The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-13 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

GREAT NORTHERN—ACCIDENT AT WELWYN.
Au adjourned Whatucliffe meeting of the pro-
prietors of this company was held yesterday fore-
noon at King's-cross terminus—Col. Packe, M.P.,
in the chair.

The Secretary having read the notice convening
the meeting,

The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings by advert-
ing to the recent fearful accident in the Alrelwyn
Tunnel, which, he said, they must all deplore. The
fullest inquiry was now being made into the causes
of that calamity, and notice having been given to
the Board of Trade, the Government inspector had
gone downto Welwyn that morning. The engineers
and other officials of the company had examined the
spot, and reported that very little damage, if any,
had been done to the tunnel itself ; in fact, its sta-
bility was in no degree impaired. He was glad to in-
form the shareholders that the traffic upon the line
was now being carried as regularly as prior to the
accident.

Mr. TIM-WORTH said he should like to have some
explanation as to the accident, and also to know
whether it were possible to adopt any mechanical or
scientific means to prevent a recurrence of these
fearful calamities, independent of any human agency.
Mr. S. CLARKE (the general manager) explained
that the Welwyn Tunnel was provided with the elec-
tric telegraph, showing signals at the north and south
ends of the tunnel, which signals were worked by two
men in communication with each other--neither of
them having anything else to do. The men em-
ployed upon that duty on this occasion were old ser-
vants of the company, and were men of respectability
and reliability. The man at the south end of the
tunnel had been at work from six o'clock to half-
past eleven, and so it could not be said he had been
overworked. The rules under which the tunnels on
the Great Northern system were worked were, that
no second train is allowed to enter the tunnel until it
is signalled that the preceding train has passed
through. If this had been done on the present occa-
sion, the second train would not have been allowed
to follow in. The communication from the south to
the north was arranged in such away as not to justify
the second train being allowed to enter. lie should
tell the meeting that the same system of telegraphic
regulations had been in force for a great many years,
in fact ever since the telegraph had been in use on
the railway, and this was the first instance ever heard
of of two trains being in a tunnel at the same time.
The man on duty at the south end was perfectly
sober, and fully competent to do his duty. All the
entries in his book as to the signals received and des-
patched were in perfect order. He (Mr. S. Clarke)
had examined them himself, and found they were all
in perfect order. But the fact was the man had made
a mistake. The chairman had told them that the
tunnel was not damaged. He had examined it and
found its stability was in no way affected—in fact,
only a few bricks were charred. The traffic was now
running through it as safely and regularly as it had
ever done since it had been a tunnel. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HAlNwonnt hoped they would adopt some
mechanical and scientific means, independent of
human agency, in constructing the signals of the
tunnels.

The CHAIRMAN then moved the following resolu-
tion :—" That the bill intituled ' A bill for enabling
the Midland Railway Company to Construct
Branch Railways and other Works, for con-
ferring Powers on them with reference to the
Undertakings of other Companies, and for other
purposes, be, and the same is, hereby approved,
subject to such amendments as the directors deem
advisable."

The meeting was then made further special, when,
upon the motion of the chairman, the following re-
solutions were carried unanimously :
" Resolved,--That the agreement between the
Edgware, Highgate, London, and Great Northern
Railway Companies submitted to this meeting, be,
and the same is hereby, approved, subject to the
modification (if any) which may be required by the
Board of Trade.

" Resolved,---That the agreement between the
Watford and Edgware and Great Northern Rail-
way Companies submitted to this meeting, be, and
the same is hereby, approved."
A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the pro-
ceedings.

OUTBREAK OF CHOLEXA IN THE BALTlC.—Cholera
has broken out among the workmen employed in the con-
struction of the port of Swinemunde, near Stettin, as well
as in the latter town itself. The Prussian Government
has adopted all possible measures for arresting the progress
of the epidemic.