The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-06 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 6, 1853.

111 HE QUARTERLY REVIEW,
JIL No. CI:XXXIV., is Published this day.

CONTENTS :-

I. Apsley House.
H. Serope's History of Castle Com%e.
111. Human Hair.
IV. The Old Countess of Desmond.
V. Hungarian Campa gns—Kossuth and Gorgey
VI. Buckingham Papers.
VII. Search for Franklin.
VIII. The Two Systems at Pentonville.
IX. Marvel on the Duke of Wellington.

John Murray, Albemarle .street.

PATRON H.R.H. PRINCE ALBERT.
ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.
—Mrs. Beecher Stowe's Popular. Work on Slavery Llus
trated in an Optical Exhibition, with Vocal and Instrumental Music
and New Dissolving Scenery, Morning and Evening. Lectures :
By J. H. Pepper, Esq.—Half-hours with the Ancient and Modern
Chemists ; by Dr. Bacbhoffner, on wale of the Mechanical Proper-
Hai of Aeriform Bodies; by Mr. Crisp°, on Ericcson's Calorie
Engine. . .

Admission, Is.; Schools, and Children under Ten years of age,

Half-price.

LAURENT'S CASINO, ARGYLL ROOMS.-
Lessee, CHARLES E. LAURENT, Onslow-house, Fulham-
road. Open Every Evening. The Orchestra will perform, during
the week, " The Thistle," " Shamrock," " Rose," and "Amin,"
Waltzes, the " Napoleon" Galop, "Le Cirque' Quadrille ; "La
Valerie," "Juno," and "Steeplechase" Polkas.— Admission, Is.
Doors open at Half-past Eight; to commence at Nine o'clock, and
terminate at Half-past Eleven.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)

The LORD-CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at 5 o'clock. _

- - -
Lord— ST. LEONARDS presented a petition from
certain solicitors of Birmingham, against the Registra-
tion of Assurances Bill. . .

The Duke of ARGYLL presented a petition against
the admission of Jews into Parliament. -

The Earl of MALMESBURY presented a petition
from Southampton, praying for an alteration in the law
of settlement.
BAIL IN ERROR BILL.

On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, the bill was
read a third time and passed.
LAND IMPROVEMENT (IRELAND) BILL.

Lord CANNING moved the second reading of this
bil .
After a few words from the Earl of LIMAN,
The Earl of WICKLOW expressed his entire approval
of the bill. _ _ _

Lord ST. LEONARDS expressed a doubt that some
parts of the bill, as it at present stood, would lead to
farther embarrassments of land and property in Ireland.
After a few words from Lord BEAUMONT and Lord
CANNING,
The bill was read a second time.
GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH BILL.

On the motion of the Duke of ARGYLL this bill
passed through committee.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at a few minutes to four
o'clock.

NEW MEMBER.
Mr. FIELDEN took the oaths and his seat for Black-
burn.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Blackburn Railway Bill was read a third time
PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented against the opening
of the Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Mr. C. BERKELEY presented a petition from Bris-
tol, in favour of the Crystal Palace being opened on the
Lord's Day.
Several petitions were also presented against the ad-
mission of Jews into Parliament.

Mr. J. ANDERSON presented a petition from Fife-
shire, against the Scotch Public-houses Bill.
Sir J. TROLLOPE presented a petition from Wis-
beach against the taxes on carriages.
Mr. GLYN presented a petition from working men
in Kendal in favour of an alteration of the Combination
Laws.

ELECTION FOR THE BOROUGH OF ATHLONE.
The SPEAKER said he had received a letter from
Mr. Baker, Parliamentary agent, stating that it was not
intended to proceed with the petition against the return
for the borough of Athlone.
Lord H. VANE presented a petition from coal
owners, &c., of the city of London complaining of cer-
tain irregularities on the Great Northern Railway, and
praying for inquiry.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a petition
from Southampton, in favour of the repeal of the soap
duties.

Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition from Here-
ford, praying for the removal of the Jewish disabilities.

CHURCH RATES.

Mr. PHILLIMORE gave notice that, on this day
fortnight he would ask for leave to bring in a bill for
making certain Alterations in the law respecting the
levying of church rates.
Sir J. CLAY-gave notice that on this day fortnight
he would propose a motion for the entire abolition of
church rates. (Laughter.)
APPOINTMENTS TO DOCKYARDS.

Sir B. HALL gave notice that, on this day fortnight
he would call the attention of the house to the contents
of two Parliamentary papers of the present session
(Nos. 271 and 272), entitled dockyard appointments and
promotions. (Hear.)
Mr. STAFFORD wished to make an appeal to the
noble lord, Lord J. Russell, on this subject, and though
ho was somewhat irregular in doing so, he trusted he
he would receive the indulgence of thehouse. It was
that the noble lord would give every facility to the hon.
bart. to bring forward his motion, because the mat-
ter to which it referred affected not only the board of
Admiralty who had retired from office, but also those mem-
bers of it who were also members of the present board.
He trusted that the hon. bart would give notice of the
nature of his motion as soon as possible, and that after
he had done so he would adhere to it. (Opposition
cheers.)
UNIVERSITY OF 0 X FORD.

