The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-22 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, J ITLY 22, 1841.

NATIONAL LOAN FUND SOCIETY,
FOR GRANTING
LIFE ASSURANCES, DEFERRED ANNUITIES, &c.
No. 26, CORNHILL.
Capital £500,000.
Empowered by Act of Parlament.
EIRECTORS.
T. LAMIE MURRAY, Esq., Chairman.
J. Elliotson, F.A.S. I John Rawson, Esq.
John Griffith Frith, Esq. Jelin Riddell Stodart, Esq.
Hunter Gordon, Esq. I Clement Tabor, Esq.
George Lungley, Esq. Joseph Thompson, Esq.

AUDITORS.

Professor Wheatstone, F. R. S. I Professor Graves, A.M. P.R.S
ACTUARY—W. S. B. Woolhouse, Esq., F. R. A. S
SOLICITORS—Messrs. Sweet, Sutton, Ewens, and Omman-
ney, 6, Basinghall-street.

LIFE ASSURANCE.
Besides the perfect security to the policy holder of a large
paid up capital, and accumulating funds, the following is ono
amongst many of the advantages which belong exclusively to
the principles of Life Assurance and Deferred Annuities ori-
ginated by 'll, Society, viz.—Power to borrow (without de-
lay, expense, ,orfeiture) Two-thirds of all premiums paid
upon a Policy of Assurance.

The annexed is a short Table, showing the Annual Premium
for assuring £lOO on the Whole Life, or for a Term ;—.

FOR LIFE.
A. B.
Age. Without With For One For Five
Profits. Profits. Year only. Years only.
£.
s. d. E. s. d. s. s. d.
20 1 13 7 1 17 4 0 17 0 0 17 6
30244293 0 19 6 1 0 0
40 2 13 3 3 5 3 1 3 10 1 5 0
50 4 4 2 1 4 13 6 1 13 0 1 16 6
60 613 G 78 4 j 3 0 0 39 6

Two-thirds of Profits divided annually amongst the Assured.

DEFERRED ANNUITIES DEPARTMENT.
By the plan exclusively developed by this Society, a single
Deferred Annuity is made, nr.t only to answer the same object,
but to far exceed in amount the entire benefit of all the ad-
vantages heretofore only obtained by the middle and industrious
classes through separate investments in Savings' Banks, Be-
nefit Societies, and Loan Banks.

1. A small yearly sr weekly contribution will secure the
most ample return for after life ; thus-21. 12s. per annum (Is.
a week) at the age of 20, will give the policy holier the fol-
lowing option, at the age of 65
Annuity for remainder of life... ......... £47 16
Cash
Policy, without further contributions, of 466 0
Other periods of life (of 50, 55, and 60) may be
with similar advantages.
2. Two-thirds at any time lent on deposit of policy, being a
fund always available during sickness or want of employment.
3. Two-thirds of all payments returned to representatives in
case of premature death.

0 or a

0 at death.
also taken

N./3: Policies, as collateral money-security, for periods of
one to five years, effected at lower rates than are charged by
any other Office, (Sce Tables A. and B.), with option of con.
tinuance for Life at the usual rates.

F. FERGUSON CAAIROUX, Sec.

THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY.

