The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-05 00:00:00

THE SIIN, LONDON, PRID EVENENI, SEPTEMBER 5,

utterly impenetrable by water. This is varied with
swamp, and some bogsoil, and the lower land is j
a deep brick clay, which, when reclaimed, will be
the more valuable portion. This land had never
produced a blade of grass before we took it in
hand. By means of the small tank I have men-
tioned we began an experiment last year by irri-
gating the land with the surplus water from the
tank, We obtained in one year eight cuttings of
the finest grass, beginning on April 7 to cut our
first crop, and cutting it every six weeks for the
next half year, and no crop that was cut was less
than one foot in height. (Applause.) In addition
to this from the soil I have described we supplied
the college with potatoes and some of the finest
vegetables I ever saw in my life. I ought to men-
tion that the only expenditure attending the burn-
ing of the bogsoil and the cleaning out of the tank
amounted to about £l5, in return for which we are
able to irrigate completely nine acres of land, with
the results I have mentioned. Of the produce
raised on soil which never in the memory of man
produced anything but heath, moreover, so rich is
the sewage we obtain that the tenant of the adjoin-
ing farm takes from us the waste which leaves our
land and flows upon his, and applies it to his crops,
and the owner in return allows us the use of a valu-
able spring of water. I hope I have not unneces-
sarily troubled you with these remarks. Although
the experiment is but a small one I think it will
show what may be done when circumstances are
equally favourable on a large scale. I know enough
of the genius, talent, and application of my coun-
trymen to believe that if men sedulously set to
work to ascertain the means of solving this great
national problem they will succeed to a great ex-
tent, and, except in very adverse circumstances,
with very beneficial results. For the purpose of
making use of this irrigation it is necessary—at all
events it is a great saving of expense—to have
such a level as that the water may be fed by its
own gravity.. It is necessary to have a good sup-
ply of water ; and if the land is intended
for arable purposes it should be well ploughed
and pulverised. The irrigation has a much greater
effect on light than on heavy lands, and, moreover,
I believe it has a much greater effect on grass lands
and vegetables than on arable land. To show you
that I am not talking for the sake of talking, I will
conclude my observations on this subject by saying
that so firmly am I convinced of the importance of
pushing this science (for such it will be) much
further than it has been pushed hitherto, that I
am ready to offer to give a premium of £lOO to the
first person, or to the first company, which shall
have successfully—by which I mean profitably to
themselves, for otherwise it will not serve for an
example—utilised the entire liquid sewage of a
district comprising not less than 4,000 inhabitants
in any districts within the North Lancashire or
the Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society,
if I should live so long, and should be so happy as
to see it. If both those societies in the same year
produce the desired results, I should not hesitate to
give £lOO to each. (Applause.) I thank you
very gratefully for the patient attention with which
you have favoured me, while I have been speaking
on a subject which has nothing but its intrinsic
importance to recommend it. I call on you now to
drink, with the same cordiality with which I pro-
pose it, " Prosperity to the Royal North Lancashire
Agricultural Society." (Applause.) Pardon me
for adding what I had forgotten to mention, that I
have by me a more detailed statement by the gen-
tleman who carried on this irrigating process, Mr.
Menzies, the deputy surveyor of Windsor-park and
Forest. I have two copies of the scheme and plans
illustrating it, one of which I will place in the
hands of the secretary of this society, for the in-
spection of any gentleman who may desire to see
it, and to have a further explanation of the scheme,
and the other copy I shall be happy to give to the
gentlemen of the press. The noble lord resumed
his seat amid hearty applause.

A RADICAL MP. ON LAST SESSION AND
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

