The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-23 00:00:00

RAIL WAY CONFERENCE.

On Tuesday last, the 19th inst., a general meeting
of delegates from all the principal railway companies in
England was held at the Queen's Hotel, Birmingham,
for the purpose of considering the best means to be
adopted for preventing a recurrence of the accidents
which have lately taken place on railways. A numerous
and highly influential body of directors, with some of the
most eminent engineers and managers of railways, at-
tended. Mr. George Carr Glyn, the Chairman of the
London and Birmingham Railway Company, was called
to the chair ; and probably no meeting was ever held
where the members represented a larger amount of pro.
perty. The parties present were the representatiecs of
considerably above .50,000,0001. of capital. The utmost
cordiality was manifested, and the strongest desire ex-
pressed by all present to adopt every possible means of
accomplisbieg the proposed object.
Those who were most conversant with the manage-
ment of railways stated their conviction that by far
the greater portion of the accidents which had occur-
red were referable to the neglect and disobedience of
orders on the part of railway servants ; and while some
few casualties must be expected to occur in any mode
of locomotion by such immense numbers of persons as
are conveyed on railways, it must be to an improved
state of discipline and moral responsibility on the part
of the men employed on railways that the exemption
from accidents must be looked for. In these sentiments
every person who delivered his opinion concurred. The
deliberations of the meeting lasted for several hours,
during which time the regulations and signals adopted
on all the principal lines were fully discussed, and the
following resolutions were unanimously passed ; after
which the meeting broke up, with the understanding that
a future conference should be convened whenever it ap-
peared desirable.
" Resolved—l. That in consequence of the public
anxiety occasioned by the accidents which have taken
place on various railways, the Companies here repre-
sented, in order to profit by the combined experience
of the principal lines, have deemed it expedient tbet a
general conference should be held for the purpose of
taking into consideration the causes and circumstances
of such accidents, and the means that may be desirable
of more effectually guarding against their occurrence for
the future.

" 2. That this meeting acknowledges the grave re-
sponsibility which attaches to Railway Directors, and
the obligation under which they lie to adopt all judi-
c:,,us arid practicable expedients for insuring the general
,ACCOIIIMwhiiou, comfort, and safety of the passengers
entrusted to their charge ;
that, under a strong impres-
sion of this responsibility, they have assembled on this
occasion, and have pursued their deliberations at the
present conference.
" 3. That this meeting, while it deeply regrets the
accidents ivhich have occurred, looks forward with con-
fidence to filo beneficial results of unremitting vigilance
and habitual caution steadily enforced and established,
as the greet means of increased safety to railway con-
veyance ; and accordingly they would deprecate any
sudden or hasty legislation on the subject, being con-
vine“.l thAt the means referred to, aided by such im-
proved arrangement and mechanical adaptations as a
more matured experi,:nee may suggest, will amply ac-
complish the desired object.
" 4. That the moral character and general fitness of
cnginemcn and firemen, as well as of policemen and,
other servants, in the correct performance of whose du-
ties the public safety is involved;
,are so essential to tile
security of all railway travelling, that this meeting re-
commends to all railway companies the strictest exami-
nation into these points, and that it should be a rule
more generally adopted amongst different managements,
not to employ servants having; worked on other
without authentic and satisfactory testimonials from
their former employers.
5. That in case of serious reglect of duty on the
part of railway servants, it is desirable more frequently ,
to put in force the penal provisions of Lord Sevutout'
Act, in order that the strictest discipline may be main-
tained. At the same time this meeting considers it due
to men whose services are so arduous to encourage the
requisite discipline and obedience of orders I,v
reuluLcai.juu, aria Liy U C Nwardt, for extraordi
exertions or long-sustained- good conduct.
"6. That the Directors at this meeting assembled
have taken into their ocriQUl COADideratin the expo-