The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-28 00:00:00

S 117 Ny JANUARY '2 8 ,

says that he desires to bring back the controversy within
its legitimate and constitutional limits ; that in my dis
patch of the 31st of October I introduced a name which
ought never to have appeared in this discussion ; that
his surprise at this was deep ; that his sense of duty
commanded him to express it strongly ; and to remind
me that the responsibility of the policy of the King's
Government in this matter belongs entirely to himself
alone.
It is impossible for me to allow this passage to pass
without a reply.
I must beg, therefore, to remind M. Guizot that the
same name was introduced into my former despatch of
the 221 of September, with reference to the engage-
ment originally taken, that no son of the King of the
French should marry the Queen of Spain; and that the
introducion of that name, on that occasion, was not only
not objected to by M. Guizot, in his despatch of the sth
of October, but was even quoted by him in that despatch
with a distinct expression of his acquiescence in the
correctness of my statement.
If, then, it was allowable to introduce that name with
reference to the engagement taken in regard to the mar-
riage of a French prince to the Queen of Spain, why
should it not be allowable to introduce the same name,
with reference to the engagement taken in regard to the
marriage of a French prince to the Infanta?
But it was M. Guizot, and not I, who first introduced
into this correspondence a discussion as to the engage-
ments entered into at the Chateau d'Eu. In my despatch
of the 22d of September, there is not one word which
relates to those engagements. Motives of delicacy,-
which might, I think, have been better appreciated, led
me to abstain from even adverting to those transactions
in that despatch. But M. Guizot, in his reply of the
sth of October, founded his argument upon the memo-
randum of the 27th of February, 1846, which, he said,
annulled previous engagements; and this course of ar-
gument compelled me to discuss what those engagements
were, and when, and by whom, they had been con-
tracted.

Bat when M. Guizot asserts that the name to which
he alludes ought never to have appeared in this corres•
pondence, I think that I might be justified in feeling a
surprise as deep as that which, he says, his sense of
duty has commanded him to express: for he himself
freely introduced that name into the discussion, in his
dispatch of the sth of October, whenever it suited the
course of his argument to do so.
The following passages taken from that dispatch will
show this; but I must mention, to prevent mistakes, that
the words which I underline in the quotations are not
underlined in the original.
First passage:—
" The Infante Don Enrique had not taken so proper a
course to arrive at his object.
" The King himself, when this Prince passed through
Paris, had warned him paternally of this, reminding
him where lay his proper place, his duty, his chances of
success; and offering to exert himself at Madrid, in
order to enable him to recover them. The Infante did
not follow the counsels of the King."
Second passage:—
"From the beginning of this question, the King, as Lord
Palmerston states in his dispatch, spontaneously made
known that he did not pretend to the hand of the Queen
of Spain for any of his sons. lie at the some time ex-
pressed his firm hope that the crown of Spain would not
pass out of the house of Bourbon, and that the Queen
would choose her husband from among the descendants
of Philip V."
Third passage :
"No where, in no Court, in no family, are the rights
of liberty in contracting marriage, and in domestic life,
better known and more scrupulously respected than in
the Court of the Tuileries, and in the bosom of our Royal
Family. The sentiments which animate and direct the
King at Paris in the midst of his children, animate and
direct him equally in his relations with the Court at
Madrid and his royal nieces."
I think that, with reference to these quotations, I
may again adopt a phrase of M. Guizot's, and say, that
in the reproof which he administirs to me at the conclu-
sion of his dispatch," there is some want of memory or of
justice."

- Having thus set right some "errors" in M. Guizot's
last communication, I have only further to instruct your
Excellency to read this dispatch to M. Guizot, and to
send him officially a copy of it.—l am, &c.,
(Signed) PALMERSTON.

MR. BULB ER TO M. ISTURITZ.
Madrid, October 3, 1846.
Sir,—Your Excellency begins your note of the 29th
ultimo by assuring me that the opinion of her Catholic
.Majesty's Government was not influenced, and that the
decision of the Cortes was not prejudiced by the idea that
the notes I had addressed to you only contained my own
personal sentiments.

