The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-15 00:00:00

PREVENTION OF RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

IVe have much pleasure in calling the attention of
our readers to a most important invention, which is on
the ere of being made public, for the purpose of prevent-
ing the accidents which now attach to travelling on
railroads. The inventor has favoured us with an inspec-
tion of his plans ; and, as far as our judgment goes, an
adoption of his invention will effectually prevent the
recurrence of a large portion of those lamentable disas
ters which have of late engrossed so much of the public
attention. •

The inventor is Mr. George Thornton, of Wollingham
Lodge, Brighton, one of the contractors on the London
and Brighton Railway, who has recently obtained a'pa-
tent for his important projects. This patent embraces
a variety of points, to the principal of which we restrain
our present notice. The patentee proposes to connect
the engine with the train of carriages by means of a
rope from 50 to 70 yards long—the precise length to be
determined by experiment—so as to insure a certain space
between the carriages and the locomotive by which they
are drawn. This rope is to be attached to the train in
such a manner that self-acting breaks, which are to be
provided for the wheels of every carriage, will cease to act
as soon as the engine begins to draw, and so remain as
long as the rope is in a state of tension, exerting their force
immediately on the slackening of the rope. By this contri-
vance, in the event of a collision between two engines run-
ning in opposite directions, the breaks would exert their
whole force on the train, and stop it before it could possibly
come up with the engine. The same result would follow
the stoppage of an engine by any subsidence of the road,
an obstruction on the rails, or getting off the line ; and
had this invention been in use a fortnight ago, the unfor-
tunate accident in the Copyhold Cutting on our railway
would, in all probabilily, have been confined to the de-
struction of the engine. The locomotive, in fact, by this
contrivance becomes a pilot, giving notice of any danger
on the line, in time to prevent any injury to the train
and passengers. Another important advantage attend-
ing the use of the rope is, that the distance between the
engine and the train will preclude the possibility of light
goods catching fire from the sparks of the chimney,
through which several accidents have happened on the
Liverpool and other lines. We ought perhaps to mention
that the rope traction here described has been actually
used by Air. Thornton for several years in the exertions
of his various contracts on railways.
The second particular in the specification is one of
scarcelyinferior importance. Those acquainted with
the construction of stationary engines are aware that an
apparatus, termed " the regulator," of simple construc-
tion, is in use, for the purpose of preventing any undue
speed in the working. Mr. Thornton proposes to apply
this regulator to locomotives ; and the advantage of
this will be, that the Superintending Engineer will be
able to set any required limit to the speed of the en-
gine, so as to prevent an engine-driver, who may have
" lost time," from putting the lives of the passengers in
jeopardy, by endeavouring to make up, in a subsequent
part of the journey, for any previous accidental dimi-
nution of the regular speed. This apparatus is of such a
construction that the maximum speed of the engine may
be varied, if required, each journey, but in such a
manner as to be entirely independent of the skill or
caprice of the engine-driver.
the
thpeamtenatreaoref icmonpsriodveermabelnetsin
theTehnegointhee,ranpdoinstosnole of f
im-
portance, making the engine provide for some
carelessness
its own
wants, instead of leaving this to the care or
of the driver.
The Directors of the London and Brighten Railway
have, with a most praiseworthy alacrity,
.determined to
test the merits of the invention on their line imme-
diately ; and should the experiments prove satisfactory,
the patent will be immediately brought into use. The
first experiment will probably be made in the present
week, with the rope traction and self-acting breaks.
Mr. Thornton is now fitting up a locomotive in such a
manner as to combine the whole of the points connected
with the engine, in his specification, and it will very
shortly be ready for trial.

AN IMPERIAL PARTY.—A Vienna letter says
—" We have seldom had so many members of the Im-
perial family assembled here as at the present moment.
There are twenty-three Archdukes and Archduchesses
now at Wirt, and their Imperial Majesties have just
been joined by the Prince of