At a dinner given on Wednesday night, in the
Music Saloon, Wakefield, in honour of the mayor,
the toast of " The House of Commons," proposed by
Mr. Tew, was acknowledged by Mr. Leatham, M.P.
for Huddersfield, who said—ln attempting to re-
spond to the toast which you have just so kindly
drunk, allow me to observe that even one of the
most humble members of the House of Commons
feels some degree of embarrassment. He thinks
that he ought on this occasion to assume somewhat
the tone of an apologist. There have been times
when the House of Commons might come proudly
and boldly before the country, conscious that it had
discharged with fearless honesty its high and re-
sponsible functions ; conscious that it had not un-
worthily represented the best virtues and highest
aspirations of one of the noblest peoples upon the
face of the earth ; that it had, by its wise and bene-
ficial policy and legislation, immeasurably enhanced
that people's prosperity ; and that, therefore, in
receiving the admiration and respect, and the thanks
of that people, it was but receiving that which was
natural and deservedly its due. At such times,
every member of that house, however unworthy he
might personally feel of that respect and of those
thanks, yet, clothed for a moment in the great re-
putation of that assembly, he might stand up upon
occasions like this, and with a certain ease and con-
fidence respond to toasts of this description. Sir, I
wish it was my fortunate lot upon this occasion so
to stand up, and so to respond; but I feel that were
I to do so, I should see a smile upon the faces of all ,
around me. It would be simply ridiculous for any
member of this listless and lavish parliament to as-
sume for it the existence of virtues to which it does
even seem to aspire. But while I deplore and
deprecate this state of things, let us not forget
the causes which have produced it. For the merits
and demerits of the House of Commons we (and I
speak now as a simple burgess), not they are mainly
responsible. If the House of .Commons be not as
we would have it to be, remember it is precisely as
we have made it. The apathy, the indolence, the
reckless extravagance, the helpless credulity, the
shameful panic which we all condemn, find their
faithful reflection in the credulity and the panic
and the apathy of those classes upon whom devolves
the choice of members of Parliament. Now, sir, I
do not wish, upon a festive occasion like this, to in-
dulge in any unnecessary gloomy reflections ; and
I may say that I am not one of those who see,
either in the temper of Parliament or in the help-
less attitude of a people, grave cause for discourage-
ment, much less of despair. The man who would
look forward must now and then look backward ;
and, if he does so, he will find that it is just those
periods in which the constitution has grown the
most rapidly and flourished the most vigorously
which are invariably preceded by periods of unac-
countable and unnatural quiescence. It is through
just one of those periods that it is now our lot to
struggle. We have lived to see many of those
great questions to which, as politicians, we are
warmly attached, go steadily backward under the
fatal auspices of a Liberal administration. (Hear,
hear.) We have lived to see reform (and I make
no apology
in an assembly and corporation of re-
formers for naming reform) flouted and tabooed by
the leaders of the Liberal party. And, what is
greater humiliation, we have lived to see the faith,
the solemn pledges of our public men become like
those of public men in Austria or France, a stand-
ing jest. I may have read history to very little
purpose, and I may have studied the character
of those around me to very little more, but
altogether blind to the
un-
less I am wholly ignorant of the teaching of the
s iovnecet moresee them not merely
onneiusanodf thuenl:oetssherl, wall: shall some of us survive to
genies
parties, and the fate of
seeassume gigantic
proport ,
oft-nfinitety greater consequence, con-
tribute,t those great
We
eessthiaolnl
Ministries,
course of their triumphant solution,
in the
and imperishable chapter to the
a new and glorious,
(Loud cheers.)
history of British freedom.
tdmictt,awtehtabteisfaoifl

FIND FOR THE DISTRESSED OPERATIVES.—For
several weeks
central weeks the workmen and officials of the London and
°"11-Western Railway Works, at Crewe, have contributed
tsouth
bee fund for the relief of the Lancashire distress. The
L2O iPt,a,iens of the workmen amount to between £l5 and
per "'eel,. The treasurer forwards the cash to the
this at Manchester, and the last instalment
sent this week makes the amount raised £2,46 19s,

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, SEPT 4.

