The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-10 00:00:00

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.--CHESTER, APRIL 7.

An inquest was held yesterday at Backford, near this city,
on the body of Thomas Jones, who was unhappily killed on
the previous Saturday night, while rambling on the Chester
and Birkenhead Railway. It appeared from the evidence
adduced, that the deceased (who was resident at Chester,
but who was in the employ of W. Cole, at Birkenhead, as a
joiner) took a second-class ticket at the latter place for this
city. He alighted at the Hootun station, and did not return
to the carriage. Another joiner of the name of Harding
also acted in a similar manner, and was left behind just as
the train was moving off. He asked permission to walk on
the line as far as Sutton, as the neat train would call there
and not at Hooton, but was refused ; he therefore went
across the fields, and continued his journey to Chester by
the mail-train, which he joined at Sutton. Of the deceased,
however, no more was then seen. When the mail-train,
which leaves Birkenhead at 15 minutes before nine o'clock in
the evening, arrived within a quarter of a mile of the Milling-
ton station, the fireman told the engine-driver that he had lust
seen a man, and that a hat had blown past the train_ Th.
.aarm whz...i.a Try. tOrtuOUlately SOtinaea, the engine was re-
versed, and the train stopped at the Millington station. The
night was very dark, and a heavy storm of sleet was falling
at the time. Information was given of the circumstance,
and the watcher and station-keeper immediately proceeded
to the spot, where they found the corpse of the unfortunate
man Jones most dreadfully mutilated. The train came on
to Chester, and on its arrival there Mr. Calligan, the super-
intendent, sent for a medical gentleman, whom he accom-
panied on an engine to the scene of the sad disaster. The
mangled remains of the poor fellow were then conveyed to a
farm in the neighbourhood to await the cOroner's investiga-
tion. As there was snow upon the ground the footsteps of
the deceased were tracked to the Blue Gate- bridge, which
is within a short distance of the place where the accident
occurred, so that he could not have been long on the line.
He appears to have been walking between the up-rails, and
with his face towards Birkenhead ; he would, therefore,
meet the train in full career, and his death must have been
instantaneous. A verdict of Accidental Death was returned.
POST-OFFICE CHARGES AT MADEIRA.—The following
is an extract of a letter received at Lloyd's, from their agent
at Madeira, dated March 21 :—" The Health Office fees are
now levied at the rate of 10s. per mast. Say,
health,three
of masts,
U.
108.; two masts, 11. if without a bill
an addi-
tional fee of 10 dollars, if coming from a clean port, and 15
dollars from an unhealthy port."
The Lancaster and Ulveston mail coach has ceased
running, and the bags arc now conveyed by a gig.
PETITIONS
FOR INCREASED SALARIES IN THE DIS-
TRICT POST-OFFICE.—The sub-sorters, stampers, and letter-
carriers of the London District Post, are preparing petitions
to the Postmaster-General for increased salaries, on the
ground of the great quantity of extra duty they have to per-
form. From the precedent established by the recent rise in
the scale of the General Post sub-sorters, it is probable that
his Lordship at the head of the establishment" will cause a
-eneral arrangement of tke salaries throughout the executive
department.
BOUNTY UPON ENLISTMENT IN THE ARHY.--Withill
the past twe or three weeks, the bounty paid to recruits upon
their enlisting in the infantry regiments has been raised from
3/. 17s. 6d. to 4/. The bounty upon enlistment into cavalry
regiments is now also raised, the sum paid being 5/. Formerly
the bounty paid by the infantry was 31., and by the
cavalry 4/.
GRANDSON OF SIR WALTER SCOTT.—MY. Walter
Scott Lockhart, son of Mr. J. G. Lockhart and grandson of
Sir 'Walter Scott, has been gazetted to a cornetcy in the 16th
Lancers' the regiment which contributed so much to our suc-
cess in the recent glorious victory of Aliwal.
FALL IN THE PRICE OF BREAD.—Yesterday the four-
pound loaf was reduced .to 6d. in the neighbourhood of
Drury-lane, and the New Cut, Lambeth, and other districts
in the ssetspolis.