I certainly had reason to think that your Excellency
must have been convinced from the first that I had due
authority for what I stated ; and while I was surprised
to hear it asserted in the Congress by her Catholic Ma-
jesty's Ministers, that I bad merely expressed notions of
my own upon the important subject to which I am re-
ferring, I am still more surprised now at learning that
this declaration was made without any object, and that
it was neither expected nor intended that it should pro-
duce any effect upon the vote of that assembly.
Your Excellency, at the same time that you reject the
right of her Majesty's Government to make any objec-
tions to the marriage of her Royal highness Donna
Luisa with the Duke de Montpensier, states in friendly
language that this marriage is not intended to grant any
political influence to any foreign state, nor to further
any political purpose ; and your Excellency also (while
pointing out to me the great resources of the Steinisp
monarchy, in terms already used by her M. ajesty s
Secretary for Foreign Affairs)asks me whether can be
supposed that such a monarchy is likely to fall into de-
pendence upon any other state, how great soever it might
be ? Now the history of the past generally furnishes an
example for the future, and I am not, I confess, aware
that f
oSpain is a
greater state now than she was in the
time Charles
111. or Charles IV., when her vast pos-
sessions in the New World still remained to her, and
when a proud and valiant navy kept those splendid arse-
nals in busy occupation, which I have but lately seen
mouldering in solitary decay. Yet Spain, at the periods
of which I have been speaking, was in
dependence upon
a foreign State, dragged unprofitably into its wars, and
charged with the penalty of its defeats. Indeed, your
Excellency furnishes me with a more eloquent and
ample reply to your question, than any words of mine
could present. Great, indeed, was my surprise, on
reading in a sentence almost immediately subsequent to
that in which you
,proclaim the impossibility of
this country being fatally attached to the fortunes of
another somo remarkable words to this effect
The past and present centuries teach us lessons
not easily to bo forgotten. The loss of our mighty
colonial empire, the loss of Gibraltar, that almost im-
pregnable fortress, the more retent destruction of our
navy during war, and the secession of Mexico and Peru
from the mother state during peace, aro all recollections"
associated with what ? Why with that very foreign
influence, that very preponderance of France in Spanish
councils, which the wisest statesman of that time de-
plored, prophesying its consequences with the same
assurance, and unhappily with the same ill success that
I have intruded upon your Excellency
my own equally
earnest if less eloquent warnings. The alliance of
families, the personal feelings of courts, then unfor-
tuzately governed and misguided the destinies of your
great nation ; and with what security can the hope be
now cherished, that this will not again occur ? At this
moment I see the hand of a young princess of fourteen
years of age, disposed of in a manner contrary to
the earnest representations of at least one great
European power, whose friendship towards Spain is
well known in history : and whose amity might
yet be worth cultivating. I see this marriage secretly
prepared, abruptly announced, hurried with incon-
ceivable rapidity to its conclusion ; it revives the con-
flicting pretensions of dormant treaties ; it threatens
Spain with the removal of her civil wars; it agitates and
dissolves the present happy and peaceful relations of
Europe. These considerations are disregarded. The
delay of 12 months in the marriage of a princess of this
tender age is deemed too great a concession for compos-
ing these important interests. I ask, why is this mea-
sure persevered in? Why are all weighty and opposing
reasons pushed indignantly aside? What is the motive
which decides, what is the cause which precipitates this
apparently unpropitious union? I can see no other in
view, I have heard no other alleged, than that the two
courts of France and Spain have determined that it
should take place on a particular day, at a particular
hour, in a particular manner; and that, therefore, as the
Spanish and French courts have thus decided, so it must
be. How then can I, in reporting these facts to my Go-
vernment, tell it to be tranquil; that the influence of
courts in this country is gone by; and that the alliances
which bind and cement them together are of no national
importance, and will never have a preponderating influ-
ence on grave questions of national interest ? I am
aware that facts will now soon put an end to argument;
but in closing this discussion I cannot help expressing
the conviction that in spite of the great ability with
which it has been conducted by your Excellency, and
the little talent I have brought to it, impartial
.judges
will consider that it has been the lot of the British
Minister to defend the true interests and theindepen-
dence of Spain against your Excellency, to whom as her
Catholic Majesty's Minister, their defence would, as you
cc justly observe, be more suitably entrustii Le.d. I
BUL‘ WEB. "