Mr HEADLAM gave notice that on Thursday
week he would propose that the administration of
oaths in the University of Oxford be discontinued.
RESIGNATION OF MR. W. PATTEN.

-- -- -
Mr. W. PATTEN said at the commencement of the
present session the house did him the honour of electing
him Chairman of Ways and Means, and he regretted
now to state that his health and strength were not ade-
quate to the proper discharge of the onerous duties of
that office. He expressed his grateful sense of the con-
fidence which the house had reposed in him, and gave
an assurance, that in order to prevent any public incon-
venience, he would willingly render any assistance to
any member whom the house might appoint to the post
which be now vacated. (Cheers.)
Lord J. RUSSELL was sure the house heard with
very great regret the statement of the hon. member.
During the time he had held the office the hon. member
had displayed much judgment and temper, and enabled
the house to carry on its business so far as regarded him
in a most satisfactory manner. (Cheers.)
Mr. DISRAELI also bore testimony to the efficient
manner in which the hon. member had discharged his
duties,.and thanked him on the part of the late Govern.
ment for the readiness with which he had come forward
to fill the office of chairman of Ways and Means, though
at the time he was fully sensible of the injury it would
occasion to his health. (Hear, hear.)
DESERTION FROM THE ROYAL NAVY.
In reply to Mr. W. WILLIAMS,
Sir J. GRAHAM said he was bound to state that
since the month of January last a considerable number
of desertions had taken place from her Majesty's squad-
ron on the home station, but it ought to be remembered
that a squadron on so large a scale had not been as-
sembled on that station for a great length of time. He
was not aware, until the hon. member mentioned the
fact, that these desertions were imputed to the infliction
of any increase or severity of punishment. From the
inquiries which he had instituted, it appeared that the
cause of the desertions was to be ascribed to other
1 reasons—to the unusual high rate of pay in the mer-
chant service, and to the most improper solicitations
from various quarters to induce the men to leave her
Majesty's service. (Hear.) He had great satisfaction
in stating that in consequence of more frequent leave of
absence, after the payment of the wages of seamen on the
hoine station, and other arrangements, those of most
experience on board a ship had returned to duty with
extraordinary fidelity. (Hear.) The right hon. baronet
then stated that the man alluded to by the hon. member
as receiving corporal punishment, and to whose treat-
ment the desertions were alleged to be owing, had been
found guilty by a court-martial of using insulting lan-
guaee on the quarter--deck, and of knocking down a
sentry on duty. He need hardly point out that it was
necessary for the proper discipline of the navy
to severely punish such offences. (Hear, hear.)
The circumstances were considered by the Board of Ad-
miralty, and in one case the sentence was commuted from
12 months imprisonment to 3 months, with leave to re.
turn to the service at the expiration of that period.

Majesty's dockyards, and on no account would that
order be departed from.
THE EXCHEQUER.

In reply to Mr. DISRAELI,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
should lay the resolution which he intended to move on
Friday before the house the day before.
WINDSOR AND MALDON ELECTIONS.

The evidence taken before these election committees
was ordered to• be printed.

COPPER COINAGE.

In reply to a question,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said

there was no intention to make any change in onr copper
coinage, but the subject of a decimal coinage was now
under consideration. A select committee would, no
doubt, be appointed to inquire into the whole subject.