An audacious swindle has just come to light in
Cork. A short time ago a distinguished traveller
appeared in the city of Limerick, who called him-
self Captain Miller, of New Orleans. He was about
32 years of age, thin, and of a sallow complexion.
He had large plantations in the South, and he was,
of course, an enthusiastic Confederate. He had
himself fought under Beauregard, and he showed
some wounds that he received while fighting against
the Northerners, of whom he spoke with the
greatest contempt. He had a vessel in the Shannon,
he said, with which he intended, to run the
blockade, and he was negotiating the purchase of
others for the same purpose. Among those who
were specially interested in the distinguished
stranger was Mr. Michael O'Loughlin, who met
him at Moore's Hotel, and became the object of his
particular regard. He was so well pleased with
Mr. O'Loughlin's Southern sympathies and talents
for business that he engaged him as his manager,
and agreed to take him out with him to New
Orleans at a salary of 300 dollars or £75 a month.
Mr. O'Loughlin was delighted with this splendid
offer, and charmed with the chivalrous bearing and
generous spirit of his employer. He sold all he had,
purchased an outfit, and prepared to cross the
Atlantic. On Thursday last Captain Miller and
his manager arrived in Cork, and put up at the
Victoria Hotel, both occupying the same room with
two beds. As their stay in Cork was to be short,
the captain advised his companion to leave his lug-
gage at the railway terminus, taking the precaution
to have it labelled in his own name. The conver-
sation turned upon the serious business in which
he was engaged on the part of the Southern Con-
federation. He was to take out some 20 or 30
tons of gunpowder, and several thousand stand
of arms, including as many Armstrong guns as
he could manage to get. In the meantime he
lived at the hotel in a style befitting a man of
such property and engaged in such important trans-
actions. Everything went on smoothly till Tues-
day. On that morning O'Loughlin left the room
to take a bath. When he returned he found that
the captain had vanished, having taken with him
his manager's purse, watch, and clothes, all but a
great coat. Information was immediately given
to the police, and the telegraph was put in motion.
O'Loughlin's luggage had gone from the railway
station, and some vehicle must have been employed
to take it. Inquiries were set on foot among the
cabmen, and with the aid of one of them the fugi-
tive was discovered in a house ia the town. He
was arrested, and will be brought up to-day at the
police-office. Notwithstanding the audacity with
which he carried on his swindling operations, it is
said that the moment he saw the police-constable
he fainted. It appears that he never was in New
Orleans, though he gave a graphic account of his
plantations in that quarter.
On Saturday a young woman, named Catherine
Ryan, threw herself into the Nore, at Kilkenny.
Several persons saw her struggling in the water,
but nothing was done to rescue the unfortunate
creature. Lance corporal M'Govan, hearing their
cries, rushed out from his dinner, and plunged into
the water just as she had risen the third time. He
caught her by the hair, but with instinct of self-
preservation she seized him round the body, and
dragged him under water. With a desperate effort
he extricated himself, and succeeded in bringing
her to land. She was soon restored to conscious-
ness. When brought before the magistrates ahe
refused to give any account of her conduet, except
that she was weary of life. The brave soldier will
no doubt be rewarded by the citizens of Kilkenny,
and probably by the Royal Humane Society.
Lady Ormonde's tenantry assembled in large
numbers and drew home her turf on Saturday, after
which they were hospitably entertained by her
Ladyship at Garryricken-house, when they enthu-
siastically drank her health and that of the young
Marquis and the other members of the family.
The Limerick Reporter says, with reference to
the convict Walsh :
" Several of our contemporaries are in error in stating
that this wretched young man gave no information to the
authorities. It is certain that he did, and hence it was be-
lieved that his life would be spared. But such was his
anxiety he did not give himself time to make terms ; in-
deed, his statement appeared a volunteer one behind the
back of his attorney, and some arrests were made in conse-
quence of his information."

THE FA7AL COLLISION ON THE MID-

LAND RAILWAY.

MARKET HARBOROUGH, TITURSDAY.
The inquest which had been adjourned from Friday
was resumed this morning at the Town-hall, Mar •
ket Harborough, before Mr. Gregory, of Leicester,
one of the county coroners. Mr. Metcalfe, barrister,
was in attendance to watch the inquiry on behalf of
the London and North-Western Railway Company;
and there were also present Mr. Bruyers, general
superintendent of the London and North-Western
Railway system ; Mr. Marygold, solicitor; Mr. E.
J. Eliis, director of the Midland Company ; Mr.
Allport, general manager of the Midland Railway
Company ; and Air. Needham, superintendent of
the Midland system.
Mr. G. H. Rich was the first witness called. He
stated that he was station master at Market Har-
borough. The station belonged to the London and
North Western Railway Company, but the Midland
Company had power to run trains over the line.
Upon the night of the accident he was about to go
to bed—the station was closed, and all the lamps,
with one exception, were extinguished. He heard
a train stop at the platform, and, hearing the voices
of the passengers, concluded that it was a passenger
train. He took up his lamp and went out upon the
platform, and found that some of the doors of the
carriages were open. He called to the passengers
to get in, and when they did so he shut the doors.
While engaged in that operation ho heard a con-
tinued whistle in the distance, proceeding from
a train rapidly approaching. When he first
heard it it appeared so far off that the idea of a
collision never occurred to him. But a minute
had scarcely elapsed, and in the meantime the first
train had just commenced to move when he heard a
concussion, and saw the glass fall from the windows
of two of the carriages. At the time the collision
occurred he was standing in the middle of the first
train. He saw the train part violently in two, owing
to the recoil of the carriages which had been struck.
The first part of the train, consisting of the engine
12 carriages, went on for a
few yards. The passengers got out of the carriages
in the latter part of the train, and there were loud
and tender and about
screams and cries for assistance. He proceeded to
the part of the train which had been struck until
he came to the signal box. Leaning over the coup-
ling-chains he called the signalman, Hugger, by
name, and asked him to bring the keys of the office.
Hagger brought them and handed them to witness.
While Hagger held the keys, and before witness
took them, he asked Hagger how his signals were
when the accident occurred, and he said they were
at " danger," as was usual when a train was stand-
ing at the station. He then asked Hagger if he
knew what was the cause of the accident, and he
said that from what he had observed of the ap-
proaching train its speed was too great for the
driver to be able to stop. Hagger stated that, in
addition to the signals which were at danger, at
the time he waved his lamp. Witness took the key
and proceeded at once to open the station offices and
waiting rooms. He also lit the gas. After having
done FO he proceeded down to the train which had
been run into, and found a great many people
wounded. He also found that a fire had been lighted,
and by its light, and that of his own lamp, he saw
what appeared to be the roof of a carriage, which
the passengers were all crowding round. Forcing
his way through the crowd he saw that two or
three passengers still remained beneath the broken
part of the carriages. That must have been twenty
minutes after the accident occurred. The passen-
gers seemed to be doing all they could to relieve
those who were underneath the carriages. With
ld
the assistance of the passengers he obtained a screw
jack. from the goods shed to move the broken
fragments, and he also sent for assistance into
Market Harborough. He then instructed the Mid-
an guard to take the engine and part of the first
train to Leicester and procure medical assistance.
He was unable to give further evidence as to the