On Thursday afternoon, the 21st instant, the
children of the parish of Coniscliffe, 'near Darlington, were
plentifully regaled with tea and spice cake, at the expense of
R. H. Howard, Esq., M.P., of Corby Castle, Cumberland,
the benevolent'and respectful Lord of the Manor, in celebra-
tion of the jo'yful event of the christening of his first-born
daughter. 'lea was provided in a large granary belonging
to Mr. D. Hetherington, beautifully decorated with ever-
greens, byMrs. Eletheritigton and Rickaby, of High Coniscliffe,
whose excellent arrangements and inspiring presence, con-
tributed in no small dlgree to the enjoyment of-their
juvenile guests. Several young ladies presided at the tea
tables, and among the visitors on the joyful occasion, were
observed the worthy vicar of the parish, the Rev. J. Cundill,
Miss Cundill, the Rev. Mr. Hogarth, of Darlington, the
churchwardens, the schoolmaster, Mr. Tohling, and principal
inhabitants of the parish, tke. The village bells rung many a
merry peal during the evening. After partaking of the cup
which cheers, but inebriates not, the young company sepk,
rated, highly delighted with their entertainment, and many
a young bosom breathed its sincerest wishes for health and
prosperity to the house of Howard. The farmers also plea-
tifully regaled their labourers with ale ou the occasion.
-•- -•-•

1847.

PRICB SD.

THE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
Soirma r.t., Jaw. 27.—At half-past four o'clock to-dayl an
inquest was hold by Mr. Wakley, M.P., coroner for the dis-
trict, assisted by the deputy-coroner, Mr. Mills, on the bodies
of Henry Halt and Henry Bishop, the unfortunate sufferers
by the accident of Monday last at Southall. The investiga-
tion took place at- the lied Lion Inn, Southall, and the pro-
ceedings attracted a good deal of interest in the neighbour-
hood. Mr. Seymour Clarke, superintendent at Paddington;
Mr. Gooch, head of the locomotive department; and several
other officials of the company, were present at the proceed-
ings. Mr. Brunel and Mr. Saunders visited the spot where
the accident took place, but did not appear in the room
where the inquest was held.
The CORONER, in charging the jury, hoped that they would
dismiss from their minds any rumours which they might
have heard, and for which there might be no foundation.
Some of the jury had expressed a desire to see the tire, and
the wheel to which it was attached, by daylight, and there-
fore he thought it advisable that the inquiry should not be
closed that evening. A good deal of clamour had been raised
against railways, but it should be remembered that accidents
had happened to coaches, carriages, gigs, and every kind of
vehicles used on the roads, in which no blame could be at-
tached to any person. As, however, the inquest was one to
inquire into a very frightful occurrence, and as they were
bound to protect human life, they would have to examine
the cause of this accident to show the public and the direc-
tors of the railway themselves what the cause WAS. They
would have to do to, not for the purpose of punishing any
party, unless gross negligence was proved, but to prevent any
similar calamity in future. It was necessary, therefore, that
they should have, on a future day., some witnesses called be-
fore them who caul(' give dispassionate testimony on the sub-
ject. He did not mean to say that the witnesses to be called
before them on the part of-the company were not disinte-
rested, but it was better in 11l cases of the kind to have the
testimony of persons without the suspicion of bias as to a
matter in which the conduct of individuals might be incul-
pated.

The jury then proceeded to view the bodies, and on their
return the following evidence was adduced:—
Joseph Bishop, poultry-dealer at Cowley, and father of one
of the deceased, and Thomas Weadon, butcher, of Tooting,
brother-in-law of the other deceased, were called, and hav-
ing beensyfOrn identified- the bodies, Bishop was 20, _and
Halt 27 years of age. • •
John Maydon, the next 'witness catted,stated that he lived
et ;Uxbridge, and was a dealer in cattle. He was in the
train at the time the accident happened, and eat beside
Henry Bishop, one of the deceased; his father sitting beside
Halt: Bishop sat with his back to the engine. Something
came with a crush right through the top of the carriage,
but he was so frightened, that he did not know anything
that happened until he got out. There were five of them
inside altogether, and he saw blood, and that Henry Halt
was struck. He did not know whether they were killed
dead on the spot. He was not hurt, but greatly frightened ;
so much so, indeed, that he hardly knew what occurred
until he got out. His father was much hurt about the
thigh, and kept his bed in consequence.
Mr. F. W. Austen, station-clerk at Southall, was then
called, and said, that being in the station at the time, he ran
down at once and opened the carriage in which the accident
happened. halt was sitting, and Bishop had fallen forward
into his lap. The carriage which was cut in the roof and
much injured, was brought into the goods shed ; but both
the men had been killed instantaneously, and their brains
were scattered about.