- - -
SIR FREDERICK SMITH'S REPORT.
TO THE RIGHT fr. HENRY LABOUCHERE, M.P.
Sir—l have the • nour to acquaint you, that on the
Bth instant, I received an intimation from the Secretary
of the London and Brighton Railway, of its being the
intention of the Directors to open to the public, on Mon-
day, the 12th inst., that portion of their line which ex-
tends from the junction with the Croydon Railway to
Hayward's-heath, irs-:the county of Sussex.
In consequence of this intimation, and of previous no-
tices which the Brighton Company have delivered to
the Railway Department, I appointed to commence the
inspection of the works yesterday, with Mr. Rastrick,
the engineer of the line ; and I was accompanied, in
my performance of this duty, not only by that gentleman,
but also by Mr.llarman, the Chairman, and Mr. Maclean,
the Deputy-Chairman of the Company, by whom every
facility was afforded me for conducting my investigation ;
and I should not omit to mention that Mr. Rastrick, and
Mr. Wood, the Secretary, supplied me with all the plans
and sections I required, as well as the various returns of
the proposed establishinent for working the line, and the
code of regulations for the gnidance of the police, por-
ters, and switchmen. Those for the engine-drivers I
expect to receive on Monday.
I yesterday commenced, and have this day completed
my inspection, and I have to inform you that I see no
objection to this line being opened to the public, on
Monday next, subject to the conditions contained in this
Report.
In the first place I am desirous of observing that with
very few exceptions, the works are in a very complete,
sound, and satisfactory state, and I have, on scarcely
any previous occasion. of inspecting a line before its
opening for the public traffic, found them in so perfect a
condition. 1174" X
The London terminus for this railway is at
_present
the same as that for the Croydon Company, at Tooley-
street, and is situated on the north side of the Green-
wich Company's western terminus. But, pursuant to an
Act of last Session, a station-souse is to be built on the
south side of the existing railway, and two lines of rails
laid on a viaduct which is to be formed from the in-
tended station-house, to the point of junction between
the Greenwich and Croydon Railways.
The Brighton trains will take in passengers, for the
present, on the same platform as that used for the
Croydon passengers, and the trains will run on the down
line of the Greenwich Railway as far as the junction
with the Croydon Railway, and then along the latter
line as far as the junction with the Brighton Railway,
being a distance of about 9f miles. At the former
junction a servant of the Greenwich Company is placed
in charge of the "points," and signals, and at this.
junction a servant of the Croydon Company is em-
ployed.
The gunge of the three Companies is the same L-viz., 4
feet 8,1 inches, so that the engines of all of them might
run upon either line.
The first or northern station of the Brighton Railway
is at Croydon. It stands in a most convenient situation,
a little to the east of the town, and about one mile south
of the point of junction with the Croydon Railway.
At this station are the carriage-sheds, engine-houses,
stores, warehouses, and other buildings which are usually
placed at the termini of great lines, and it appeared to
me that this is the most suitable position for them, and
that the general arrangement of the several buildings is
well calculated to promote the public safety and conve-
nience, and the despatch of business. Not only here,
but at almost all the stations on this line the engineer
has laid down four sets of rails, and built booing-
offices, both for the up and the down trains, so that the
engines and carriages will not stop upon the main lines,
nor the passengers have to cross the rails either in join-
ing or leaving the carriages. An arrangement which
will tend much to the.safety of the traveller, and highly
creditable to the Company.
The stations are as follows :
The Godston
with the Croydon Railway.
Stoats-nest
Merstham 10
Red-hill and Reigate l2
Morley 16,1
Three Bridges .20
Balcombe .941
Hayward's Heath 28
At all these stations there will, I conceive, when they
are entirely finished, which is not yet the case, be every-
thing that can be required for the safety, convenience,
and comfort of the passenger that the nature and probable
extent of the traffic can demand.
Throughout the whole length of line now under con-
sideration, with almost the single exception of a small
portion near the north entrance of Merstham tunnel, I
found the cuttings cleared out, and the slopes satisfac-
torily trimmed.
The embankments are generally sufficiently consoli-
dated, and I have no doubt that with proper care, in the
very few instances where this is not the case, the traffic
may be carried on with perfect safety. I observed with
much satisfaction that nearly the whole of the embankments
are made considerably wider than the ordinary dimension.
There are two tunnels on the portion of railway about
to be opened, viz. the llerstham and the Balcombe tun-
nels. The former is 1,780 yards in length, and is one of
the dryest that I have met with. The centre half is
lighted with gas, and it is intended to light the whole in
the same manner, a gasometer having been erected for
this purpose, and the same has been done for the Bal-
combe tunnel. This latter is only 1,122 yards in length.