1862.

accident itself, having been subsequently engaged
in attending to the injured passengers. While he

was engaged in preparing the goods shed for the
reception of the wounded he saw tha body of the
deceased, Thomas Stinston, brought in.
The Coroner—Had you received any intimation
that the train was about to stop for water ?
Witness—No. It is not usual for such a train to
stop at all, and I had received no intimation.
A Juryman—ln whose service is the signalman ?
Witness—ln the service of the London and IN orth-
Western Company. He is not employed regularly
through the night, but takes night duty on alter-
nate weeks. On the night of the accident he had
been on duty from half-past 6 o'clock.
A Juryman—This being a Midland train, was
anyone connected with that company at the station
at the time of the accident ?
Witness—No. We had a notice that the train
would pass this station at 10 o'clock, and I presume
that the notice referred to the train to which the
accident occurred.

A Juryman—What indications did you have of
the approach of the second train ?
Witness—l heard one continuous whistle, such as
is given when the engine driver finds a signal
against him and attempts to whistle ►t off. The
ordinary signal for this junction is two sharp, shrill
whistles, but I did not hear them on this occasion.

By the Jury—lf the signal gave a wrong indica-
tion, and showed that there was no danger, why
would it be necessary to give the whistle ?
ll'itness—l believe the driver would be bound to
whistle under any circumstances. If the auxiliary
signal showed a white light he would know that
something was wrong, as the signal is always at
danger until whistled off. Hagger has been in the
employ of the company for about eight years, and
five at this junction. I have never heard that he
was guilty of any negligence ; but on several occa-
sions his attention to his duties has been the means
of preventing accidents.
By Mr. Marigold, on behalf of the Midland
Company—l have known the auxiliary signal to be
out of order.

Joseph Greenwood examined—l am an engine-
driver in the service of the Midland Railway Com-
pany, and have been a driver for two years. On
rhursday night I brought an excursion train from
King's•cross. We left King's cross at 7.35. There
were 25 passenger carriages, including two or three
break vans. We were not to stop until we reached
Despond, about eight miles from Leicester. We
first stopped at Bedford to take in water, and we
remained there eleven minutes. I knew that there
was a train to follow, but we did not see anything
of the second train until it reached us at Bedford.
I stopped again at Market Harborough for watering.
I knew that there were signals there which ought
to have protected us. We reached Market Har-
borough at 10.52. As I approached the station I
whistled in the ordinary way, and I stopped at the
station. I was not aware of any collision until the
train ran into us. I spoke to the engine-driver of
the second train after the accident occurred, and
he told me that the "signal was as white as any
signal in this world ever was."
Thomas Tapley, guard of the Burton train, cor-
roborated the statement of the driver.