A juryman—The train was in motion at the time, and
just about to atop. I was in it.
Witness—A large fragment of the tire lay in the carriage,
but the express train went on to London with the damaged
wheel, after appearing to stop a short time before it came
to the bridge, He had never before known the tire of a
wheel to break, though he had been on the line for seven
years.
John Gauntlett, policeman on the Great Western line at
the Southall station, said, that while on duty there about
twenty-five minutes past four o'clock, he saw the express
train, due at thirteen minutes past four o'clock, go past the
station driven by the Queen engine. When past the station
about 60 or 70 yards, he saw the tire, in two or three pieces,
fly off the driving heel, and one piece fell on one of the
second-class carriages of the four o'clock down train. He at
once went to the carriage. The door had been opened, and
a lady who was hurt handed out. The two deceased men
were in the carriage, dead; and several of the passengers
were slightly hurt. He saw nothing loose or wrong about
the express train before the accident happened, and it was
going at its usual speed, which was about 50 miles an hour.
The engine had been in use for nearly twelve months. The
express train was stopped as soon as possible.
A jury man—l was in the next carriage to that in which
the accident happened, but was aware of nothing till I got
out.

Wittness—The piece of tire which fell on the carriage was
projected into the air to the height of 20 or 30 feet. Its
weight had since been ascertained to be 2751 b.
James Loxton, inspector of metropolitan police at Hanwell,
stated that the bodies of the deceased were removed from
the carriage by him.
James Almond, engine-driver of the Queen, which drew
the express, said that he had been engine-driver on the
Great Western Railway for nine years, and about 24 or 25
years engineman for locomotive or stationary engines. On
Monday he left Swindon at 56 minutes past two o'clock,
three minutes late, with a train of six carriages. The time
for arriving at Southall was four hours sixteen minutes, and
they were behind some six minutes, which he attributed to
the heaviness of the road, and the high wind blowing at the
time.