gentleman's reports, reference was also made to the use
upon one of the railways of coal-trucks of an improper and
dangerous character, but the Board of Trade had no
power to compel the use of a better description of traffic
waggons and trucks. Upon the London and North-Western
Railway the great majority of the accidents had arisen
from the heavy goods trains, and it was most important
that some supervision should be exercised over the line in
that respect. In the case of an accident on the Midland
Railway, Captain Laffan reported that it had occurred in
consequence of the engineer not sounding his "whistle,
which had been out of order for three days. This accident
was therefore owing to the laxity of supervision and want
of shiet enforcement of the rules of the company, and
showed the necessity for a great change in this respect.
From the reports of the commissioners it appeared that
twenty-three out of forty-one cases of accidents had arisen
from inattention to the regulations and the carelessness of
servants of the company. Accidents of this nature were
divided into two classes—occasional, including those
caused by inexperience ; and habitual, or those occasioned
by general inattention on the part of the servants of the
company, and, as a natural consequence, exhibiting a great
laxity of discipline. In a report upon the Eastern Coun-
ties Railway, it was stated that a dangerous practice pre- '
nailed of sending off swift special trains, at a moment's
notice; depending for their safety upon the electric tele-
graph, which at many of the stations was not at work,
and it was even stated that at one of the principal stations
the station-master had neglected his duty to the maid-
servant. Captain Wynn, reporting on the Midland
Railway, stated that three accidents had occurred in the
course of a month from the want of proper supervision
over the servants of the company. Captain Huish had
spoken in his report of the danger of using carriages of
different sizes and build, and the " buffers of which did
not coincide, in the same train. He also recommended
that the footboards of the carriages of a train should be
extended, in order to afford the means of communication
with all the carriages of a train. Such a plan, however,
could not be carried out, unless all the companies con-
nected with the " clearing house" agreed to it. These
were instances in which the Board of Trade might exer-
cise a very salutary power in compelling uniformity, and
-thus-increasing the safety of the travelling community.
As the case stood at present, the report of the inspectors
merely had the effect of removing the responsibility from
the shoulders of the engineers connected with the line,
without placing it upon other parties. (Hear, hear.) The
hon. member then referred to the report of Captaini Wynne
on a fire which had occurred in one of the trains on the
London and North-Western Railway, upon which occa-
sion had it not been for the exertions of Mr. Crampton,
who at great personal risk had passed from one carriage
to another, the results might have been most distressing
in their character. Had the footboards of the carriages
been extended in the mode suggested there would have
been no difficulty or risk in making the required commu-
nication with the guard of the train. Captain Huish, in
answer to the recommendation in this report, that the
footboards should be extended, stated with regard to the
London and North-Western Company, that they were
willing to consider it ; but he added that such a plan
could not observed unless it was generally adopfed, as the
carriages in nearly always the property of different com-
panies. This was a case in which he (Mr. Brown) con-
ceived that interference might readily be made effective.
He need hardly remind the house that two lamentable ac-
cidents had occurred within the last few weeks, which
showed the inutility of the present system of Government
inspection. In the first case there was a most distres-
sing loss of life ; and he thought the verdict of the
coroner's jury would read her Majesty's Government a
lesson which ought to show them that if their inspec-
tion was to be good for anything it ought to be
effective for the safety of the travelling public. This
accident occurred on the lines between Manchester and
Bolton, and this was the verdict of the jury :—" We find
that the deceased, Thomas Creston, Richard. Simmons, and
George Barbour, were killed, on the 4th day of March
inst., by the engine No. 13 running off the rails, and up-
setting, near the Dixonfold station, on the Manchester and
Bolton Railway, caused by the excessive speed at which it
was driven by the deceased Thomas Croston, against whom
we return a verdict of manslaughter. And we state that,
although the rules of the company furnished to the guards
and drivers limit the speed of express trains to thirty miles
an hour, the train has usually far exceeded that speed; and
we think this cannot have so constantly occurred without
the knowledge and approbation of the directors of the com-
pany. We find also that the engine No. 13, from having
only four wheels, and the length of time it has been in use,
was not a proper engine to attach to a train running at
thirty miles an hour, even on a railway in good and effi-
cient order. That the permanent way of this railway, as
regards sleepers, chairs, and rails, in material and con-
struction, is generally very defective, and by no means
safe ; that the speed at which the points at the branch
lines are passed is highly dangerous ; that the quick suc-
cession of trains on the line from Manchester to Clifton
Junction with the East Lancashire Company is also very
dangerous ; that-the general arrangements of the company
as to the maintenance of way and nianagement of trains
do not conduce to the safety of the public ; and we cannot
too strongly condemn the management of the Lancashire
and Yorkshire Railway Company on that portion of their
line known as the Bolton and Preston district. We are
also of opinion that the speed at which express trains travel
on all railways is so great that a stringent investigation
should be instituted by the Board of Track as to the con-
struction and present condition of the permanent way, en-
gines, and carriages, as well as working arrangements ; and
we fear it will be found that the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Railway is not the only one on which such a system of
economy prevails as seriously to endanger the safety of the
public." In the other case the jury returned the following
verdict :—" The verdict of the jury is, that William Ste-
phenson came to his death by the engine No. 104, running
off the line of rails and falling over the embankment at the