Mark Meadows, the under guard of the Burton
train, stated that as the train approached the signals
he looked out after he had heard the whistle, and
saw a white light displayed. Witness pat on his
break half a mile beyond the crossing. They had
arrived at Market Harborough, and had completed
taking in water when he heard the whistle of the
second train. It was the usual whistle—two
whistles for the signal. As the train approached
Market Harborough he heard the driver whistle
that the road was clear. Witness happened to be
out of the van. Upon running up to the platform
he saw that the second train had approached so
near that the red lamp was shining upon the van
of the first train.

Ezra Stubbs, the driver of the train that caused
the accident, was then examined, after having been
cautioned by the coroner that the evidence he gave
might criminate himself. He said—l have been an
engine-driver for two years, but I had been for
several years prior to that an engine-driver and firer.
We left King's-cross at 7.46. I saw the Burton
train start. It left King's-cross some six or seven
minutes before we did. When we reached Bedford

the train which had preceded us was standing at the
station. I presume that it was taking in water.
We did the same, and left Bedford at 9.48, having
remained at Bedford 11 minutes. After leaving
Bedford we received caution signals which indicated
that a train was ahead. On approaching Market
Harborough I told the fireman to apply the break.
He did so, and I sounded the whistle twice at the
junction signal. Upon approaching nearer to them
I again whistled twice, until I saw that the distance
signal stood at white, which signified " All right."
I naturally presumed that the station was clear, and
I told my fireman to take off his bre dr. I put on
steam, and kept it on until I saw the train in front
of us. Just as I passed the back signal I saw the red
lights at the station, showing that a train was
standing there. I also looked at the semaphore,
and found that it stood at danger. I immediately
reversed the engine and applied the breaks, but the
distance was too short to prevent a collision. We
ran into the train ahead of us, and at the time were
going at the rate of about six miles an hour.
By Mr. Metcalfe-1 do not think the main sig-
nal could be seen only by a person standing still.
I did not see it till I got to the back signal, and I
tried to stop. The auxiliary showed a white light
both ways. When I came up to the auxiliary
gave one short whistle for the guards to release
their breaks. If the auxiliary had stood at dan-
ger I should have given two short whistles for
guards to put on their breaks. I should have
stopped any train if I saw the auxiliary signal
at danger. Had I seen the red lamps I should
have stopped sooner. At Kettering, where I
saw the red light, I gave a long protracted
whistle. We gained some time in coming from
Bedford to Kettering.
By Mr. Marigold—The white light at the auxi-
liary signal gave me to understand the A:atm n was
clear. If the auxiliary had shown a red light, I
would have stopped my train within a few yards of
it, and I could have prevented the collision.
Walter Sowden, fireman to the last witness, gave
corroborative testimony with regard to the signals.
He said he saw the white light at the auxiliary sig-
nal, and the red light at the semaphore. He said
he did not see the tail lights of the train until they
' reached Harborough, when the breaks were applied,
but the collision could not be averted.
James Taylor, the head guard of the second train,
was next examined, and said that the train had pro•-
i safely until it reached the auxiliary signal,
which was white.
By Mr. Metcalfe—The steam was shut off to let
the train run down the Desborough bank, at about
29 miles an hour. He took off the breaks when he
saw the white lights and applied them again when
he saw the red lights at the other signal. He be-
lieved he told Mr. Rich that the collision was caused
by the white light being shown at the auxiliary.
He said to the driver and those around him after
the accident had occurred, " How is it that that
white signal is on ?" He saw the white signal for
a great distance, and all the time he Was putting
his break on. The incline the train ran down was
great, but he did not know the gradients.
By Mr. Marigold—Was quite positive he could
see the white signal as plainly as the driver. He
WiNS in the break next to the engine.
By a Juror—l believe the break power was suffi-
cient to work the train ; but had there been a third
break in the centre the train. might have been
stopped.
Wm. Goodman, the under guard of the second
train, said he was in the van at the rear of the train,
and when about two miles from Market Harborough
he heard the whistle, and ho applied his break,
keeping it on until he arrived at the junction
crossirg.
By Mr. Metcalfe—He saw the white light at the
auxiliary signal, and kept it in sight from the first.
He had not talked the traitter over with the other
guard, although his story might be exactly the
same as leis mate's. lie had never talked the matter
over with anybody, but on the previous day he
had given his evidence to Colonel Witted, the go-
vernment inspector.
By a juror.—The signal will show white right

.~,.~ .

through. He was sure he saw the signal was
white, but after the accident it was changed to green.
At this stage of the proceecings the inquiry was

adjourned.