The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-08 00:00:00

LO_N TCEsDAY MORNING SUN,

0 THE ELECTORS OF MARYLEB3NE,

GENTLEUEti,
A. •• 0,-o:aim, a Parliament will shortly tAze
S,a,,ce, and several Cailditi,lteff :re already in the field, for the
trurp_,s<~oh Ali tt the vacancy occasioned by the retirement of toy
Gaila ;t Colleague, it het:owes my duty to inform you that I shall
agave solicit your suffrages, and asp•re to the honour of representing
you in the ensuing Parliament
Prf.vious to the dissolation I shall have the pleasure of seeing you
at public meets ge hi the several distrsicts of
the
or bosuprougport wh, wileo
hich
I
trust I may receive f:oin you those asuraces
w.ll place ine in the same positi.m on the day of pulling that I have
occupied at each of the preceding election.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your much obliged and faithful servant.
B. HALL.

St. Jaittc,s'i-place, June 5, 1847

ALE OF 01,1) S roitEs A.T GOSPORT.
ADMIRALTY, SOMERSET-PLACE, JuNE 4, 1847
The CO NIMISSIONERS for .Exeetaing the (Mice of LORD 111C111
ADMIRAL of the UNITED KINGDONI of GREAT BRITAIN and
IRELAND, do hereby give notice, that on THUIISDAY, the 17th in-
hit .it, at Twelve o'clock at Noon, the Captain-Superintendant will
put up to Sale in the Royal Clarence Victuallin Yard at Gosport,
several Lots of OLD STOR S; consisting o! SERVICEABLE
,!EADING, BISCUIT
TONGUES, OLD PROVISIONS, STAVES,
BAGS, RELIGIOUS BOOKS, &c., &C., &c., all lying in the said
Yard.
Persons wishing to clew the Lots must apply to the Superintendent
for Notes of Admissi .n for that purpose.
Catalogues and Conditions of Sale maybe had here and at the
Yard.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 6.—On Friday night a special
in, sst naer cam, down to this pert from her Majesty the
Qu Dawa,crer, corvaying a letter for his Serene High-
ness Peince Henry of Hesselberta who was on board the
Danish corvette Flora, (;a.plain'Ellbrecht, which passed
through ;pithead on Thursday morning, and anchored
at Cowes. Her Majesty had heard his Serene Highness
was on baar-i the corvette, and had immediately sent
the above messenger to invite and conduct him to her
Maesta's residence, nirlborough-house. The mes-
seeger arrived at this port at half past ten P.M., and was
immediately conducted to Sir Charles Ogle, the Com
matidt r•in-Chief, who ordered t:.e rtle steam-tender,
Acting Master• Commander Balliston, to take him to
Cowes immediately. embark Prince Henry, and convey
hie.) to Southampton, %hence he would proceed to Lon-
don by the South- Western Railway. On arriving at
Cowes, however, the carvette had sailed at three o'clock
on Friday morning for the Mediterranean.
Orders were received yesterday for the Terrible
steam-frigate, Captain Ramsay, to prepara for sea imme-
diately, and be ready to peoceeti for Lisbon on the ar-
rival of the dispatches, for the further expediting
which a boat was ordered to be in waiting at the Cla-
rence Victualling-yard; all letters, packages, and su-
pernumeraries for ihe squadron were aecor_iingly put on
board of her, and she got her steam up early in the
evening. The messenger from the Foreign-office beat
ing the dispatches did not arrive, however, till 12.30
A.M. on Sunday by the mail train, and it was conse-
quently nearly 2 A.M. when he left the dockyard. 'aisle
steamer sailed this morning sit 4, going through the
Needle's passage.
The Frolic, 16, Commander C. B. Hamilton, was off
the Lizard at nine A.M. on Friday morning ; she had on
board upwards of a million and a half of dollars. She is
expected at Spitheed hourly.
The Growler steam sloop, Commander J. M. Potbury,
sailed on Friday evening tor Plymouth, whence she will
proceed to the coast of Africa.
The Joseph Sotnes, convict ship, sailed at the same
time with prisoners for Van Diemen's Land.
The Seaflower cutter, Commauder H. Damaresq,
sailed yesterday morning for Brighton, to protect the
fishery.
The Acheron steam-vessel, Lieut.-Commander A. R.
Dunlop, arrived this morning from Cork. She has been
employed as one of the relief squadron.
The Scourge steam-sloop, Commander J. Caffin, went
outside the Nab Light yesterday to try the effects of firing
20 shells from her 13-inch mortar. temporarily fitted on
the plan of Lieut. J. Robers, R.M. The result was
highly approved of. Captain Chads, C. 8., of the Excel-
lent, and a number of other officers, both naval and mili-
tary, were on board.
The following are the promotions and appointments
for the past week:—

pumps choked and in great Ilistress lat. 46.50
N., lon. 8.40
W.-25th Oct., 1847." (Query 18,46?)
SLIGO, JuNS 2.—Arrd. Walpole, Brown, New York. Sld.
Wonder, Quebec.
PLYMOUTH, JUNE 6.—Wind variable.—Arrd. H.D.
Flora, on a crui,e. Off port, Tudor, Say, Calcutta.
DEAL, JUNE 6.—The Glenlyon, Hodgson, from Singapore,
arrived in the Downs, lost sails, bulwarks,
gate off the Western IslanclP.
BRISTOL, JUNE 4.—The Selina, of Aberystwith, is be-
neaped on the mud, entrance of the river. Sec., in a heavy

