The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-11 00:00:00

SIGNALS.

1. That all railways should adopt, as nearly as cir-
cumstances will permit, an uniform system with 'regard
to signals ; " red" in all cases denoting danger, and
" green" caution.

2. That every station should have a fixed signal-poet
and revolving 13mp, and a signal-man who has no die-
tractinr, duties to perform.

3. That it should be an invariable rule to exhibit a
red signal when a train stops at a station, and for a pe-
riod of not less than ten minutes after it has left or
passed a station or entered a tunnel, and a green signal
for five minutes longer.
4. That no engine or train should be allowed to travel
after dark along the line without proper head and tail
lamps, and a proper supply of hand signal lamps.
We mention these as instances of the principal regu-
lations which we think ought to be generally enforced ;
but, as we said before, it is impossible to enumerate
all the measures which may be found necessary, and to
anticipate all the precautions which a more extended
experience may suggest.

We recommend, therefore, that a general power
should be given to the Board of Trade of issuing regu-
lations for enforcing upon railways in general, or upon
any railway in particular, such arrangements and pre-
cautions as from experience appear necessary for the
public safety. We are aware that such an indefinite
power is apt to be looked upon with jealousy, but we
sec no alternative between assuming it, and fettering the
action of a supervising authority so as to render it prac-
tically of little use. The principle of Government su-
pervision necessarily implies confidence in those to whom
it is intrusted. If the Legislature is afraid to intrust
discretionary powers to public and responsible officers
who have no conceivable motive for abusing them, this is
an argument not for tying up their hands so as to de-
prive them of the power of doing good, but for dispensing
with supervision altogether. In the present case, also,
it must be remembered that an effective supervision for
the prevention of accidents is as beneficial for the rail-
way companies themselves as for the public, and that it is
especially for the interest of the best conducted railways
to have the precautions which they themselves adopt
generally enforced. Indeed, from what we have seen in
our intercourse with the Directors and managing officers
of many of the principal railways in the kingdom,
we are convinced that a supervision exercised on the
principles, and confined to the objects shave stated, would
444)sar,arded with anything but apprehension or distrust,
and that we should find the Railway Companies generally
willing and anxious to co-opet ate with us in the common
object of insuring the greatest amount of safety to the

Should the Legislature think proper to grant to the
Board of Trade this power, it is evident that it ought not
to ba fettered by a proviso similar to that inserted in the
3d section of the 3d and 4th Victoria, c. 97, compelling it
to issue the same regulations in like manner and at the
same time to all Railway Companies. As a general rule,
the regulations should of course be as far as possible uni.
form ; but there are many cases in which regulations
proper on one railway would be improper on another, and
there are also particular cases (as for instance those of
railways having a common terminus, and using a portion
of the same line in common) in vr'uish it might be neces-
sary to make regulations more in detail than would be
necessary on other lines. The best check upon any abuse
of these discretionary powers would be a proviso that no
order or regulation should be issued by the Board without
a minute stating the reasons for its adoption, the pro
&action of which might be at any time called for by
Parliament,

We now come to another important recommendation,
the necessity of which had been strongly impressed upon
us by experience, viz., that all engine drivers should
undergo an examination, and be licensed. When it is
considered what a vast amount of life and property is
absolutely dependent upon the skill, presence of
mind, vigilance, disposition, and good conduct of
this class of men, it does not seem too much to insist
on every possible guarantee that none but fit persons
shall he employed, and that persons guilty of serious acts
of disobedience or neglect shall not be retained in a si-
tuation of such responsibility.

That some additional security is required in this re-
spect is sufficiently evident from the fact above stated,
that of thirty-five accidents which have occurred in the
course of the public traffic, eighteen are clearly attri-
butable to the misconduct of servants as the primary
cause. Of the leading accidents that have been de-
scribed in detail, five—viz., the second accident on the
Hull and Selby, the three accidents on the Eastern
Counties, and the first accident on the London and
Birmingham, were mainly caused by inexperience,
recklessness, or wilful disobedience of orders on the part
of the engine-drivers.
It would be unreasonable to expect that these causes
of danger would be entirely removed by any system of
licensing and examination ; but it certainly seems fair to
suppose that they might be materially diminished, One
grand advantage would certainly be gained—viz., that
the necessity for prompt and implicit obedience to
orders would be much more strongly impressed on the
minds of engine-drivers than it is at present. A great
defect of the present system is, that owing to the faci-
lity with which engine-drivers discharged from one
railway get employment upon others, it is exceedingly
difficult for the companies to enforce the strict sys-
tem of discipline which the nature of their duties
requires.

Either owing to this, or to other unexplained causes,
it certainly appears that railway companies generally
have shown reluctance to exert the powers placed in
their hands by Lord Seymour's Act for the punishment
of misconduct on the part of their servants. In several
instances above alluded to, in which accidents oc-
curred in the course of the public traffic, owing to the
misconduct of servants, the offenders have escaped with
a degree of impunity which cannot fail to be productive
or the worst consequences. The system of licensing
would provide an effectual remedy, by making a strict
and undeviating attention to character and conduct
the necessary condition of obtaining and retaining em-
ployment.

The adoption of such a system, in conjunction with
the system introduced on the London and Birmingham,
Great Western, North Midland, Grand Junction, and
other principal railways, of giving premiums for good
conduct, and taking measures for promoting the mental
improvement and physical comforts of engine drivers,
would, there is every reason to believe, soon raise their
character to a standard which would afford much
greater confidence and security to the public.
With regard to the nature of the examination, it ap-
pears a fair suliject of doubt whether any high degree
of mechanical knowledge is requisite on the part of en-
gine•drivers, and could be attained without sacrificing
qualities of more importance for the discharge of duties
which require great capabilities of enduring exposure
and unremitting attention to a limited range of duties.
However this may be, it appears better, in conformity
with the principle already stated, of abstaining from
interference in questions of an experimental nature, to
confine the examination to those points upon the neees•
sity of which no difference of opinion can exist
For instance, there can be no doubt-
-Ist. That an engine driver should be able.to read
his instructions, and should fully understand them.
2d. That he should have a competent experience
and practical knowledge of the ordinary duties necessary
what course to adopt in
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now engine.