The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-14 00:00:00

NEWTONVN AND- MACHYNLLETH.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was
held at Machynllcth on Friday, Mr. R. D. Jones in
the chair.

The report stated that the company had yet
nearly two years for the purchase of land and four
years-for the completion of the railway. Negotia-
tions had been entered into with contractors, and it
was hoped that by the next half-yearly meeting the
board would have come to an arrangement for the
commencement of the works. The Corris Tramway
Company had obtained a new act, authorising them
to complete their undertaking ; that line was in
course of formation, and when completed would
form a j unction with the Newtown and Machynlleth,
and be an important feeder to it.
The CHAIRMAN enlarged on the various topics
referred to
in the report, and moved its adoption,
which,
being seconded by Dr. EVANS, was unani-
mously agreed to.
The SECRETARY (Mr. D. Howell) mentioned that
steps had been taken to obtain payment of arrears
of calls, on which interest would be charged.
The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to
the chairman.

THE CATASTROPHE ON THE OXFORD
RAILWAY.

Mr. A. C. Sheriff, general manager ; Mr. Wilson,
engineer ; Mr. Hurry, another officer of the line,
were engaged from an early hour yesterday morn-
ing, in experimenting between Round Oak and
Brettel-lane stations, with a view to ascertain the
uawould experience in
carriagesstop-
and a van, in the event
away from others at the former
op fig
difficultiesntheirat
b.strain n
breaking
ahoka
fit
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g 7
station, and running down the incline towards
Brettel-lane. The carriages were laden each with
22 cwt. of iron, 5 cwt. each more than the weight
which Capt. Tyler, the government inspector, com-
puted would be equal to the weight of the, passen-
gers who were in the part of the train that broke
away on the night of Aug. 23, when that dreadful
accident occurred which occasioned the experiment.
The number of tickets issued by the company for
the train to which the calamity happened was 1,500,
adults and juveniles together. Basing his calcula-
tions upon a proportion of these leaving the train
at the preceding stations, the government inspector
set down as the weight in each carriage 17 cwt.,
and with that weight made his recent experiments
on the same piece of line.
On the last day of the inquiry before the coroner,
the guard Cook, who was in the part of the train
that broke away, deposed that at one time, when
the train was receding at the rate of four miles an
hour, he applied his break, and succeeded in nearly
stopping the train. Yesterday the train came into
the Round Oak station with the breaks on, as is
usual on approaching a -station -at which it is in-
tended to stop. The engine was then uncoupled,
and the train allowed to recede, till it had attained
the speed of, three miles an hour, the break was
then applied, and the train was stopped in 11 yards;
again, going at the rate of 31 miles an hour, the
break brought it up in 33 yards; a speed of 51
miles attained, and the train receded 234 yards be-
fore it could be stopped ; a return again to 3',- miles
an hour, and the carriages ran back 65 yards before
they could be stopped. All this time the same num-
ber of persons was in the guard's van as was there
when the breakage took place ; and, although there
was a second class break in the train, yet only the
break in the guard's van was used.
Later in the day the jury were invited to witness
the experiments—in fact, for the information of
those gentlemen the experiments were determined
upon. The Rev. Mr. Bayley (Baptist minister),
the foreman, and about six others of the panel,
witnessed similar experiments. The foreman and
others rode in the guard's van, and watched the
application of the break ; others superintended the
measuring of the distance that the train ran ; whilst
another rode in the second' class break to see that
that was not used in stopping the carriages.
The following were the results of the second ex-
perimentS. Running at
21 miles an hour, stopped at • 101 yards. •
~ 57
1 1
~12
4 5162
~ ~ ft
1
66 y, ff
61
101
ft ft
Again a speed of 6 miles an hour was obtained ; the
guard applied his break, got out of his van, and
threw a " sprag," or pointed baulk of timber be-
tween the spokes of one of the wheels and stopped
the train in 70 yards. The regulations of the com-
pany require the guards to carry a good supply of
these sprags with them. Another start, again a
speed of six miles reached. Once more the guard
applies his break, and then runs to the second class
break, applies that also, and brings up his train in
61 yards. The disadvantages of the rails being hot
from a strong noon-day sun were supposed to ba-
lance their being a little damp on the night of the
accident.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, MONDAY MORNING.
GALWAY AND AMERICA.