FRIGHTFUL COLLISION ON THE
LON DON AND NOR WESTERN RAIL-
WAY.
WOLVERTON, SUNDAY.—Last night one of the most
alarming arid fatal accidents that ever occurred on the
line of the London and North-Western Railway took
place within a short distance of the Wolverton station.
The down mail train for Liverpool, consisting of 19
carriages of various descriptions, started at its appoappointedtime, a quarter before nine o'clock last evening (Satur-
day) from the Euston:square terminus, and was due at
Wolverton at 15 minutes before 11. The train was
heard approaching the Wolverton-station at its proper
time, and was properly signalled by Police-constable
Fossey, who was stationsd at the bridge between 600 and
700 yards on the London side of the station. The signal
indicating that all was right for the train to enter the
station was hoisted at the latter place, but to the asto-
nishment of the officers at the station the train turned off
into a siding instead of coming onward down the main
line, and in an instant after a fearful crash was heard.
On the superintendent reaching the spot a shocking
scene presented itself. The mail train had entered the
siding commencing near the bridge, usually appropriated
to coal and merchandise waggons, and had come into
collision with five or six waggons laden with coal. The
fifth and six attiring*. of the mail train were literally
smashed to pieces, and were strewed about the line.to-
gether with the passengers they had contained ;
lst,
singular to relate, the engine and tender and all the
other carriages in front of them, which consisted of the
Liverpool and Manchester parcels' vans of the second-
class carriages, were, with the exception that the engine
had its buffers and plant somewhat broken, compara-
tively uninjured.
The consternation amongst the passengers at this mo-
ment was frightful in the extreme, and some were ob-
served rushing from the broken carriages with blood
streaming from their faces ; and the groans uttered by
those unfortunate persons who were unable from the
severe injuries they had sustained to extricate them-
selves from the fragments by which they were sur-
rounded were truly appalling. As soon as the conster-
nation created by the first shock had somewhat subsided,
all the energies of the company's officers, and the more
fortunate of the passengers were directed to the assist-
ance of the sufferers, and body after body, apparently in
a lifeless condition, was removed from the line to one of
the ante- rooms of the Wolverton station, where they
were at once attended by Mr. Rogers, surgeon, of
Wolverton, in the employ of the company, and by the
other medical gentlemen who happened to be in the
train at the time of the collision. We regret to state,
that no less a number than seven persons, who were in
the sixth second-class carriage, were found either in a
dead or dying condition, scarcely half an hour having
elapsed from the time of the occurrence before they had
all ceased to exist. The most singular circumstance,
however, connected with the deaths of these unfortunate
persons is the appearance of their bodies, so unusual in
cases of railway collision. With the exception of a few
slight scratches and bruises, none of the bodies (which
are those of seven male persons of various ages) ex-
hibit crushing of bones, and other marks of violence.
Scarcely any blot) is to be seen about them, and they are
all believed to have died from the same cause, namely,
concussion, resulting from the suddenness and violence of
the shock.
Amongst the passengers injured is a gentleman named
Turner, residing in Staffordshire, who received several
severe cuts about the head and face, but who was yester-
day reported to be going on favourably. Another
gentleman had one or two of his ribs fractured, and six
or seven others are stated to be more or less injured, but
were enabled to proceed to their destinations as soon as
the train was got ready to forward them, after having
received proper medical attention.
As soon as possible atter the sufferers had been at-
tended to, and the broken carriages removed from the
main line, an investigation was made into the circum-
stances which had led to so frightful and fatal a calamity.
It was stated that at the Wolverton station the points
are always kept straight with the main line, and they
require to be altered to allow a train to enter the siding.
It appears that the constable Fossey, after having given
the signal for the arrival of the mail train, ran from the
bridge, where be was stationed. to the points of the
siding, about forty or fifty yards, and hell them back,
so that the mail train passed on to the siding instead
of passing onward down the main line. This was not
discovered by the engine-driver until he had
passed the points a considerable distance, when
seeing the danger he instantly applied the breaks,
turned off his ,`steam, and reversed his engine,
and then both he''and the firemen jumped off on
to the embankment, and thus in all probability
saved their lives. The train was at this moment going,
it is stated, at a rate not exceeding ten miles an hour. On
the constable Fossey being interrogated as to the causes
which led him, after signalling the arrival of the mail
train, to run down the line for the purpose of turning it
on to the siding, the Only explanation which he af-
forded was, that he afterwards thought it was not the mail
train, but a luggage train, and he did so for the purpose
of securing its safety. This statement, however, being
very much doubted, the man having been empl eyed by
the company at his present duty six months, the super-
intendent of the Wolverton station felt it his duty imme-
diately to give him into custody.
Immediately after the mail train,. which was detained
nearly two hours by the unfortunate occurrence, had
been dispatched on its journey, a special engine was
started off to London with the melancholy news to the
directors, and other high officials connected with the
railway, and Captain Eluish, the general manager of the
line. Mr. Bruyeres, the superintendent, Mr. Creed,
the secretary, and-some of the directors, arrived at
Wolverton yesterday by the mail train for the purpose
of pursuing an investigation and ascertaining who were
the sufferers. This was found extremely difficult; but
from the cards and other evidence discovered on the
persons of the deceased parties their names are supposed
to be as follow:
J. B. Ratteray, belonging to an iron foundry at Dun-
dee; Mdler, secretary of a Lon Ragged-school;
James Clifton, supposed to be irom Coventry; T. Mac-
kinson, a collegian of Cambridge; T. Shenott and
Cooper, not known where belonging to. The seventh
London
is the body of a respectably attired yoang man, but who
had nothing upon him to lead to identity. All the
deceased persons are attired in the most respectable

