The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-21 00:00:00

* A double retura.

MEMBERS RETURNED.

Liberals ... ... .., ... ... 334
Peelites ... •• • ... ... ... 111
Protectionists ... ... ... ... 207

MOWBRAY'S PATENT RAILWAY WHISTLE.—On
Thursday Captain Simmons, Government Inspector of
Railways, examined a third line of rails which has just
been laid down upon the London and Brighton and
South-Eastern line, between the Bricklayers' Arms
Junction and the Croydon station. This additional
line of railway, which will considerably ease the traffic
upon the common line of the above companies, has
been gained by the conversion of the Croydon Atmo-
speric Railway into a locomotive line, and is eight miles in
length. It is intended to use it for all the down trains
out of London, and many delays, which have heretofore
been of frequent occurrence, will thereby be prevented.
Captain Simmons was accompanied by Mr. Peter Clarke,
superintendent of the London and Brighton line, and
Mr. Hood, engineer of the line ; and aftei inspecting
the alterations in the points and crossings at the
New-cross, Forest-hill, and Croydon stations, which
have been rendered necessary by the removal of the
atmospheric tubes, the inclines, the viaducts, &c, he
returned to town by the same special train. Captain
Simmons will make his report to the Commissioners
of Railways forthwith, and the line will be opened
for traffic, it is expected, in about a week. The
Government Inspector of Railways took this oppor-
tunity of testing the merits of Mr. Mowbray's chemical
railway whistle—an invention designed to supply the
des deratum which has hitherto been felt of some effi-
cient means of cv-nrenni,,,tion between the guards and
the engine-driver of a train. A notice of the first trial
of Mr. Mowbray's invention appeared in this journal
last year (Sept. 18, 1846), when we described the inge-
nious and inexpensive process by which the whistle was
produced by the escape of the gas generated by the con-
tact of muriatic acid with marble. Since that period the
patentee has successfully laboured to perfect his inven-
tion, and among other improvements he has been enabled
to reduce the weight of the vessel to a very convenient
and portable size, and to the weight of about 301 b. The
guard has only to turn a stop cock, when he wishes to
signal the engine driver, and a shrill whistle is imme
diately.produced, which was yesterday heard upwards
of a mile distant by parties down the line. The new
whistle, which was placed on the last carriage of the
special train, was distinctly heard by Captain Simmons
and the other gentlemen on the locomotive, on every
occasion of its being sounded; and it is to be regretted
that on the return of the special train, when it had
to encounter a stiff head wind, and the apparatus was
placed upon the last of a long train of trucks, the cir-
cumstances being such as to test the efficacy of the in-
vention under the greatest disadvantages, the gas,
evolved from a limited quantity of muriatic acid and
marble, was all exhausted, from no fault or male fides on
ot the
thee powers part of the
of
h
patentee,
whistlewho on the
ha dmade
down
a too
journey. lavish
so
use
many accidents have occurred upon railways from the
twwlenetn the go fs
omeuacredrstaiannadndtheimennigediniaet.
immediate
engine-driver,
r communicationwh er e whereby
thelae
former may apprise the engine-driver of any accident -
the train, that we trust Mr. Mowbray's invention will be
to
found as successful as the experiments of yesterday, so
far as they went, were satisfactory. We are glad to
hear that Mr. P. Clarke has directed the new whistle to
be fairly tried upon the Brighton line, and to be placed
under the charge of a trustworthy guard for that pur-
pose.— 7 Imes.
CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE THAMES.—A smilers' match
has been determined upon, between Robert Coombes, of
Millbank, the champion of the Thames, and Robert
Newel, of Horselydown, who aspires to the honorary
distinction. The contest will be for 1001. a-side, 1.51.
th2e 9tshhoipf,
a-side of which has been deposited in the hands of the
stakeholder. Tne race is to take place on Wednesday,
the
September,
the,distance
to
with tide. It is to be a clear
right away contest, no fottlirig.