The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-11 00:00:00

THE CORNWALL RAILWAY ACCIDENT

PLYMOUTH, TUESDAY.

The inquest on the bodies of Henry Briscombe,
engine driver; David Hannaford, stoker; and
Wiliam Hoskin, guard, who were killed by the
train running oft a viaduct on the Cornwall line,
was held at St. Germans on Monday, before the
coroner of the district, Mr. Jago. The foreman of
the jury was Mr. W. H. P. Carew.
The first witness examined was Richard Padden,

the surviving guard, who stated that he had worked
the line only once previons to the accident, and that
was on the up journey. He left Plymouth on Fri-
day night by the 7.25 train for Truro, and at the
ime of starting the train was four minutes behind
When the train arrived at Saltash, two sta-

ime.

tions from Plymouth, three minutes had been re-
gained. The train was arranged as follows :
First the engine, next a second class carriage, in
which was William Hoskin, the head guard ; the
third was a first class carriage, to which was at-
tached another second class carriage, in which wit-
ness was seated, and a luggage van was behind. As
the train neared Grove viaduct, the scene of the ac-
cident, and when about 100 yards from the struc-
ture, he felt a peculiar jumping of the carriage,
from which he suspected that some portion of the
train had got off the line. He instantly applied the
breaks with full force, and his carriage, together
with the van, came to a standstill on the viaduct.
He then looked out of the carriage and saw that the
engine and two carriageshad gone over the viaduct.
He got out and examined the carriages on the line,
and found that he had applied the breaks with so
much force that the coupling chains had broken,
otherwise the entire train would have gone over.
The first wheels of his carriage and the hind wheels
of the van were off the line. He immediately pro-
ceeded down the slope to. the other carriages, and
found that they were immersed in seven feet water.
He waded and swam out to them, and got out
several of the occupants:- In this duty he was
assisted by a waterman named Spencer, who had
run to the spot, and whose conduct was most
praiseworthy. Spencer found the guard. Wit-
ness knew that there were two or three people
injured, but not seriously. He considered the
average speed at which the train had been going
was about thirty miles an hour. A short distance
before reaching the viaduct there is a very little
incline of 1 in 80. He could not in any way
account for the engine getting off the line, and he
firmly believed the occurrence was purely acci-
dental. Could not tell whether the breaks were
put on in the first carriage.
James Bate, a builder, living at Liskeard, said he
was in the first second class carriage which went
over the viaduct, and as it reached the water there
was a tremendous crash overhead, caused by the
next carriage falling on the guard's compartment,
thereby killing him, and after that all was still.
He considered he was travelling at a smart rate,
but he had travelled a great deal faster.
Wm. James said he also was in the second class
carriage which went over the viaduct. He was
asked to give his idea of the speed at which the
train was going, but no satisfactory- answer could
be obtained, as this was the second time the witness
had ever been in a railway carriage.
Alfred Glubb, solicitor, Liskeard, and others, de-
posed to having felt an oscillation of the train on
the up journey that morning, but they could not
tell on what part of the line it occurred. Mr.
Glubb, who is accustomed to travelling, said the
rate of speed was not very fast.
Henry Spencer, waterman, said he was one of the
first on the spot, and helped to get out the guard
Hoskin. He was in his compartment, which was
under water. When he was taken out blood was
seen on his face, but he had been in the water ten
minutes, and was quite dead.
Jonathan Steed, labourer, who helped to dig out
the bodies of the guard and stoker, which were
buried underneath the engine, described the posi-
tion in which they were found. The engincdriver
lay on his back, thee upwards, with his arms out-
stretched, and the stoker was face downwards, with
his head and hands close together.
Wm. Stephens, inspector of permanent way, Mr.
Cockshott, the traffic superintendent, Mr. Brereton,
Mr. Brunei's chief engineer, were all called, but they
could in no way account for the accident. Mr. Cock-
shott stated that all three men were remarkably
steady.
The jury then retired to consider their verdict,
and after 20 minutes' absence they returned a ver-
dict of " Accidental death," adding that it was
their opinion that the speed of trains coming down
an incline should be diminished, especially where
the line was new.
Mr. Brereton said that, without any reference to
the accident, the board had previously determined
to lessen the speed on the line, although at the time
it was only the same as that observed on the South
Devon line.

ALARMING COLLISION OF RAILWAY

TRAINS IN A TUNNEL.