west-end of Willington viaduct, en the Newcastle and
Tynemouth Railway, on the 2d of March, 1853. They
also find, from the evidence brought before them, that the
line was not in a good and safe state, and that gross neg-
ligence in the management has been ma,nifsted in allowing
ballast taken from the north line of Willington-bridge,
while under repair, to be laid upon the south line, so as to
render it dangerous. They are of opinion that a strange
engine ought not to have been sent down the line without
some caution given as to the repairs going on at Willing-
ton-bridge. They are also of opinion that some legislative
measure should be passed, making it compulsory on rail-
way companies not to remove a single vestige of destruction
of the line, carriages, &c., but that everything remain in-
tact until inspected by competent persons.' He would
put it to the house whether these were not lamentable
cases, and whether the circumstances did not fully justify
the findings of the juries. But what was the use of the
present system of inspection, if, as was here shown, the
poor people who had lost their lives perished from a want
of care and an absence of due arrangement ? (Hear, hear.)
Was it right that the Government should see these things
occur day after day and not interpose ? Was it right
they should thus see the safety of the public disregarded,
and not propose measures calculated to procure secu-
rity and create confidence ? Certainly not. They
seemed to suppose that these accidents were wearing
themselves out ; but the public were fully roused to the
necessity of some active interposition, and they would not
be satisfied until it was provided. Now, what was it that
he asked the Government to do ? Why, nothing more
than that they should- provide for the public travelling
along railways the same safeguards as they required in
steamboats, emigrant ships, and factories. (Hear.) Pass-
ing from this immediate subject, he must say that the pro-
ceedings of some railway companies certainly required the
exercise of some control. The South-Eastern Company
had provided carriages of such a description that they were
actually obliged to bar up the windows in order to prevent
the passengers from putting out their heads lest they should
come into collision with the walls of the bridges. They
were under the necessity of providing this precaution in
order to guard against accidents from the use of those car-
riages and the narrowness of the bridges; for it happened
that a passenger, who had put his head out of the window,
was killed upon the spot. In such a case as that, why, he
asked, was not the Scotch law made to apply, by which the
directors would be criminally responsible ? If the Scotch
law had applied there would have been far more care taken
to secure the safety of the public. He held, further, that
there ought to be a tribunal to which the public might
forthwith appeal—where the accommodation was not quit-
able, where the traffic arrangements were incomplete, and
where hostilities existed between rival companies detri-
mental to the public service. At present we had nothing
of the sort. In bringing this subject under the notice of
the house, he had no party or private purposes to serve.
He was moved solely by a desire to discharge his public
duties. (Hear.) If, he would add, the circumstances he
had detailed pointed out the fact that there was a great
disregard for the public safety on the part of the railway
companies themselves, then the house, in his judgment,
was bound to affirm the resolution he should move ; but if
they thought these things were incidental to railway tra-
velling, and beyond all remedy, then the resolution would
fall to the ground. But he was sure the house would ar-
rive at the conclusion that they were not beyond remedy,
and that the railways of this country must be put under
such a system of inspection as would provide for the public
safety. The select committee now sitting, he feared, would
lead to no practical result, and therefore he hoped the house
would give the Board of Trade effectual powers. If, as he
expected, nothing should result from the committee, and
no proposition should be made on the part of her Majesty's
Government, he should, at a,future time, think it his duty
to propose some effectual remedy for the evils he had en-
deavoured to point out. In the meantime he begged to
move—" That it is the duty of a good Government to pro-
pose to this house all such, measures as may appear neces-
sary for the public safety. That the great increase in the
number of accidents which have of late occurred on rail-
ways demands the especial attention of this house ; and
that it is the duty of her Majesty's Government to propose
more effectual measures than now exist for securing the
safety of the public while travelling on railways."
Mr. FRENCH seconded the motion. His honourable
friend had shown most conclusively that there was no ap-
peal against the maladministration of railways except to
the public through the press. He had also shown the evils
which arose from the want of a tribunal of reference such
as was established upon the Continent and in America.
Without some such tribunal it was hopeless to expect any
improvement in the railway system calculated to secure the
safety of the public. In his opinion the resolution was per-
fectly unobjectionable, and his hon. friend had applied to
the proper quarter, for it was to the Government that all the
evils of the present system of railway travelling fairly and
legitimately belonged. At the same time the railways had
to complain of the proceedings of Parliament itself. They
had been called upon to pay a sum of 11,000,000 for Par-
liamentary expenses in England alone—a sum sufficient to
have executed 1,100 miles of railway. They had also been
subjected in some localities to excessive demands from
landed proprietors. They had paid sums varying from
5,0001. to 14,0001. per mile. Under such circumstances it
was not possible they could maintain a sufficient staff and
pay a remuneration to their proprietors. But, after put-
ting them to these vast expenses, Parliament had actually
granted in many cases competing lines. Ho repeated then
that both Parliament and Government were to blame for
the existing system. The evil of it was apparent some
Lears ago, and a committee was appointed, over which
ord Abernethy presided, to whom all projected railways
were to be referred. No tribunal ever arrived at more
just conclusions than this
the interests
or 4
of at, conclusions
more calculated to develop h
they had been attended to; but the late Siria eßeeobluierttr&ifel
n
threw over its reports, and nothing was done. U
der these
oircinistancers be had no hesitation in saying that
whatever