The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-05 00:00:00

THE SNOW STORM.

SUNDAY.—The following particulars were collected yester-
day, throughout the afternoon, from the various officials con-
nected with the London and Dover, and the London and
Brighton, •the Great Western, the London and Birmingham,
the Soutk Western, the Northern and Eastern, and other
railways, the details of which will be read with interest.
THB LONDON AND DOVER BAILWAT.—Upon inquiry at
this terminus, it was stated that there had been considerable
obstruction on the line, arising from the heavy fall of snow
which took place on Thursday night and Friday morning,
and which has continued since at intervals. Some uneasi-
ness was occasioned on Friday morning by the late arrivals
of the up-trains, which leave Folkestone at forty minutes
past eleven, twenty minutes past one, and fifty minutes past
three o'clock, the earliest of which should have arrived at
the London terminus at half-past three o'clock, and the latest
at twenty-seven minutes after ten. Before they had reached
Penshurst and Staplehurst the depth of snow was so exces-
sive that the three trains were detained for some hours at
those stations, and it was found necessary to employ the
united power of the three engines to accomplish the Journey,
which was not done until between three and four
o'clock the next morning, being a delay of above five
hours beyond the time at which the last train was
due. On Saturday and yesterday brooms were attached
to the guards of the engines to clear away the snow from
the metal, so as to afford the flanches of the wheels to have
an unterrupted passage on the rails. Throughout yesterday
the trains, with trifling exceptions, arrived at their destina-
tion within a brief penod of the regulated time. An acci-
dent occurred, however, which was most fortunately not
attended with fatal consequences. It has been already made
public that the entire line from London to Dover is to be
opened on Wednesday next, on which occasion the Directors
will invite the authsities of Calais and Boulogne to a banquet
in celebration of the completion of this undertaking. In
pursuance of this intention several of the Directors, with an
express engine and a carriage attached thereto, yesterday
made an experimental trip, and on arriving at that part of
the line where it is intended to have a branch from New-
cross to the Bricklayers' Arms, the engine came in contact
with a truck, which was nearly demolished, and the party
had a narrow escape of being thrown down the embankment,
and meeting with serious if not fatal consequences. The down
train, which left London at eight o'clock on Friday morning,
did not reach Folkestone within fifteen miles, thereby occa-
sioning serious inconvenience and delay to the passengers.
An extra engine was yesterday attached to each train.
THE LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAILWAY.—The trains on
this railway, the reporter was informed, had not exceeded
20 minutes delay in any of the arrivals, but the effect of the
thaw upon the drainage and bed of the line is not yet known,
as the cuttings in many places are very steep.
TILE LONDON AND BinmiNaiimAx.—Mr. Morris, the acting
officer of police, stated that the train which leaves Binning-
ham at half-past eight o'clock on Sunday mornings, bring-
ing with it the mails from the great northern towns, arrived
at the terminus, Euston-square, yesterday, at twenty-five
minutes past one o'clock, being five minutes in advance of
the usual period of its arrival. From the circumstance of
this train bringing up the Irish intelligence connected with
the State trials, much anxiety prevailed respecting the state
of the line. It was apprehended that in the event of the
wind veering round to the north, some obstacles would pre-
sent themselves to the afternoon (seven o'clock) train, but
every precaution had been taken to avoid any casualty.
THE GREAT WESTERN.—The up train from Swindon,
propelled by the Centaur steamer, and bringing the mails
from the principal cities and towns on this line, arrived at
Paddington with the loss of only three minutes. The ploughs
and brooms were attached to the engine, and proved quite
successful in clearing away the snow, which at Twyford
cutting was from sixteen to eighteen inches in depth. To
the weight and solidity of the engines may be attributed the
efficient operation of the machinery employed. All the pre-
parations at Slough were completed on Saturday for her
Majesty's reception at that station, and up to a late period
yesterday the decorations made use of had not been removed,
as no intimation had been received of the postponement
of her Majesty's visit to Windsor, in consequence of the
lamented death of his Serene Highness the Duke of Saxe
Coburg Gotha.
Tinc Sount WESTERN.—On Friday the train which
brings the mails from Gosport, Portsmouth, Southampton,
&c., was about five hours beyond time. A number of men
have been since employed on the line, and, in conjunction
with other measures, have succeeded in removing any impe-
diment in the transit of passengers, &c., as usual. fhe fall
of snow, owing to the direction of the wind, appears to have
been heavier upon this line than on any other. On Saturday
the mail-train was four hours and twenty minutes beyond
time. The greatest delay, however, that occurred yesterday
was half an hour.
THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN.—The delays upon this
line, as well as upon the Greenwich and Blackwell, have been
very insignificant, so far as the information furnished by the
officers bf the several companies may be relied upon.
In none of the above cases were the engineers, police, or
stokers allowed extra clothing.
THE BRANCH COACHES.—Upon inquiry at some of the
principal booking-offices, the clerks doggedly referred to the
railways for information, and affected the utmost ignorance
of any non-arrivals.
THE METROPOLIS, &c.—The number of applicants for re-
lief and shelter at the different refuges for the destitute was,
as might be expected, considerably increased. About two
o'clock the snow abated, and from that time until about four
o'clock a small but thick sleet fell. Towards the latter part
of the afternoon a heavy ground thaw set in, which rendered
the streets exceedingly dirty—an effect which was to be
mainly attributed to the police not having put the law in
force compelling housekeepers to remove the snow from the
pavement opposite their doors.

DEATH OF GENERAL CummianAmE.—This Gallant
Officer, whose decease has been officially reported at the
India House, has been in the service half a century, and was
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General 28th June, 1838
(the Coronation brevet).
KNACKERS' YARDS.—On Friday night a petition
from the Committee of the Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals, and complaining of the inadequacy of
the law relating to those places, and praying for relief, was
presented to the House of Commons by the Honourable J. S.
Wortley, and we are informed that a Bill for consolidating
and amending the laws now in force has been prepared
under the direction of the Committee of the Society, and will
be introduced in the early part of the session.