manner.
The bodies were removed to an outhouse at the Wo.
verton station, where they now lie awaiting a coroner's
inquest, which, in consequence of the distance to send
information to the coroner f; :r Northamptonshire, can-
not possibly be held before Tuesday.
The following official report of the occurrence was
furnished to the reporter by Captain Huish, general
manager of the line, after the investigation by the rail-
way authoriqes, this day (Sunday):—
" OFFICIAL REPORT.
" It appears that the 8 45 P.m. down mail train on
Saturday, the sth of June, left London at the usual time,
and passed safely till within sight of the Wolverton
station. At the bridge, which is distant from the en-
trance to the station about 600 yards, a siding com-
mences, into which coal and merchandise trains are
passed. The train arrived precisely at its proper time,
the steam was shut off before reaching the bridge, and
the guards were at their post. The policeman at the
bridge gave the usual signal of the arrival of the mail,
and the signal was acknowledged and repeated from the
station. At this time the points were right, and every-
thing in proper order for the entrance of the train into
the station.
" From some cause, yet to be explained, the signal-
man appears to have gone to the points, a distance of
forty or fifty paces, and to have turned the train into
the siding. On. finding himself off the main line and
going into a siding usually full of goods, the engineman
reversed his engine, and walked the wheels backwards.
The break of the tender which locks all the six wheels
was applied, and the guards used their breaks. The
The leading carriage was the e
train, which was composed of nineteen carriages of
various kinds, after running a considerable distance into
the siding, struck a waggon of coals which, with four or
five others, was standing there. The engineman and
fireman were unhurt, andthebuffer plank of the engine
on
wasdamagedan T
dthesecond the Manchester parcel
Liver-
pool ly
parcel van,
van : both are uninjured. The next was a second-
class carriage, also uninjured, and the passengers unhurt.
Following this was.another second-class carriage • the
fifth from the engine s. econdclass also. 'This
carriage appears to have
.been lightly loaded, and from
the momentum of the train an.d. reaction of the buffers
of the leading carriages, was lifted up on its end. The
next carriage was a second-class also, being the sixth
from the engine, and on this the lamentable effect of the
concussion was felt in the deaths of seven male persons.
T
injuries appear to have resulted entirely
from the iron work of the under framing. The carriage
itself is broken to pieces, and, although the leading car-
riages show marks of the collision, with the exception
of the parcel vans, the whole mischief appears to have
andcauph,e
rritahgee was forced under the one which was lifted
fallen on the tifth and sixth carriages.
alt would be improper to anticipate the evidence
before it is officially given, but from all we can learn the
accident arises entirely and solely from the pointman
turning the train off the main line. It is not an act of
omission of duty, because the points are always right
for the main line, and require holding back to enable a
train to enter the siding. The man is in custody.
" In a collision attended with so fearful a loss of lire
it might be expected that many passengers would be in-
jured, but we are happy to say this is not the case. One
gentleman
had a rib injured, and two others were much
snaken, but with these exceptions we do not learn that
any passengers were seriously hurt."
SUNDAY
SUNDAY NIGHT.
In London, throughout the day, n consequence of a
rumour extensively circulated, that forty lives had been
thee' the applications at the Euston•sqnarp
truth of the rumour were most inces-
left hot night by the
Isteoeurstuzuinpn the
to
eisci pszeltfiiieJ
whosefriends