The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-04 00:00:00

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

GREAT NORTHERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for the
week ending Jan. 24, 1853 i%2,944 1 9
Corresponding week last year 21,916 4 10
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAlLWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Jan. 31, 1858 E 19,545 0 0
Corresponding week last year
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—TratE c
return for the week ending Jan. 31, 1858
21987120
(?0
000
Corresponding week last year
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return fcr
the week ending Jan. 31, 1858
Corresponding week last year 1,461 0 0

DrsoovxßT OP A NEW ISLAND.—The missionary brig
John Wesley, which arrived here on Thursday, after a
protracted voyage in Central Polynesia, reports the
discovery of a new island of volcanic origin. The
following is an extract from the log as to this discovery:
—" August 6, sighted an island lately thrown up by
volcanic origin ; it is situated in lat. 19.15 S., long.
155 E. ; on 27th, sounded round the island, but found
no bottom at 45 fathoms ; the island was on fire all
over; shoal water was found on S.S.W. side, but th,
land was steep on N. and W. sides."— Sydney Herald,
FATAL ACCIDINT ON BOARD THE LEVIATHAv.—
Yesteiday aiternoon, Mr. W. Baker, jun., the deputy-
coroner for Eat Middlesex, held an inquest at the Bee
give Tavern, George-street, Bromley, touching the
death of Lewis Barker, aged 36 years. On the previous
Wednesday, about half-past 4 o'clock, the deceased,
who was a labourer, was at work on board the Lel iathan,
then half launched ; he was standing upon EO,IIC plank-
ing extending from beam to beam, when he suddenly fell
from a height of about 14 feet, and struck -his head
against a piece of round wood. Blood issued from a
wound on the right side of the head. He was conveyed
to the Poplar Hospital, and afterwards to his home.
where he died on Thorsday last from concussion of the
brain. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death
'horn A fall OIL board the eteara-ship Leviathan,

iE INCREASE OF CAVALRY. —Tile
Oc4;.tte. of Tiles_day - Val notifict.l-
atiLia,E ct:crini loof
all who- feel inter-este-1 niattel.e. IL is
t
Car:isl‘..) koatalio,'Wer-oflico., • folloxs : •
f‘- Feb. 1.
4i My Lords—l ain commanded by the Q.ucill info:m
you that, on the occasion- at rahing two additional regi.
ments of cavalry, her Majesty has heck graeiougly
pleased to direct that the order by -which the sth
Dragoons were struck out of the list of her Majesty'*
forces in 1799 shall be cancelled. I have the honour to
transmit for your lordship's information a copy of the
in* the medium of
express my great satisfaction at be
ilnetgt_einr_wchhiicehf lonhavteheadsdurbeiseseet, taontratGetnhedralsameeomtimmaeutdo-
lMoradjseshitpil:
favourcji,uuh tlivchea ettri
molt obedient, humble servant,
bn
people
ehtoaop
ulyeocuourf thise
1)1 gracious
dm.
y l actrd ofy herur

" PANMURE.
"Ilia Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.''

"Copy of a Letter aldressed to the Secretary of State
for War to his Royal Highness the General Command-
ing-in-Chief, dated

