The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-26 00:00:00

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MMUNICATION
TAR 4 and ENGINE-if
AIN.
TO THE EDITOR OF TIM-04N. ..%-r.--tl--
~—Notwithstanding the many.? ticketifie at-
tempts that have been made to suggest something
practically useful upon the above important subject, I
am induced to communicate an idea that has occurred
to me since the late providential escape from collision
upon the Manchester and Liverpool Railway. A
train, on its passage from Liverpool to Birmingham,
on approaching the acute curve of the Warrington
Judging
ermi mischief junction, was observed by the switch keeper to be
coming at the rate of forty miles per hour, instead of
five or six, which is the speed ordered for that especial
andpart. prai
thro thaty certaindetermined
ned result of taking the turn with that speed, he promptly
toallo:v'ould be the
result
svvittc
to remain unturned, with the intention of signalising
the train back again. Accordinvlr, the train bolted
past towards Manchester at the rate of forty miles per
hour, and, in spire of his flags and signals, held on its
pace. The guard now saw that something was
wrong; but, as he had no other means of communi-
cating with the engine-driver, he scrambled ore:: the
tops of the carriages, at most imminent rink, till, at
length, on reaching the engine, he diseuvpred that
both engineer and stoker were under gross intoxica-
tion. So considerable a time, therefore, had elapsed
before he could arouse them to a sense of danger,
that they had reached Patricroft, and were upoi, the
point of running into a passenger train, which must
have been attended with great loss of life, when
matters were brought to a standstill.
The perusal, therefore, of the above account has
led me to the following reflection, as to a practical
and effectual means of enabling the guard of a pas-
senger train to hold an immediate control over the
steam valve of the engine, viz. :-1. Every carriage
top, on the right hand side, to be fitted up with two
small blocks. 2. Also a line, or chain, to be reaved
through these blocks, and to the length of the carriage
with spare chain, to meet the space between the car-
riages. 3. The end of each of these chains to be fur-
nished with a hook and eye, by which they can be
connected and disconnected at pleasure. 4. The
guard to ride upon the last carriage of the train,
which must always be fitted up with a small winch,
around which the end of the rope is coiled. 5. The
other end of the rope or chain, to be attached to the
handle or lever of the steam valve, AO contrived that,
when the guard turns his winch, the rope should
immediately withdraw the steam from the engine,
which would at once bring the train to a stand, as
well as apprise the engine-driver that there was some-
thing wrong.
In order to carry out the arrangements, the car-
riages must, at each main terminus, be so placed that
the line leads up or down one specific side; and, in
attaching or detaching carriages, each carriage carries
with it its own fittings in the same manner as it now
carries its connecting chains. The above method
would provide against the contingencies arising from
intoxication of the driver, sudden illness, accidents
by lightning, the engine-driver falling off, or aban-
doning the engine under the influence of suddea
danger, &c. In short, I humbly submit, that a quick
and entire shutting-off of the steam would be more
generally effective, in preventing accident', than any
expedient hitherto devised, and that, too, in the most
simple and economical manner.
MATTHIAS DUNN.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Jan. 6, 1848.
P.S. By fitting up both sides of the carriages, the
necessity for turning them at the termini will he
obviated ; by exhibiting a flag from the carriage-
window the guard could immediately operate.

SINGULAR DEATH IN A PRISON.
Yesterday evening Mr. Bedford held an inquest in
the Tothill-fields Prison on the body of Mrs. Hannah
Thomas, aged 45, a lady respectably connected, who
was committed from Bow-street, on Friday last, for
giving a servant a false character.
Ann Stone, a sub-warder, said, in answer to ques-
tions by the jury, that the cells were not heated with
pipes, but prisoner had two blankets and a rug. On
Sunday she made no complaint. At half-past seven
the next (Monday) morning witness found her lying
on the floor with her bed and bed-clothes. She spoke
to her, but she could not or would net get up. She
called Mrs. Anderson, another warder, and she was
raised up, but was apparently unable to stand ; they,
however, put her day clothes on.
The CORONER—What was that for ? Witnesa said
she did not know, but they did it.
The CORONER—Was no medical amsistanee sent for ?
Witness replied in the Legative, and said that she
went to breakfast; and on her return, at a quarter
past eight, the deceased was sitting in the corner
where they had left her, and talking to herself.
The CUROISUR—Did it tint oc-eur to you to send
for the surgeon ? Witness replied that she dil not,
for she thought she wee :hamming. At twenty
minutes past eight, on going to deceased, she appeared
dead, but by order of the matron she was put in a
warn.) bath ; and the doctor, having been apprised of
her illness, almost immediately attended, but when
taken out of the bath she was quite dead.
Mr. John Lavies, the surgeon of the prison, stated
that he saw the deceased on Saturday, not on ac-
count of any illness ; she complained of suffering, but
that she wished him to intercede with the magistrate
to revoke her sentence. She spoke of the disgrace
of being there, and cried very much. lie saw her
the next day, but she made no complaint. Mr. Laviea
then stated that he had opened the body, and found
about a pint of venous blood in the cavity of the chest,
which had come from the lungs and fully accounted
for the death.

After a lengthened investigation, in which the pro-
priety of visiting the cells in the night was suggested
by the coroner, and the governor of the prison having
stated that the wardens had no right to give an
opinion as to whether the prisoner shammed ill or not,
the jury returned a verdict that the "Deceased died
from natural causes."