(From the Leeds Mercury.)
An accident of an alarming naturemoicncuutrerasedafe
Friday afternoon last, in the tunnel on the Ldanfteesndr.
train,
rwhwhose
shire and Yorkshire Railway, between Bradford
and Low Moor. It appeaarnlsefettmhßaprattyaaffteerrwadi
Manches-
ter,t he 3
it. 25
was passengerfollowed t rbayi n
tination was Low Moor. On the latter train
reaching the Low Moor tunnel, instead of being
signalled to halt at the top until the first train had
passed through, the engine driver was allowed to
tgroaiu ranon,andiuto the theconsequence was that theempty
Manchester train at a spot about
300 yards from the other end of the tunnel, which
is a mile in length. The Manchester train consisted
of one first and two second class carriages, a van,
and the engine and tender. One of the second class
carriages was driven
force that the
of the front of theagainst the engine with such
buffers were as
carriage
smashed, and
broken,
a whipolerttiohne
bodies of the other carriages were all dashed from
their frames. James Hoyle, the engine driver of the
passenger train, was tllrown down, and the guard,
Joseph Firth, who was seated in his box at the time
of the collision, had his head forced quite through
a window. Both men, however, escaped with only
a few scratches. There were about 40 passengers in
the train. Tbey were thrown violently against each
other, and, as may be supposed, were in a state of
great alarm, which was increased by the darkness
of the tunnel and the uncertainty as to the cause
and extent of the mischief. The engine was de-
tached from the carriage next to it by the breakage,
but the driver immediately stopped it, and the
engine of the emptytrain having been also stopped,
the whole train was soon brought to a stand. None
of the carriages had been thrown off the line, and
by fastening the engine to a bar of the broken car-
riage the train was taken forward to Low Moor.
Mr. Todd, the station master at Low Moor, and the
engine driver of a Leeds train which was waiting
there, had begun to suspect that an accident had
taken place, in consequence of the Manchester
train being about ten minutes behind its time, and
the appearance of the train verified their suspicions.
Mr. Todd and the servants of the company at the
station assisted the passengers from the car-
riages, and found that they had all suffered more or
less injury. With the exception of one gentleman,
however, they were all able to proceed on their
journey, and after a delay of about 20 minutes went
forward in another train, under the charge of the
guard, driver, and stoker of the disabled one. 'The
gentleman referred to is Mr. Maude, p
Bradford. His upper lip was severely cutal,nte and his
of
his
whole frame was seriously shaken, but none of his
bones were broken. Some friends who were return-
ing to Bradford by a train which came up some

Stations.
1
2
3 .

Stations.
1 .
2 .
3 .

\1
2
• Ist_,
ri
time afterwards took charge of him ilKit( "
and he was removed to the Commerci
ford,: where Mr. Steele, surgeon, attendk4
w 944-Lhieh he was conveyed to his own honii,;. ILTOn -=-4 -
quill, yesterday our reporter WaS informed' ltatlit. t 4,
Maulle had suffered considerable pain a1...0ut his
back, shoulders, and left arm, and was still very
unwell, but that the injuries he has receiveil ..are not
thought:to be of a dangerous character. Mr. Steele
continues to attend him, and he has ease, been
visited by a medical gentleman employed ;by the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Company. Neither the
engine driver nor the stoker of the empty train,
which came into collision with the passenger train
sustained any injury. The accident was entirely
owing to a breabh of the rule laid down by the
railway company, which requires that every train
entering the tunnclshall have passed quite thrc nigh
it before another is allowed to enter. A signalman
is employed at each end of the tunnel to ensure the
observance of this rule, and though they both
maintain that they signalled properly in this in-
stance, yet one of them must certainly have
neglected his duty, or the accident could not have
happened. The two men are in the service of the
Great Northern Company.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET FIRST SPRING MEETING.
MONDAY'S RACES CONCLUDED.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 50 soya each, h ft (first class), for
four-yr-olds and upwards. Winners extra. R.M.
mile 17 yards.
Mr. R. H. Jones's Ditto, 4 yrs, 7st 81b (E. Sharp) I
Mr. Shelley's Lifeboat, 4 yrs, 7st 131 b (inc. 51b extra)
(L. Snowden) 2
Mr. Simpson's Fright, 5 yrs, 7st 10Ib (Fordham) 3
Betting-5 to 2on Lifeboat, 7to 2 agst Fright.
Won by three-quarters of a length; bad third.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 50 soya each, h ft (first class), for
three-year-olds. Winners extra. R.M. 7 subs.
Mr. Higgins' Rosabel, Bst 71b (Cresswell) 1
Mr. Gratwicke's Nassau, 7st 51b (Belton) 2
Betting-3 to lon Rosabel, who won by a length.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 50 sovs each, h ft (first class), for
three-yr-olds. Winners extra. Last half mile of A.F.
3 subs.
Mr. Lowe's Wild Rose, Bst 71b (Fordham) 1
Mr. W. S. S. Crawfurd's Helia, 7st 121 b (Flatman) 2
Betting-7 to 4on Wild Rose, who won by three lengths.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 40 sovs each, h ft for four-yr-olds
and upwards. Winners extra. T.Y.O 3 subs.
Baron Rothschild's Mentmore, 4 yrs, Bst 71b walked over.
TUESDAY.
THE Two THOUSAND.
A more numerous attendance on the Two Thousand day
was never seen, and a more meagre list of sport for the oc-
casion was never published. The election, the scarcity of
money, and the ill-luck which attended the bookmakers at
Chester, all contributed to render the meeting a failure, at
least so far as the sport was concerned. The racing, as
the return will show, was meagre in the extreme. Those
people who built their • hopes on Promised Land were
not disappointed, for he won like a racehorse ; Alfred
Day "easing" him as he entered the cords, and passing
the post " hands down," with his opponents toiling after
him in vain. The betting on the race fluctuated consider-
ably before the start.
In the town 11 to 10 only was betted on Promised Land ;
he, however revived, and 7to 4 was laid. After Nimrod's
race 5 to 4 was taken, and just before the start the field was
backed at evens against him.
The local police, under the direction of Superintendent
Benson, did good service. They restrained the spectators
from obtruding on the course by civility and not by rough-
ness. The " ropes" were arranged, too, in such a manner
that a clear view of the course could be obtained by all
persons.