The wet has in some few places penetrated through the
arch, but the passengers will not in consequence be sub-
jected to any inconvenience, as these parts of the brick-
work have been lined with lead, behind which the leakage
is carried off into vertical pipes that communicate with
an ample culvert, formed not only under this tunnel, but
also under the Merstham tunnel.
The bridges have been generally constructed so as to
'afford even greater accommodation and convenience to
the public than is provided for in the Acts of Parlia-
ment, and they appear of sufficient strength for their re-
spective purposes. There are three of which the
.parapet
and coping are unfinished.
On this part of the line is that magnificent structure,
the Ouse Viaduct. It is of brick, and consists of 37
semicircular arches, each of 30 feet span ; the extreme
height of the centre arch is 96 feet.
The whole length of this viaduct is 480 yards, and the
width between the parapets 28 feet-
The brickwork is completed, and almost all the centres
are struck, but the parapet, which is to be very hand-
some, and of stone from Caen, in Normandy, is yet in a
very backward state, and cannot be finished for some
weeks. In order, however, to admit of the masons pro-
ceeding with their work, without interruption to the
traffic of the railway, Mr. Rastrick has established a
moveable scaffolding, which traverses along the Viaduct
on an independent set of rails, and by this means he may
avoid having any of the workmen or their materials
within the line of the parapet walls.
The permanent way is Only laid at present on the
West, or " up," line, on this viaduct ; but with two
other exceptions only, and these only for a few yards in
length, it is complete for both lines. Where these
breaks occur crossings are put, and Mr. Rastrick hag
undertaken that the traffic shall be so arranged that two
trains cannot meet on the single portion of the line.
The rails weigh 751bs. in the lineal yard, and are on
the embankments laid on cross Kyanized wooden sleepers,
and in the cuttings generally on stone blocks.
The bearings are, in the middle, 4 feet, and at the ends
3 feet 6 inches ; therefore, there are four to each 15-foot
rail ; excepting in the tunnels, where five bearers are
used, and where the intervals are narrowed to 2 feet 6
inches at the ends, and 3 fi.,et 4 inches in the other spaces.
The weight of each joint-chair is 261b5., and of the in-
termediate chair. 22/lbs.
The fences are of • a substantial description, and are
complete from end to end'of the line on both sides, with.
proper field gates, and the mile-posts have been put up ;
but the signal and lamp-posts are only, as yet, fixed at
the Croydon Station. The whole, however, are ready
to be put up, and as this may be done in a few hours, the
deficiency need not delay the opening of the line.
The code of signals is to be the same as on the Great
Western Railway. and the Superintendent of the Brigh-
ton Railway having been an officer in the employ of the
former line, he is presumed to be acquainted with the
system which prevails there.
There are four crossings of parish roads on the level,
and gates have been placed across these roads, and
watch-boxes provided for the policemen who are to be
stationed at these points.
The Earlswood embankment having originally been
formed of clay, and in a wet season, has had some slips,
but a better material having been thrown in, the work
ye v er, in
embankments,running
tsleieismsanrsv
enginemen must use increased caution until all appear-
omtoeleroafblty
ance shall have ceased of an extensive subsidence. I
must here remark, that for the present the Directors
hefiromtherlll6o"f;
have very properly decided on limiting the average speed
to 20 miles an hour, inclusive of stoppages.
In order to save time, and as the best means of giving
the Directors of the Brighton Railway Company a know-
ledge of my opinion of the state of their works, I shall
forward a copy of this letter to the Chairman of the
Company, who is now residing lucre, and who I am aware
will take an active part in providing for the public safety,
at and for some time after the opening of the line ; and I
will personally explain to that gentleman, as well as to
Mr. Rastrick, the engineer, who is also on the spot, the
necessity of the greatest vigilance being used by the
Superintendent and other officers, as well as the servants
of the Company, to prevent accidents at the few un-
finished parts of the line.
The points of junction with the Croydon and Green-
wich lines are also matters of some anxiety, for, unlike
the ordinary junction of other railways, these occur
where there are no stations, and consequently the safety
of the traveller depends mainly on the switchman at each
place.
At the Greenwich junction the management of the
signals and switches is confided to a servant of the Green-
wich Company, and at the Croydon junction to a police-
man of the Brighton Company.
It is to be borne in mind that until the new station at
London-bridge is formed, and the additional lines of rails
laid, the engines of the three Companies will ‘vorls on the
same rails from the Greenwich junction. Great vigi-
lance will therefore be required at this junction, and it is
desirable to impress upon the Directors of the Greenwich
Company the paramount necessity of always placing at
this important point a policeman of Well-established elm-

