The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-01 00:00:00

5 last months

of 1840 28 22 131 6,029.866
Year 1841 29 24 72 20,449,754

1842 10 5 14 21,358,445
1843 5 3 3 25,572,525
1844 34 10 74 30,363,052
6 first months

of 1845 15 2 30 16,720,550
The proportion which the number of passengers thus
killed or injured from causes beyond their own control,
bore to the whole number of passengers, was as follows :
Proportion of
Number of Pas- these to the whole
sengers killed number of Pas-
or injured. sengers.
5 last months of 1840 153, lin 39,410
Year 1841 96, 1 in 213,0i8
1842 19, 1 in 1,224,128
1843 6, 1 in 4,262,087
1844 84, 1 in 356,702
6 first months of 1845 32, lin 522,517
This table shows (taking it in round numbers), that of
every 40,000 persons who travelled by railway in 1840,
one was killed or injured. Many will yet remember the
alarm caused by the excessive frequency and frightful
character of the accidents then occurring weekly. But
after a high penalty had been paid in instantaneous
deaths and maimed limbs, for the lax system of manage-
ment then followed, self-interest awakened the railway
directors to a sense of their duty. Greater attention
and better regulations were introduced, and the number
of accidents rapidly diminished. From lin 39,000 in
1840, it had diminished in 1841 to 1 in 213,000; that is
it was five time less. In 1842 it had diminished to lin
1,224,000, or thirty times less than in 1840. In 1843 it
had diminished to 1 in 4,262,000, or one hundred times
less than in 1840! The remarkable security of railway
travelling in 1843 could not be produced by a miracle.
Who can doubt that if the same vigilance had continued
to be exerted the loss of life and limb would have been
maintained on the same small scale afterwards. So far
from this, however, it was twelve times greater in 1844;
and on the following half-year it was still eight times
greater than in 1843. In this as in many other practical
matters there is a rebound from one course of conduct
to another directly opposite. Extreme remissness mul-
tiplies accidents. Numerous accidents produce alarm.
Alarm leads to increased vigilance; and this in its turn
renders accidents rare, and induces false security, which
again gradually brings back rashness and negligence.
We are disappointed to find that the commissioners
have not attempted to give any rational explanation of
this enormous difference in the security of railway
travelling. Keeping records of every accident which
happens, having access to the working regulations of
every company, and being enabledsurel wtoaspuwt
within
nqutehreieirs
to delinquent parties,ho it
hap-
pened to be so
kind was evidently requisite to serve
Something of the sv
greater the
loss
in oynoef yearlife andth a than i another.
t
pao:erbatosisp
do not attend to such mat-
ofionrt out
much
deaths and injuries
mat-
ters ? The proportion of violentriofvtehdeyregulations. Of what use are
1 t of rules
the commissioniemrsp
informs ns that accidents arisingfrom .
the last
neglect
decthe report
and
s beenhazardous
peed advancingwe were
e
Sectsman.
eight months of 1845 than at any former period:
frequent in . ,

Preparations are being made at the baths of Kissen-
gen for the reception of the Emperor of Russia, who will
visit that Place after the marriage of his daughter, the Grand
Duchess Olga, which is to take place early in July. The
Empress of Russia has arrived at Saltzbourg, on her return
from Italy.
URAVI:sEND AND ROCHESTER RAILWAY.—The fol-
lowing are the traffic returns for the week endinki may 23 ;—l'ae•
feagero, 111329011 t r6e.4lYed 2001 NO LW
.