The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-30 00:00:00

LOSS OF LIFE AND ACCIDENTS FROM

THE FOG.

Yesterday a dense fog prevailed in the metropolis and
suburbs, in consequence of which several lives were lost,
and many persons 'sustained injuries. Travelling by
railway was attended with danger, and most of the river
steam-boats ceased to run. The fog continued during
the night. Several serious accidents took place on the
railways, and many persons in the streets received in-
juries from being knocked down and trampled upon by
the horses. About 10 o'clock last night a man carrying
a lighted flambeau was knocked down by a vehicle in
the Waterloo-road, and was much hurt. Serious acci-
dents took place on the London and South-Western
Railway. At Wimbledon a man named Houghton,
who bad been for some time employed as signalman, en-
deavoured to signal the 11 a.m. express down train, and
was in the act of crossing the metals, when the engine
of the train struck him on the lower part of the abdomen,
hurled him over the rails, and his body was then forced
a distance of at least 15 yards. The next fatal case was
that of a man named Watkins, who was employed at
the points near the Wandsworth station. He was
crossing the metals to display the signals,:and, not hear-
ing the train approaching, was knocked down and in-
stantly killed. The railway guards describe the fog as
having been more dense than for some years past. In-
deed, the prevalence of the fog led to a circumstance
probably unprecedented, several of the races at New-
market having been postponed in consequence of it.
There was a report last night that a clerk on the Great
Western Railway lost his life near Reading, from being
unable to see his way across the rails. In addition to
the loss of life caused by the fog, much damage was
done to the river craft by collisions. The engine of
the goods train on the North-Western Railway ran off
the line within a few miles north of Wolverton, tore up
' the rails, and intercepted the whole of the traffic. The
accident was accompanied by the deaths of the engine
driver and stoker. Fortunately none of the passengers
have sustained injury, although not less than seven trains
have been detained on their route. Serious apprehen-
sions were entertained for the safety of his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, who, it was alleged was
a passenger by one of the intercepted trains, but such
was not the case. About 2 o'clock this morning the
fog began to diminish.

The private letters from Paris yesterday were again of
a better character. Some rumours of large failures at
Lyons bad been positively contradicted, and the im-
pression was favourable as to the position of the Bank of
France.

A BAILIFF IN DIFFICULTY.—An alarming scene oc-
curred at Lyons on Saturday. As two gardes du com-
merce (bailiffs), who had arrested a young man for debt,
were conveying him in a cab to the debtors' prison, the
vehicle in the Rue imperials became jammed in between
two carts containing stone for building, and the spring
broke. The debtor, taking advantage of the confusion
which ensued, jumped from the cab and took to his
heels ; the two gardes du commerce ran after him as
fast as they could, but the cabman, thinking that the
three were swindlers, in his turn ran after the last two,
shouting out as loud as he could "Stop thief !" After a
long chase one of the guardes was captured, and a scene
of cross purposes ensued between him and the cabman
—the latter calling him a swindler and other opprobri-
ous names—the former spluttering out, as well as his
passion would let him, an explanation of who he was
and what had happened. The bystanders at length told
the garde du commerce that he might easily prove his
honesty by paying the man not only his fare but the da-
mage done to his cab, which he also claimed ; but it so
happened that the unfortunate officer had no money
about him. He was on the point of being hauled off to
prison amidst the jeers of the crowd, when his comrade
came up, and, confirming his tale, procured his release
by paying the cabman's demand. As to the debtor, he
got clear off.