According to the Galway Vindicator of Saturday
the success of the Lever line of packets is even
more than an accomplished fact. In proof the fol-
lowing circumstances are mentioned in connectien
with the sailing of the Prince Albert, which is
destined to make her second outward trip across
the Atlantic on Tuesday next :
" Every berth on board the Prince Albert is en-
gaged—first, second, and third class ; and orders
were yesterday issued to the agents at the different
localities to enter no more passengers, just to pre-
vent disappointment. There is to-day in Galway
awaiting shipment by the vessels of the line more
than twice as much as can be carried in the vessel
for next week, and we may state that such arrange-
ments are being made by Mr. Lever for putting
additional vessels on the line as will obviate any
inconvenience or disappointment for the future.
We speak of these things not in a mere boastful
character, but as facts of great significance. To-day
we had an opportunity of looking over the book
which registers the goods received for shipment to
America at' the Galway terminus of the Midland
Great Western Railway, Every day, and by every
train since Monday, large consignments of goods
have been received from almost every manufactur-
ing district of England, Ireland, and Scotland.
Take, for instance, on Wednesday, the Bth, there
appeared on the goods list of the early train the
following entry :-26 hhds. of porter, to Hubert
and Parish, New York; City of Dublin Steam-
packet Company, to W. I. Butler, 48 cases goods ;
Jones, to ditto, 26 boxes of linen. By next day's
train there arrived, addressed. Jones to Butler, 61
boxes of linen ; 66 boxes of linen • 7 cases of mus-
lin ; 12 bales of prints. In making mention of
these we do not, of course, pretend to enumerate
all the miscellaneous articles intended for exporta-
tion. This morning Captain Waters received a
communication from Mr. Lever, requesting to know
whether it would be possible to fit up additional
accommodation for the number of first and second
class passengers who were offering ; but, on con-
sultation with Captain Thompson, R.N., the man-
aging marine director of the line, who is in Galway
at present, and actively assisting in the fitting out
of the Prince Albert, he thought it better to advise
that no more passengers should be taken than what
the ship was prepared to carry according to her
ordinary complement. In the propriety of this
arrangement we entirely concur, as it is best to study
the comfort and convenience of the passengers
already entered rather than grasp at too many.
A ship from Liverpool, the Ballot, bringing a cargo
of the primest steam coal to Mr. W. Evans, our en-
terprising fellow-citizen, arrived in the harbour.
Her anchor. was scarcely dropped when the cargo
was purchased by the agent of Mr. Lever, Mr. W.
H. Butler, and the vessel was hauled alongside the
Prince Albert and the coals shipped for her out-
ward voyage. Yesterday Captain Waters and Cap-
tain Thompson were engaged in seeing to the ship-
ment of water and stores in abundant supply ; and
it is now certain that when the Blue Peter is
hoisted at the fore on the afternoon of Tuesday next,
the Prince Albert will be in as good trim, as well
filled, as well found, and as well regulated, in every
respect, as any first-class ship that ever crossed the
Atlantic from the shores of Great Britain."

IRISH BANK RETURNS.
The last bank returns exhibit a falling off in the
circulation as compared with last month, of
£84,445. In the preceding four weeks there was a
diminution of £97,696, and in the month ending on
the 3d of July a decline of £260,599, so that on the
quarter the decrease is under half a-million. Last
year the decline in the same three months was
£700,000. The falling off on the month is alto-
gether between the Bank of. Ireland and the Na-
tional Bank. The Provincial and Ulster Banks have
each slightly increased their issues, and the other
banks present no alteration. In the amount of coin
held there is, on the month, an increase from
£2,384,027 to £2,391,694.
The following figures will show the position of
the Irish banks in the aggregate now and at the
same period of last year :
Four weeks ending Average Circulation. Average Coin held.
Aug. 29, 1857 £6,224,810 £2,245,415
„ 28, 1858 5,664,962 2,391,698

From the foregoing returns it follows that the
Irish banks are now £689,632 below the sum autho-
rised by certificate, and taking into account the coin
held, the amount is £3,081,226 below that allowed
by law. The Bank of Ireland and the Provincial
and Northern Banks are under their fixed issue.
The National, Ulster, and Belfast Banks are
above it.