The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-28 00:00:00

instance the evil to which the QUEEN refers is of a
more extensive character. It is a grievance which
affects us all, and on which none can look with
indifference. All the world now travels by railway
and omnibus—people are continually passing to and
fro on one of the many iron railways which intersect
alike our metropolis and our suburbs. Whether
on business or pleasure, long journeys or short
excursions, we are continually on the move, and
the railway companies, as the QUEEN reminds
them, have assumed the responsibility of
monopolising the means of conveyance. 'Alen of
business visit the chief manufacturing towns, families
gather together at the seaside, .parliamentary repre-
sentatives go down to enlighten their constituents,
friends visit one another, children are sent to school
—all by the railway. The use of this wonderful
system of locomotion has indeed grown so common
that many persons avail themselves of it twice every
week day of their lives, coming to town in the
morning and returning to their suburban dwellings
in the evening ; while the metropolitan lines are in
such continual service that they are already among
the most flourishing of the railways. The compa-
nies, however, cannot attempt to deny, and they
undoubtedly sincerely regret, that all this prosperity
is chequered by so much misfortune. The acci-
dents are not only often of a frightful and
even fatal character, but they are of such lament-
able frequency as seriously to endanger every
person who travels in a railway carriage. Excur-
sion trains are proverbially dangerous, but whence
arises this hazard to life and limb in mere everyday
routine. It has been proved so often as to be quite
familiar to the public, that the class of servants who
do the actual work is not generally paid enough to
secure the services of competent and intelligent men.
This mistaken notion of economy has cost the com-
panies many a thousand, but neither the shock nor
the loss seems to convince them of their error. It
cannot be doubted that the accidents are generally
the result of carelessness and negligence, and that
the investigations and verdicts of coroners' juries
have as yet been powerless to diminish them.
Within the last two or three months we have
had a regular series, and more than one
has happened on those lines in which it
may be supposed her MAJESTY is especially inte-
rested. It is of course evident that the QUEEN'S
anxiety on the subject can have no reference to
personal considerations, since, as she remarks, ex-
traordinary precautions are taken when she travels.
But why is all precaution laid aside on ordinary oc-
casions. There is no reason to suppose that any
passenger is indifferent to the chance of death or
injury, and certainly there are very few whose lives
are not valuable or dear to some one. It is a serious
thing to kill or maim any individual from wanton
carelessness, and where such carelessness results
from the use of inefficient means, the companies
cannot shake off the responsibility. We are grate-
ful to her MAJESTY for calling the attention of the
directors to the alarming frequency of these cata-
strophes, misfortunes which are, as she justly
observes, by no means a necessary part of railway
travelling.