THE CLIMAX.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR JOHN RAE REID'S " PASSING CLOUD,"
AND THE " OLD DUKE'S PARADISE ;" THE
CORN-LAWS ; THE CHARTISTS ; AND.„THE
COMING STORM.
Be just and fear not,
Let all the ends thou aimest at, be thy country's,
Thy God's, and Truth's ; then, if thou fallest,
Thou fallest a blessed martyr.
SIR—We have, as every man with his eyes open,
must see, a great and eventful crisis before us ; not a
Tory crisis, or a 'Whig crisis, or a Chartist crisis, but a
crisis which is the produce of empty workshops, empty
cupboards, empty pockets, and empty stomachs—a crisis
which is the produce of scarce money and dear food,
or by low prices for labour, and high prices for food—a
crisis which is the produce of villainously enacted
laws, which prohibit or prevent the importation
of food, from the agricultural soil of foreign lands, in
exchange for the manufacturing produce of British
workshops— a crisis which is brought about by crippled
industry on the one hand, and a starved, and pauperized,
and degraded people, on the other—a crisis which is
produced by the tyranny, and oppression, and pride, and
avarice of the great landed and monied interests of the
country, on the one hand ; and by the supineness, and
lethargy, and divisions, and discords of the people—
the victimized and oppressed people of Great Britain—
on the other.

A measure, based on the principle of Universal Suf-
frage, has been put forth, as a means whereby the suf-
ferings of the nation may be impeded and alleviated.
We all know that one God created us ; we all know
that one ultimate fate awaits us ; and that we have all
yet to be borne to one earthly grave.
We all know, or ought to know, that unnecessary
or useless distinctions amongst men, were never medi-
tated or intended ; and that those distinctions ought
not to be countenanced by those who would follow His
righteous precepts.
With these considerations, I am of opinion that
every honest man, who is possessed of sense, and who
is above the age of twenty-one years, ought to have a
voice in making the laws which are to govern him.

But are those men sincere who would labour to con-
fer this, their right, on the people, at the present mo-
ment P If they are sincere, where is proof of their
sincerity ? Does it lie in their oft. repeated determina-
tion to resist to the utmost any union of the people?
Does it lie in their continual exhortations to the people
to wield violence, the force of arms, and the destruc-
tion of property ? Does it lie in their savage and
brutal desire to assassinate, and vilify, and destroy the
lives and reputations of the best friends of the people ?
Does it lie in their advising the people to arm them-
selves with " bludgeons and pikes, and torches and dag-
gers," and " pop-guns with long bores," and " bits of
cold lead," and " cold steel," and " lucifer matches at
the finger-ends?"

Does their sincerity lie in the continual vituperating,
and vilifying, and slandering the old and long-tried
friends of the people? Does it lie in a thousand other
faults which I could impute to them, if it were neces-
sary ? No, no !
Sincerity is unknown amongst them. All the sincere,
and rational, and thinking portion of their followers,
have abandoned, or are abandoning the ranks of the
unprincipled and designing faction, in di►gust and alarm.
Even granting that these men were sincere in their
advice to the people, what follows? Will a great—
even the greatest—Extension of the Suffrage, give relief
to the people's hunger, without the adoption of other
measures at the same time?

The millions, at the present time, are pining for want
of common sustenance.

The mother's bosom is dried with very grief; and
the offspring withers, unpitied and unnourished, into
an untimely and premature grave.
The workman, the manufacturer, and the merchant,
are alike destitute of trade, or regular employmnt.
Remunerating profits and wages are entirely unknown ;
levies, and rents, and taxes increase in number as
quickly as they increase in amount.
Working men, instead of being attired in a good
coat, and other necessary articles of clothing, are clad
and literally hung in rags and wretchedness, with their
shoes worn, from traversing so often the streets and
lanes in search of employment.
They are famishing for want of food in the midst of
plenty ; and when a statement of their wretched condi-
tion is laid before the humane, the enlightened, and
merciful aristocracy of England, what reply is made to
their sorrowful appeal?
Why, the starving and distracted millions are told to
their teeth that " there is no distress ;" that " they are
well off ;" that " there is no country on earth half so
happy as England ;" and that " working men, if they
are only industrious and honest, may not only obtain a
competency, but that they may likewise be enabled to
accumulate abundance of riches."

Here, then, I again repeat, is a people starving for
want of food—a people who are desirous of employ-
ment., but cannot find any which would render to them
honest wages, wherewith they may be enabled to pur-
chase food for themselves and families.