" War-office, Feb. 1.
" Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint your Royal
Highness that her Majesty's Government have decided
that two additional cavalry regiments shall be raised
forthwith to meet the exigencies of her Majesty's service.
Before this occasion the Queen has been graciously
pleased to command that the order by which the sth
Dragoons were struck out of the lis, of her Majesty's
forces in 1799 shall be cancelled. The Queen is desirous
of thus wiping away an unfortunate event now long
gone by, and which it is time to consign to oblivion ;
and her Majesty wishes by this gracious act to give a
public testimony of her sense of the loyalty and
attachment of her Irish people. When your Royal
Highness therofcre takes her Majesty's pleasure upon
this increase to the army you wilt suggest to her
Majesty that the denomination of the two new regiments
shall be the sth Royal Irish Regiment of Dragoons and
the nth Dragoons. In communicating to the army the
restoration of the sth Dragoons to its place among the
cavalry regiments of the line, her Majesty's Government
trusts that your Royal Highness will duly impress upon
the Queen's forces this act "of her Majesty's grace and
favour.
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
" Your Royal Highness's most obedient,
humble servant,
" PANMURE."
The 18th Light Dragoons (Hussars) were dis-
banded in 1821, after a brilliant career in the
Peninsula and at Waterloo. It was also an Irish
regiment-, and was long known by the familiar
name of Lord Drogheda's Light Horse, the regi-
ment having bean raised by the late venerable
Marquis of Drogheda, who did not long survive
the breaking up of his favourite corps. Many days,
it may be safely predicted, will not pass over before
men will be found to itecreit the ranks of the two
new regiments of Irish Dragoons. General the
Hon. Henry Murray, the present colonel-in-chief
of the 14th Light Dragoons, was lieutenant-colonel
commanding the 18th Hussars at the period of their
di,baudment. The late Marquis of Londonderry
commanded the old 5:11 Dragoons when they were
broken up nearly 60 years ago. The sth and the
SccOs Grays were the only cavalry regiments who
were permitted to wear the bearskin cap as a dis-
tiatushin„o head-drts4, the latter still retaining the
uncomfortable honour.

The caulkers are busily employed in caulking the
large screw steamer Hero, 91, at Chatham dock-
yard, the Admiralty having given orders that she
is to be brought forward for launching with all
despatch.

The Marlborough, 191, new screw three-decker,
was commissioned at Portsmouth on Tuesday after-
noon IT Capt. Lord F. H. Kerr, late of the Water-
loo, for the flag of Vice-Admiral of the White,
Arthur Fanshawe, C. 8., appointed to succeed Ad-
miral Lord Lybn, G. C. 8., as Commander-in-Chief
on the Mediterranean Station. The Marlborough
will have a complement of ofliceraand Men amount-
ing to 1,100 ; she has been taken in hand, and will
be got to sea with as much expedition as the wea-
ther will admit of. Admiral Fanshawe is expected
daily at Portsmouth to hoist his flag.
The Conway, 14, Capt. John M'N. Boyd, which
has been engaged in the Coastguard aervice at
Queenstown, arrived on Monday at Plymouth, and
on Tuesday was towed from the Sound into
Hamoaze.

The frigate Amphitrite, 24, Capt. E. Tatham,
which has been engaged in the Coastguard service
at Milford Haven, arrived at Plymouth on Tuesday
and was towed to the inner harbour.
The screw steam-vessel Lynx, 4, Lieu`.-Corn.
mender IL Berkwley, went from Plymouth Sound
on Tuesday into Hamoaze.

The Terrible steam frigate has been put out of
No. 1 dry dock at Sheerness, and remains in the
fitting basin to complete her fitment for immediate
ervice.

The Royal George, 102, is ordered to be put out
of the fitting basin, being ready for the pendant.
The Russell, GO guns, at Sheerness, senior officer
in command Lieut. C. D. Robinson, is progressing
rapidly with her fitment. Mr. James T. Davis,
master, on Monday took up his commission, joined,
and superseded Mr. James Bodie, the latter being
appointed to the Marlborough, 131, screw steam-
ship, being fitted at Portsmouth for the Mediter-
ranean.

The following appointments were made yestArday
at the Admiralty
ugtag Cu d‘;.,. uorer Thos.
H. Taylor, assistant surgeon, to the Cumberland ;
and Edward B. Broster, acting assistant-surgeon,
to the Cambridge.

THE BOILER EXPLOSION O! THE LLINELLY
AND LLANDILO RAILWAY.

SWANSEA, TUESDAY, FEB. 2.

We are now enable to present our readers with more
detailed particulars of the lamentable catastrophe which
occurred at the Panty ffnon Station on Friday last,
whereby three persons were killed and about 12 or 14
others injured. Those killed are—John Morgan, aged
15, residing at Llangefelach; John Harrij, aged 15, of
Llanedy ; and David Davies, aged 18, of Parcyz hynfaoh.