The weather was propitious, and the town was somewhat
gay.

On Monday night an unusual incident relieved the mo-
notony of a meeting-week at Newmarket. The public hall
was opened by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Paul, who gave their
popular entertainment Patchwork, and succeeded in doing
that which no person ever before accomplished in this
thorough business town at race time—they drew together a
large and attentive audience.
The Coffee-room Stakes of 60 soya each for three-yr-olds ;
colts, Bst 71b ; fillies, Bst 41b. A. F. 1 mile 2 fur. 73 yds.
Mr. Alexander's King at Arms, Bst 71b (Fordham) 1
Mr. Parker's Nimrod, Bst 71b (A. Day) 2
Betting-3 to 4on Nimrod.
Nimrod made play to half way down the hill, where
King at Arms joined him; ho had him safe in the cords
and won by a length.
Handicap Plate of 50 soya. A.F.
Lord Strathmore's Worcester, 5 yrs, 7st 121 b (Norman) I
Baron Rothschild's Brother to Sydney, 3 yrs, 6st 121 b
(Custance) 2
Mr. IV. S. S. Crawfurd's Helia, 3 yrs, sst 131 b
(W. Bottom) 3
The following also ran :—Arsenal, Skirmisher, Spiteful
Dick, Mimosa, Harry Bluff; Kilsby, and Little Nat.
Betting-6 to 4 agst Skirmisher, 4 to 1 agst Harry
Bluff, 6 to 1 agst Brother to Sydney, 8 to 1 agst Kilsby, 10
to 1 each agst Arsenal and Helia.
Won by a length and a half; three lengths between the
second and third ; Little Nat and Skirmisher were fourth
and fifth ; Harry Bluff and Arsenal were the next. Skir-
misher broke down.
The Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, a subscription of 100
sous each, h ft, for 3-yr-olds ; colts, Bst 71b ; fillies, Bst
41b. The second to save his stake. R.M. 1 mile 17
yards. 62 subs. •
Mr. W. Day's The Promised Land, Bst 71b.... (A. Day.) 1
Mr. J. H. Wyndham's Cynricus, Bst 71b....5. Rogers) 2
Baron Rothschild's Crafton, Bst 71b (J. Osborne) 3
Mr. J. Shelley's Sir Hercules, Bst 71b (L. Snowden) 4
Mr. J. Merry's Lord of the Manor, Bst 71b .. (Plumb) 0
Mr. A. Nichol's Phantom, Bst 71b (Withington) 0
Mr. C. Peck's Napoleon, Bst 71b (Bumby) 0
Mr. J. Parker's Nimrod, Bst 71b (W. Day) 0
Mr. J Liley's Marske, Bst 71b (Flatman) 0
Betting at starting—Even agst The Promised Land, 9 to
2 agst Phantom, 7to 1 agst Napoleon, 100 to 6 each apt
Cynricus and Crafton, 30 to 1 agst Lord of the Manor, 40
to 1 agst Sir Hercules.
The race admits of little description. Promised Land
soon held his opponents safe, was followed home by Cynri-
cus, Phantom, Sir Hercules, and Crafton to the Bushes
Hill, on descending which the race was over, for Phantom
and Sir Hercules dropped away beaten, and The Promised
Land won literally "as he liked" by a length and a half,
the second beating the third by three lengths, four lengths
separating the third from the fourth ; Nimrod was fifth ;
Napoleon and Marske were next, close together ; Phantom
was several lengths behind them, and Lord of the Manor
was last, beaten off.
............. . 1 3
Handicap Sweepstakes of 30 sous each, 20 ft (Second Class)
for 3-yr-olds. 'Winners extra. Last half of Ab M. 7
subs.
M Capt.
t E.
iw3
abya:. .
ky',ss Tommiss King,Elean Eleanor,
.
Sat ...
.... .... .
. ..
. . . ..
..
Lord Chesterfield's Salaam, 7st 121 b ... (Flatman) 2
Doubloon, Coxcomb, and Carlotta also ran.
Betting-5 to 2 agst Tom King, 3to 1 agst Salaam.
Won by two lengths; a length between the second and
third ; bad fourth.
Match, 50. Last half of Ab. M.
Duke of Bedford's Golden Rule, 6st 101 b (Carter) 1
Mr. Sal s Duchess of Kingston, Oat 51b (W Bottom) 2
Betting--5 to 4 (at first 3to1) on Golden Rule, who won
by a length.
IMPORTXNTMA.TCM—A match was made this morning
(Tuesday), the conditions of which are as under :
Second October Meeting, 1859—Sir J. Hawley's Musjid
apt Mr. W. Day's The Promised Land, Bst 101 b each,
2,000 sovs, 500 ft. T.M.M. (1 mile 7 fur. 158 yds.)

