern and Brighton companies to enter
London on the same road. It allowed the latter company
tu°r4o-
- lay down new lines for its Crystal Palace traffic without
I properly widening its bridges, and although it was incon -
tanimsotoassbttle:oftleovs:earlib.lished that the route out of London via Lon"
borfidge was so over-crowded as to necessitate the derma.'
trains within five minutes of each other, it refused
great lines (oulylast session) to allow new entrances, which would have
conveniently distributed the Brighton traffic.
The perfect safety with which passengers are carried over
ie • •
Western Railway,
senger killed or% is very remarkable. On the Great
injured
for example, there was not a single pas-
oiritxrtehd ini 1862, out of more than 8,600,000
carried no less than 174
of passengers.
5...i0nd0n and North Western, which
lost, although there were 13
passengers, not one life was
of them slightly) by 13
persons injured (the majority
collisionsuNwhich occurred between trains
at Bletchley and at Heat
ris. The London and South
a of any sort to any pas-
Western had not a single accident
single servant by death
senger on the line, nor did it lose
emenna:re than its due pro-
or injury from accident, though it
eliensieuottheir own want
thata a proportion
portion of servants killed in copnpsie
Railway
not suffi-
of caution, which may inducea
accident
of the servants employed by this company
ciently experienced. The South Eastern
equally fortunate. It had no passenger killed orwi:in.Yjuvireads.
The Eastern Counties only had four passengers
and the London and Blackwell ran 42,000 trains and jc,,urrreid,i
10,000,000 passengers on its line without a single
either to train or passenger. On the other hand, 31 passen-
gers received injuries in collisions on the Great Northern
the London, Chatham, and Dover had three passengers
killed and 11 injured : the Midland was unfortunate enough
to have three very serious collisions on its rails, at Market
Harhorough, Hitchin, and Chesterfield, in which 211 pas-
sengers were injured; the South Devon had a collision at
Ivy-bridge, in which 19 were injured ; and the collisions
before referred to on the Brighton line caused the death of
1 passenger and injuries to 76.

Mr. George Robert Stephenson, the civil engineer, in a
pamphlet privately circulated amongst railway authorities
last year, attributed all the accidents whtch occuron railways
to the variable speeds of trains, caused by running express
trains at excessive speeds. The statistical tables certainly
appear to bear out Mr. Stepheuson's conclusions. The