The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-04 00:00:00

GOLDEN SUN

Was published to commemorate her most Gracious
MAJESTY'S CORONATION ; but the
Penny Postage, which now facilitates the send-
ing of letters, was not then in existence. Look-
ing forward to an event of great national in-
terest, which Queen VICTORIA has now
HAPPILY realised, we reserved a few copies of

THE GOLDEN
CORONATION SUN,
Which can be sent by post free to all parts of
the Empire. Price SIXPENCE.

Sun Office, 112, Strand, London,
Nov. 28, 1840.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TOMORROW.
Morning...... 4 minutes attar 10. Evening ..... 37 militates after 10.

The t üblication of t e Evening Edition of THE SUN com-
menced at 10 minutes after Three.

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LONDON:
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1840

The verdict in the case of the accident on the Bir-
mingham Railway, though an extraordinary one,
and though the law was perhaps stretched to justify
it, is calculated to assure the public that the utmost
care will be taken of their lives by that as by every
other conveyance. That verdict was, in the case
of DAWSON, wilful murder against SiMPSON, the
driver, and he only escaped a criminal prosecution
by having been previously called to account before
a higher tribunal. We should certainly have been
more satisfied with it had there been any evidence
of maliciously killing ; but whatever may be its
vices, it was according to the law as laid doWn by
the Coroner. In SIMPSON'S own case, the ver-
dict.wasfelo de se, the Jury branding his conduct with
most signal reprobation. The deodand of 2,0001.
was a severe fine for the Company. If there ware
before any doubt on the subject, it is now plain that
the public, as Jurors, may protect themselves, so
far as any penal law can protect them, and if they
neglect properly to use the power which is in their
hands, they only will be to blame. It is plain,
from the verdict, if it will stand good in law, that
no new statutes, or no new powers are wanted to
enable Jurors to severely stigmatize and severely
punish any of the Railway Companies, or any of
their servants, who, by neglecting their duties,
cause the death of any of her MAJESTY'S subjects.
The Jury did not separate without pointing out
several species of negligence, or improper behavi-
our in the Company, which, we trust, will lead to
corresponding improvements. The imperfect code
of night signals, the want of a means of communi-
cation between the guards and the drivers, the ne-
cessity for a more vigorous and careful executive
authority in the Directors, and the propriety of
appointing some person of superior education as a
captain of each train, were all very properly ad-
verted to, and the observations of the Jurors will
not be without their effect on the Directors. Should
they neglect these admonitions, and accidents here-
after occur by their neglect, they will be considered
as persons who wilfully cause mischief, and will be
liable according to the law, as laid down by Mr.
WA K LEY, to have a Coroner's verdict of wilful
murder recorded against them, and to be tried for
their lives at the Old Bailey. For these useful ad-
monitions the public are, we apprehend, mainly
indebted to Mr. ROTCII, the Foreman of the Jury,
who, being both a man of scienceand a lawyer, knows
equally what is due to the public, and what ca❑ be
achieved by the Directors of railways. •

Under another aspect, the verdict is worthy of
notice. It enhances very much the responsibility
of engine drivers. They will henceforth be con-
sidered liable to be tried for murder, if, by an ac-
cident arising from their carelessness, a passenger or
a fellow-workman loses his life. Now these added
responsibilities will impose on the Directors the
corresponding duty of giving considerably higher
wages to this class of useful men, and of selecting

them with the greatest care. On the whole, how-
ever, the proceedings will not be disadvantageous to
railway proprietors, for they will ensure a better
management, and enable the Directors to bring a
better case than otherwise before Parliament when
it meets, and so keep it from unnecessarily interfer-
ing with their property.

Though there is now reason to hope that the
general peace will not be disturbed, we have not yet
heard of any cessation of our naval preparations ;
nor can we say that it would now be wise to sus-
pend them. The late conduct of M. TRIERS,
and the late debates in the Chamber of Deputies,
have brought two important facts into painful
relief. The first is, the existence amongst a large
portion of the French of a diseased desire for war ;
and the second is, the existence, we regret to say,
of a wide-spread hatred amongst French statesmen,
if not amongst the French population, of England.
M. DE CARNE, in a few brief sentenct s, stated
both facts :—" France (he said) hopes in war,
and I say so without distinction of party or
opinion." " The English alliance (he added) is
not a normal and natural condition for France.
France has another interest in the world than
that of preserving peace, although this may be the
first of all. I can understand that the interest of
the preservation of peace may be established as the
• basis of the policy of a State like Austria, like
England ; but, I own it, I can -never conceive it for
France but as a temporary interest.—(Marks of
strong adhesion in the Chamber.)"
While such feelings prevail to any extent, and
they have been much fostered by the press during
M. TRIERS' .Administration, there is a pro.
liability that he may be forced back into power,
which would inevitably bring on war ; and as long
as a probability, or even a possibility of that exists,
England will be compelled to keep up and even to
augment her navy. If we have not war, we shall