The explosion is described by all who witnessed or
heard it as most terrific, the report being louder than
the loudest piece of artillery, whilst to give some idea of
the force of the explosion, we may state that the dome of
the engine, which is called the Victoria, .and a piece
attached (weighing between. 7 and S cwts.), was pitched
a distance of from 130 to 150 yards, over to the other
bank of the river. The fore part of the engine was forded
over on the tender, and it was here that the unfortunate
wan Davies was found, almost literally jammed to
pieces.
The right leg of Harris (who was standing on
the platform of the station at the time) was found lying
on the platform, but the body was found on the other
side of the line, with the head almost severed off, and
only held by one or two slight ligaments. Morgan (who
was also standing on the platform) was found lying dead
in afield 60 yards distant, one side of his face and head
being ripped completely off.
The official inquiry as to the cancau>e of the accident was
opened at the Pantyffuon Station yci terday, before Mr.
W. Bonville, Esq., coroner for the district. From the •
evidence, it appeared that the Victoria was generally
used as a ballast engine, and that on the day of the
accident it had to take six trucks.from the Panty nos '
Station to the lime kilns at Cilryohar. Being found
however, to be of insufficient strength for that purpose,
it was exchanged for the Princess Ro.ial engine which •
was to have taken up the passenger train, and while .
waiting for the latter the boiler of the Victoria suddenly
burst and caused the injuries above mentioned. The
engine was stationary at the time, and when examined
a few minutes before, the steam was net up to the
highest pitch of pressure. Among the witnesses as to
the previous condition of the boiler was—
William Cadwallader, of Garnant, engine-driver on
siere rail.
He i lte a did
es
s
the Llanelly and Llandilo Railway—He stated that he
had been engine-driver on the line for the past 18 or 20
years. He had been the driver of the Victoria for the
most part of the time she
repaired
been
from ever
since.
to l
30 times
on th
not know whether the boiler which burst was the same
tbihoneicleebrohwielehhriacdthotbltheeeanvedVictoriabeen
ung had
had
her. Be did not know from
20 knew
what cause the boiler burst, but tke safetY .yalv es (Sal.
ter's patent) were on the engine, togetherwithSmitk's
patent steam gauge ; also, water-gauge and water-cooks
—the cocks were neatly new. The Victoria and Albert
were the first engines on the Llanelly and Cwmamman
Railway. He had not known the boiler of the Victoria
to be exchanged and another put in its place since he
had been engine-driver to her. He did not know whe-
ther it was the same boiler which had been repaired so
often. The last time the boiler was repaired was about
eix months ago. The engine had been in constant Ilse
ever since for ballasting purposes. The Victoria engine
was engaged pumping water at the New Dock, Llanelly
for about six weeks, after which she was taken to the
fitting shop to be repaired before she was placed on the
line. He had just left the Victoria when the explosion
took place. The pressure was then very low, and hal
been much higher often times. They could not put on
additional pressure without going to Mr. Hepburn, who
kept the key. The water-gauge' and new steam glass.
gauge, and three new gauge-cocks, were all right when
he gave the engine up to the next driver. There was a
slow fire under the engine when he left her. The safety.
valves allowed the steam to escape when it was too high.
One of the self-acting safety-valves was blown off by the
explosion to the distance of 200 yards. He did not
know the cause of the explosion, but a boiler might burst
from too high or too low a pressure.
This closed the evidence given yesterday.
goTooheiojtou,ryinassoeomosbelgedoenthoeis
odfaya, bat
Dintoneeipst:7o.7o7;.:Stinif
received from the Board of Trade, that
stn't
down by
Yolland, Royal Engineers, would
and to assist
cause of the accident,
onerous dnties. adjourned until Tuesday
therefore,
Government to make an official
The inquiry wags af investigation
vteshetigcsotrtleirnt*it/ theil
next, the 9th but.