How is food to be obtained? How is money to be
obtained to purchase the food ? How is employment to
be obtained by which we may get the food and money ?
ATe these blessings to be obtained from the adoption
of the principle of Universal Suffrage, without the
adoption of other measures at the same time? Is this
the immediate remedy for the miseries of the people ?
No, no. The people require direct and instantaneous
relief from their sufferings. If a Chartist Parliament
were to assemble to-morrow, would the very choice of
such a Parliament tend to remove effectually the dis-
tresses of the people?
Would not other measures be required from that
Parliament to remedy such distresses ? And if so, what
are the measures sought to be proposed ?
The Chartist " leaders" tell us that the repeal of the
Corn-law will not benefit the people, and in this asser-
tion the ancient enemies of the people join them.
The " Chartist" pretends to cry for the Charter, and
the Tory is afraid that a repeal of the Corn-laws would
reduce workmen's wages ! Here is sympathy (Qu.),
here is patriotism (Qu.)!! here is Tory villainy and
slavish hypocrisy ! ! !
Why what ridiculous and contemptible ideas are
these. How long a period will the people have to bear
their present sufferings if they are doomed to await the
adoption of the principle of Universal &Page S' How
long are they to suffer before a Parliament, elected
under that measure may be assembled to consider the
necessary measures of relief for the people ? Why, good
Heavens the very thought of adopting such a mad
course is enough to sicken the hearts of all honest, up.
right, and straightforward Englishmen I
Why, if twenty Republican Senates were to assemble
to-morrow, what would be their worth if they did not
resolve on repealing the whole of the odious restric-
tions on the trade and commerce of the country?
Spies, and traitors, and madmen, may rage and foam
at the mouth—they may rant, and swear, and fight, and
vilify, and slander, and abuse ; but they will never
make poor men, who have not a crust to satisfy their
hunger, believe that their bellies will be filled by fight- 1
iog with daggers, and torches, and pikes, for a measure
which undoubtedly would be resisted on the other side,
by all the shell and chain-shot at Woolwich.
The repeal—immediate, entire, and unconditional—
of the Corn and Provision Laws, will render back into
the hands of the people plenty of employment, honest
wages, and cheap food : and, to secure this, it only re-
quires that the people should unite cordially and give
one powerful push, and the victory is theirs.
This measure once obtained by the united, and com-
bined, and powerful energies of the people, we shall,
even yet, again behold peace courting our shores ; and
plenty and happiness, with prosperity and contentment,
busily engaged in unfurling the dazzling and enchanted
banner of " Free Trade and interchange with all the
world."

Our hours will then be rendered happy and com-
fortable, our fire-sides will become cheerful, our chil-
dren—in place of being wretched and haggard, will
then become ruddy and playful, the drooping spirits of
our wives will revive, on beholding the little furniture,
which had been pledged to purchase food, restored to
its ancient place.
Thus we shall be prepared to demand our political
rights.
W hen the present object is thus attained, every man
must enter a solemn vow with his neighbour not to rest
satisfied until the whole people are represented in the
Commons House of Parliament.

Let us endeavour to render to our countrymen pros-
perity and happiness whilst the means be in our bands ;
when that is done, let us secure that prosperity and
happiness, by laws which will place the political power
of the nation into honest hands.
J. A. LANDER,
Secretary to the Birmingham Anti-Corn-law Association.

FARRINGDON WITHOUT. Yesterday a
Wardmote, at which Alderman Sir James Duke, M.P.,
presided, was holden in the Vestry-room of St. Sepul-
chre's Church, for the purpose of electing one Common
Councilman, in the room of William Andrew Beckwith,
deceased. The Wardmote having been opened in the
usual form, Mr. William Walker, of Farringdon-street,
wine merchant, was duly proposed and seconded, having
been returned to the Wardmote by the electors of the
precinct of Sepulchres as a fit and proper person to fill
the office of Common Councilman. It was then an-
nounced that Mr. Thomas Pearce, of Ludgate-hill,
lamp manufacturer, who had solicited the suffrages of
the electors, retired from the contest, and a show of
hands being taken Mr. Walker was declared duly elected.
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.—Govern-
meat are going to complete the improvements about
Buckingham Palace by taking down the houses from
Charlotte-street to James-street, including the Gun
Tavern. The White Horse livery-stables are already
closed for that purpose, and several of the houses. The
parish almshouses at the upper end of York-street are to
be removed. The Broadway chapel is already taken
down. Chapel-street and the south side of York-street
are to be removed to make room for the new street that
will pass through Emanuel Hospital into the Vauxhall-
bridge-road, to come out opposite the Standard public-
house. Those extensive gardens belonging to Emanuel
Hospital will be let to build upon, which will considera-
bly enrich this charity they cover more than twelve
acres of ground.