The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-24 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

The Secretary of State for War, Sir Geo. Cone-
wall Lewis, accompanied by Captain Caffin, R.N.,
C. 8., the Director of Stores, paid a visit yesterday
to the Military Store Department at the Tower,
and was conducted through the several storehouses
b y the Military Store-officer in charge.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and
FAO, consisting of the Quartermaster-General, Sir
R. Airey, Adjutant-General, Col. Bingham, and
the private secretary to his Royal Highness, paid an
unexpected visit to Sheerness on Tuesday last. The
party arrived at the Sheerness station by the train
at 11 48 a.m., and were received by Col. Nedham,
R.A., Commandant ; Col. Freeth, R,E., Command-
ing Chief Engineer ; Vice-Admiral W. J. Hope
Johnstone, and other heads of departments. His
Royal Highness proceeded to inspect the several
batteries of Royal Artillery stationed at Sheerness,
after which he examined the new works in progress
at Xo. 1 bastion, and proceeded to the old barracks,
which he inspected, as well as the new quarters for
married men in course of completion, after which he
inspected the soldiers' barracks, messes, &c. The
troops were also exercised at the Armstrong guns
from the batteries. His Royal Highness left Sheer-
ness by the 1 45 train.

TILE LATE RAIL :r 'A 3' ACCIDENT AT'

LYDAEY.

Dr. Teague, one of the coroners for the county of
Gloucester, held an inquest, on Monday and Tues-
day last, on the body of Mr, Samuel Bennett, tea
merchant, of Ba'uh, who was accidentally killed by
the engine of an express train on the South Wales
Railway running off the line at Lydney, on Satur-
day last. The engine and tender turned upside
down on the slope of the line on the up rail, and
the driver and stoker were buried underneath and
badly bruised, burnt, and scalded, while the driver
also sustained the fracture of a rib. The train con-
sisted of three carriages, two of which were thrown
across the down line, and one of them (that in
which the deceased was sitting) came into violent
collision with the corner of the goods shed, the side
of the carriage was knocked away, and also the
corner of the shed, and several of the passengers
were thrown out on the line. The deceased was
found on the ground, his head resting on the spoke
Of one of the wheels, one of his legs was cut off, and
there were two wounds on his head, from which the
blood gushed out, but he was sensible. He was taken
to the -
waiting-room, where he soon afterwards ex-
pired. The deceased was an invalid, aged 58 or 59, an d
had beau to Cardiff with his housekeeper for the
benefit of 1112 health, and was returning home tia
Bath, via,Gioce
Etter, when the aceident happened.
He complained! at
the time of his departure from
Cardiff, of the.sluk g
of the train, which he con-
sidered excessive,i,:a
at Newport he spoke to the
who, to ca m
guard, told him he would have
no further cans© of
—rant. Deceased spoke of
changing to the first,
demurred to the
expense. Had. he changed
firariages his life would
have been spared, as the
'auas carriage did not
scarcely felt the
leave the rails, and the passengers
chafe s a vfgieut".
shock, the coupling
where t 6
n broken. Within
a few yards of the pl accident hap-
s,
pened there are two wood bridge-
one er the
Lydney canal, and another over. a tramway,lwa and a
•second tramway y on a level at
crosses the re,'
the same place; and the main questionse"o"dered
by the jury were whether the gradients
bridges or the breaking of the front axlestottb:tehee
engine caused the accident. Evidence wa7,
given
that the engines of the express train “sprang
when
running over the bridges, but Mr. Gooch, locomotive
superintendent; Mr. 0 wen, engineer of the district,,
not connected with the company, gave satisfactot)
and conclusive evidence as to the safety of the line,
and showed that the occurrence was accidental.
The guard, driver, and other witnesses also proved
that there was no unusual shaking of the train be-
fore the accident. The jury returned a verdict of
"Accidental death," accompanying their verdict
with a recommendation that the company should
improve their gradients near Lydney, and also take
Pleasures to prevent apprehension by passengers of
the safety et the express trains iu passing Lydney.