' racter for strict obedience of orders, steadiness, prompt-
ness, and presence of mind, since at this junction, owing
to the frequent passing of the Greenwich trains, and to
the Croydon and Brighton trains having to cross both
the up and down lines, it will be chiefly on this servant
that the safety of the passenger will depend.
My present duty, however, is with the Brighton line,
and it behoves the managers of the railway to make their
engine drivers and conductors fully sensible of the neces-
sity of the strictest obedience of all signals, and of their
approaching the two junctions at such a moderate rate of
speed as to admit of their 'having the trains completely
under command.

I have here to observe that I was surprised to find that
the switchman at the Greenwich junction is instructed to
exhibit as a symbol that the points are right for the
Croydon and *Brighton trains, a red flag, which is ordi-
narily the signal of danger. Some attention on this head
is indispensable to prevent confusion and risk to the pas-
sengers.

The engines about to be used on the Brighton Railway
are both four and six-wheeled.

The carriages are well built, handsome, and convenient.
There are buffer springs to the whole of them, in-
cluding the horse boxes, and carriage trucks, and breaks
to all the second class carriages. These breaks are gene-
rally of au improved construction invented by Mr. Pas-
trick.

The second class carriages and horse-boxes have tou-
pees, the latter being intended for the grooms, which will
be fouhd a great convenience.
I have the h -mour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
FREI)ERIC SMITH, Lieut. Col. R. E.,
Inspector General of Railways.
Brighton, July 10, 1841.

THE QUARANTINE SYSTEM.

FORT MANOEL, MALTA, JULY G.—Here I am in pri-
son for the benefit of the general health of Europe, hav-
ing had the misfortune to come hither from Egypt,
where, if I did not catch the plague, I ought to have
caught it—and, in fact, may have it now (as the Maltese
tell me), for aught I can know to the contrary ! Dr.
Grassi, the chief plague doctor of Mehemet Ali, has as -
sured them that the plague may lie dormant in an old
coat for two years, and relates what occurred in the Bo-
man Catholic convent of St. Jean d'Acre, where the gar-
ment of a monk taken out of a box after a length of time
had destroyed eight of the brethren, seriatim ! To les-
sen the mortality in my case as much as possible, the
Maltese authorities have shut up a poor fellow with me
" to take the plague" if it will please to come out and
communicate itself withih2o days. The authorities have
particularly impressed him with the fear of paper, espe-
cially if it be folded or wrapped up ; so he carefully airs
my bank-notes and billets-doux ; yet, stranip to say.
leaves my books and coats unaired, satisfied with merely
touchingtheir backs or corners ; whereas there might
be plague enough within their folds and pages to infect
all Europe two years hence. But that's their affair. I
am suffering quite sufficiently for my country, and, as it
appears, for all the other countries also, from Malta to
Nova Zembla. If a Nile boil break out on my hand or .a
musquito or sandfly close up my guardiano's eye, it will
have " a most suspicious appearance," and may perhaps
lead to our imprisonment for 80 days instead of 20. My
fellow-travellers are all more or less suffering from loss of
appetite, derangement of the bile, indigestion, &c., in
consequence of being compelled to bask on this rock
without an opportunity of taking exercise ; but nobody
has the temerity to ask for a dose of salts, that would be
equivalent to pleading "guilty of bad health "—a crime
which is punished quite as severely in a lazaretto as
poverty is in a workhouse. The guardiano is the doctor's
spy, and follows " the suspected " like his shadow, to
prevent him shaking hands, borrowing newspapers, and
exchanging plagues with his companions. He watches
their declining appetite, morning, noon, and evening, and
at night locks them up to make all sure that ennui and
" the separate system shall do their worst. There is a
melancholy illustration of the effects of this mode of
treatment in Fort Manoel at present. One of our fellow
travellers, a German engineer of considerable talent,
but of very nervous temperament, who is returning home
after a fruitless tour in search of wealth and
honours—disappointed, mortified, swindled, and so
forth—has become so disgusted and excited by the end-
less touching, and prying, and spying, and meddling,
and questioning- about his health, on the part of his
guardiano, that his fancy has disabled his digestion, his
appetite, and his sleep ; he imagines the Italian has cast
" an evil-eye" on him, and puts something into his food
to keep him on the sick list, a prisoner here, toujours ;
but he is on the alert ; he won't eat ; he won't drink ; he
won't slumber ; he won't be poisoned at his hands ; he
won't become ill to gratify him ; in fine, the poor devil
would starve himself if his fellow-travellers did not send
into town for ship biscuits and bottled porter for him
The quarantine has not exactly succeeded in developing
the plague in thiS instance, but it has done something—
it has elicited the waking delirium without the bubos ;
but, unfortunately, it knows just as little how to cure in-
sanity as pestilence.
Some months since " the suspected gentlemen" were
allowed an opportunity of breathing a little fresh air in a
boat with their guardians (which boat was towed by an-
other boat manned by officials) about the harbour; but un-
fortunately the guardians or the quarantine boatmen per-
mitted seine foolish "suspected gentlemen" to commit a
breach of discipline by leaving their boat, and ever since the
authorities of Malta have taken the liberty of punishing
all travellers from east to west for the fault of their own
officials. The practice in the interior of the fort also
presents some remarkable features which make those
who have any faith in the danger of touch, open their
eyes rather widely. Their guardianos may go about the
lazaretto unquestioned, and get the plague wherever
they please at the expense of their " suspected"
wards. The restaurateur has a monopoly and has
made a fortune, though he was but a porter a few
years ago. His- trattorio (literally the cook's-shop)
must contain a perfect re-union of res infecta ; for
thither are carried, after meals, all the breakfast, din-
ner, and supper services, not merely touched, but pretty
well handled by " the suspected," to change hands again
next day, and thereby dish up the suspicious of Alex-
andria with thoe of Beyrout, Constantinople, Damietta,
and so on through all the localities of the plague alpha-
bet down to Zante, whose quarantine has Just been
doubled here, because' the Hon. Stewart Mackenzie
has dared to reduce the term of imprisonment in
the lonian Isles: I. am certain that the plates
and dishes are waShed, but I am equally certain
that the wooden trays on which they are brought
are not washed, although freely handled by the
servants who wait upon " the gentlemen sus-
pected." I was awfully impressed with the ri-
gidity of the rules of Fort Manoel, on landing.,
at finding myself obliged to carry my own boxes up
the steep stone-flights into the strong-room in which
they and I were to be locked up (for it appears there is
nobody attached to the establishment whose business it
is to lend a hand on such occasions) ; but my respect for
the sagacity of the authorities was sadly diminished on
the morrow, when I found a schoolboy's slate, with its
wooden frame, which had already passed through several
hands, placed (along with its pencil) in mine, to write
my orders for dinner ! Again, in sending out some
shillings to make purchases in Valetta, they were passed
with great ceremony through vinegar (which vinegar,
plague-stricken as it must have been, was not thrown
coin),aw while a bu k kept
t theat handsame fortli
instante
a"suspected
be fi tof t'
e next
gentleman"c ur rent
was indulged with a pinch of snuff out of the silver box of
the captain of the Iparetto, who politely placed it on
the balustrade.iiithiii his reach. The gentleman took
it up, helped himself at leisure, and laid it down on
the same stone again, after which the captain put it
into his pocket (" touch " and all) without passing it
through vinegar ! A traveller from. Turkey must not
lend his telescope to. his friend from Egypt, although
they may have both arrived the same day ; but he may
hand it to his " compromised" guardiano, who will hand