AQUATICS'.

PRINCE OF WALES YACHT CLUB.

The first match of the season of this club will take place
to .morrow (Thursday). There will be two classes under six
tons, and over six, and under eight tons. For the first class
the prizes will be a £2O cup, presented by the club for the
first boat ; and a £5 cup, given by Mr. Bail, for the second
boat ; course from Erith to the Chapman Head and back.
For the second class, the club give a £lO cup for the first
boat; course from Erith to the West Blythe buoy and back.
The entries, which closed last night, are:—

First Class,
Yachts. Tons. Owners.
Julia 8 •Mr. P. Turner.
Valentin©▪ ~
7 .. Mr. J. Fradgley.
Emily 8 .. Mr. R. Hewett, Com.
Se▪
cond Class.
Tons. Owners.
5 .. Mr. F. Britten.
3 .. Mr. W. Reed.
6 Mr. W. W. Charnock.

Yachts.

Spray • •
Anglesey
Petrel . •

ILEX ROWING CLUB PAIR-OARED RACE.--A pair-oared
race for tankards came off yesterday evening between three
pairs, from the above old-established club, from Putney to
Hammersmith-bridge. As the club is not, strictly speaking
a great rowing club, the racing was not of first-rate charac
ter, but was, however, very good, The following were the
competitors :

Pink—Messrs Read and Stretton.
Blue—Messrs. Woodcock and Critchett.
Yellow—Messrs. Spink and Browne.
Yellow took a good lead, followed by Blue. Pink soon
fouled a barge, and were left all astern. Yellow held the
lead for half a mile, when Blue passed them, and seemed
to be winning with ease, but a short distance from home
Yellow rowed up well level with Blue for a few strokes,
and then went in winners by two or three lengths.

THE HOMEWARD AUSTRALIAN MAIL.--LIVER-
row., TUESDAY.—Some anxiety is beginning to be felt re-
specting th enon-arrival at Suez of the Peninsulal. and Ori-
ental Company's Australian mail steamer Emeu, as that
ship has always performed her voyages with great regula-
rity, and in most cases within contract time. It is possible
that some delay may have arisen from the incompitirtsio'in"s:
of the coaling arrangements at the intermeeilviate stations,
consequent from the
consequent upon the transfer of the mail service
hands of the Royal Mail Company to those
Penin-
sular and Oriental Company It a the
-h been said that some
ecur,
apprehension of some such
George's Sound,
especially at RIDS
of the passengers by the last
dmeiaailAtzagerlikexeplreyssedotheir

OY A.L PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
JOU Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean
THIS EVENING will be presented Shakspeare's"tist orical
play of KING HESRY V.
King Henry V., Mr. C. Kean ; Chorus, Mrs. C. Kean.

IrHEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING will be performed the new and original
Comedy, entitled THE WORLD AND THE
Howe, STAGE.. Far-
The
characters by Messrs. Compton, Buckstone, W
ren, Rogers; Miss Amy Sedgwick, &c.
After which, a new Classical Extravac.faaza, entitled
ELECTRA IN A NEW ELECTR'IC LIGHT. Messrs
Compton, Braid, Clark, Mrs. Wilkins, Misses Fanny Wright,
Eliza Weekes, and Louisa Leclercq.
And 'TWAS I.