Coaceesu—Did yon see the tire break ? Witness—l
saw the fire Ay from the tire and the splasher, which
is the brass cap to the wheel, and I put my back to
the dome and saw the other carriage broken on the down
train. I did not see the pieces of the tire fly from the wheel.
T did not know exactly what it was that had happened, and
could perceive no difference in the running; but in about
two minutes, seeing that the tire was gone, I stopped. After-
wards we went up to London at a diminished speed of 15 or
20 miles an hour. I have seen the pieces of the tire, which
are made partly of steel and partly of iron. I have observed
the fractures, and though the outside appeared good, the in-
side does not look sound. The tire is about 1% inches thick,
increasing to two inches next the crease : it seems unsound
for 1% inches, the rest sound. The had parts look dull and
dirty, and the sound quite bright. I should judge three
inches broad, by 1 inches in depth, bad, out of five inches
of breadth. There is no means that I know of besides that
of sight for ascertaining how much of the tire is bad. No
accident of the kind has ever happened before to that engine ;
but about seven months ago the whole tire of the Bellona, an
engine which came from Nasmyth and,Gaskell's works at
Manchester, broke off in five pieces. This occurred about two
miles and a half below Slough. That case was similar to the
present, mad I reported it to the foreman at Swindon. We
were asked if we ran against anything, and we answered not.
We always examine the engine ourselves in every part of it
before starting, and on arriving at the end of our trip, and if
there is anything wrong, we report it. I did so in the pre
sent case examine the wheels and the springs, as is my
invariable custom. After a tire is once placed on the
wheel, we have no means of ascertaining whether it is sound
or not.
The CORONER—Did you ever see a tire unsound before it
was put on? Witness—Yes, I have; and it was condemned.
The " weld " appeared unsound outside, and showed itself.
Such accidents are not of frequent occurrence, and it never
happened to more than one before. The tires of the other
wheels are fixed on in the same way as that on the driving-
wheel.
The CORONER—Are the driving-wheels subject to more
use' than others? Witness—Yee, and by their size the tire
is more apt to come off them.
A juryman—Are they riveted on? Witness—No; they
are kept on by contraction.
A juryman asked whether the tire of a wheel did not fly
off last Friday week between Hanwell and the bridge?—The
fact was admitted by the officials of the company present.
Mr. George Withe Daniel, surgeon, residing at Southall,
and passenger in the four o'clock down train, proved that the
deaths of the deceased were instantaneous, and had been
caused by the injuries they had received from the immense
piece of iron which fell on them. .
Mr. Daniel Gooch was then called, and said, I am supenn-
tendent of the locomotive department of the Great Western
Railway Company, and have held that position for nine
yeah. The Queen was built under my inspection at Swindon.
l'h; company bay all their tires at the. Haigh Foundry,
Wi an, Lancashire. I see all tires bought by the company.
Wet have a smith, named John Faucett, living at Swindon,
whose duty it is to " block" all tires, and to inspect
theni. lie is an excellent tradesman, and is expressly used
for the purpose. If we buy the tires in bars, we give an
order for the length required; if in hoops, for the diameter.
About four-fifths of the tire are of wrought iron, and one-
fifth' of steel. I have examined that of the Queen which has
given way, and found it unsoundly welded. The welding is
a difficult task, requiring great care, and the best workmen
will! sometimes fail in effecting a good weld. About two-
thirds of one of the ends in the carriage is bad, but the other
fractures appear to be quite bright. We "block" the tires—
viz., make them a little less than the size required, and then
subject them to a great strain by means of a screw. All
tires are subjected to this process in order to test their sound-
ness, I cannot say how many miles the Queen may have
travelled without consulting the books, but probably about
25,0Q0 miles, Tires suffer most in frosty weather, and some-
times they break from that cause, though not in motion. Two
instances of the kind occurred last year.
The CORONER—Is there any step which you can take,
in consequence of this accident, to prevent a recurrence
of it'? Witness—l can suggest none, except increased vigi-
lance on the part of our servants. This tire was bought in
the hoop.
, The ConorrErt—Do the manufacturers from whom you buy
submit to any penalty for selling badly welded tires? Wit-
ness —None, except the loss of credit, and the obligation to
replace the tire. The ringing of .a tire is no test of its un-
soundness, and I have heard them, when cracked, sound as
clear as a bell under the 'stroke of the hammer. We have
had a good many cases of tires coming
.off the driving-
wheel. It is not a common accident, but it is one which we
are always prepared for in frosty weather.
The CORONER—It is not one which lam prepared for.—
(Laughter.) Witness—lron crystallizes very much from
motion, but the fracture here is a good one, and not crystal-
lized. Age has no bad effect upon our tires, and some
of
them have been in constant use since the opening ofi t
the rate
for he line.
The weld is the place most liable to give way, an
of speed has little to do with such accident,there is a re-
cent instance of the wheel of a luggage
though it only travelled at 15 or 20 miles an n
anthaol breaking,
hour.
The Coiroxeri.-You have given your evidence, Mr.
Gooch, very frankly and fairly, and we are very much
obliged to you for it.
Some conversation here ensued as to the scientific gentle,
man to be selected as an unbiassed witness on the causes of
this singular accident. In the course of it Mr. Gooch ex-
pressed his readiness to afford any one the coroner might
select the fullest possible facilities for forming a fair and
just opinion on the subject.
No decision was come to on this point what the proceed-
ings of the 'evening closed, the Coroner adjourning the in-
quest to half-past ten o'elock on Monday next.
•,
PRESENT STATE OF PORTUGA.L.—A new work n
Portugal, entitled "An Overland Journey to Lisbon with a
Picture of the Present State of Spain and Portuga .is an-
nounced for immediate publication by the
author "Re-
velations of Spain." At a time when the attention
and, indeed, the whole civilized world is turned toothe Ilinrsoupre-,
rectionary movements now going on in Portugal, and to the
transactions connected with the marriage of the Queen of
Spain, these volumes, from the pen of a sident amid the scenes he d gentleman, now now re-
sident
for correct observatie.souct describes and enjoy n ecaliar
welcomed by doubtless lbegcoprdially
the public.