it to his friend, and Thus the danger of " contagion " .is
avoided ! Contact seems to be the original sin, yet
dozens of " the suspected " from different places daily
handle the same balustrades at the parlatorios, and the
same ropes and buckets at the well, sit on the same stone
benches, and pace over the same confined spot of earth,
as if the hands, feet, &c., were incapable of any other
function but that of " touch." Cigars, too, are handed
about freely, anti boat-ropes are voted non-susceptible.
Again, a traveller from Turkey or from Egypt may make
his exit from this prison, . and take his passage in the
Great Liverpool or in the Oriental steamer, and find him-
self in free pratique on the chores of England, twenty
days after the vessel left Alexandria ; whilst if he re-
mained to take pratique here, no consideration will bogiven
to the days previously occupied in his passage, and here he
must remain twenty days more in durance. All appears a
tissue of despotic quackery, childish inconsistency, or
provoking absurdity, as if the "Authorities " were doing
their best to ascertain what piseases could be forced into
existence by so much restraint on freedom, and privation
of time (in fact, so much waste of life) in this hotbed of
vexation ! God help the wretch in whom the plague, or
anything resembling it, is developed in quarantine ; for
what do the doctors here know on the subject ? As to
the injuries inflicted on commerce by quarantine they are
incalculable, and would requnaeiimdrdtve
easesoiartaotebuleyttneerwmsehrierltys,
to mention them. Meantime I aum,Washegelwradwo.uotmlodesbneee,fhrtoloimawtevvtlettire,
evil is beginning to be properly appreciated even in
Malta, arufthat the Malta Tunes is foremost in the expose.
We are drinking the stale rgariantiownatuepr ohfilllBw39o,ulndonseo
(they tell us) having since fall.ieins iintedthemiuscliimd
oole'coort-
Manoel ; and we are just now so near the bottom of the
tank, that none can be spared to us " suspected gentle-
men"r
-ipifleaeotrrmtipermitted
x ettabtoeleuedgttdoett
ttsoi
hieoeeini
send to
°poet:n(l:
foottt f
tas,
hst
tseeths
raaaistdmah
he
and leave the old ones to their fate.

C ER.-RUMOURED RESIGNATION
or
EasoN.—A report has been current, during the
week,
that an arrangement has been made with Mr. Sander-
son, to accept the stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds, in
order to make room for Mr. Herries, the rejected of Ipswich.
The rumour has obtained much credit, as Mr. Herries will be
wanted in the new Tory administration ; and, of course, be
will look out for a borough where there is not likely to be an
opposition.
We hope, however, the activity of the Reformers
w show, should the 'report prove true, that Mr. Herries has
repeated in this case, his Ipswich blunder—of reckoning with.
M(!t.LSCAXEDST
out his host.—lpswich Express.