The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-28 00:00:00

ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB.

A special meeting of the members of this distinguished
club was held on Tuesday at the British Coffee-house,
Cockspunstreet, to take into consideration the circum-
stances attending the resignation of W. H. Harrison,
Esq., a gentleman who has for so long a period as fifteen
years ably discharged the dutiee of Commodore. It may
be necessary to advert to the circumstances which led to
Mr. Harrison's resignation. In the course of last soa-
son, the cup given by Captain Cocksedge was presented
on the day of the race to Mr. Wilkinson, the owner of
the Phantom, but subsequently was awarded by the
Sailing CommitteeJto whom the matter was referred, to
Lord Alfred Paget, the owner of the Mystery.
Some diversity of opinion existed on the subject, and
on a gentleman moving an amendment, to the effect that
" under the peculiar circumstances of the case, the club
proceed to the consideration of other matters, instead of
entertaining the original motion with reference to Mr.
Wilkinson's conduct in refusing to deliver up the cup,"
the amendment was carried.
Mr. 'Wilmot' considered this tantamount to the ex-
pression of a want of confidence in the Sailing Commit-
tee, who had heard evidence on the matter in dispute,
and had given the award as above mentioned, which had
afterwards been approved of by a large vote of the club,
and resigned ; and in this position a meeting of the club
was specially convened for last evening.
T. MEESAM, Esq., the Captain, took the cheir at a
little before nine o'clock, and briefly explained the
situation in which the club stood at that moment. The
late hour at which the meeting separated, with the
lengthened nature of the proceedings, pi event us enter-
ing into more than a general summary. Several gen-
tlemen addressed the meeting on the subject of a motion
nroposed by Mr. Grimston, and seconded by Mr. Hut-
elni;zs, amongst whom was Lord W. Lennox, and all
agreed that the resignation of Mr. garrison was a source
of deep regret, and after the warmest expression of
thanks for the attention he had paid to the interests of
the club, for his urbanity and gentlemanly demeanour
on every occasion, the motion of Mr. Griniston, "That
the resignation of our worthy Commodore be not ac-
cepted, but that he be requested to resume the statioa
be has so long filled with honour to himself and benefit
to the club," was carried unanimously, and followed by
rounds of applause, which occupied some minutes.
deputation wits then aprinted to convey the feelings of
the club to lir. Harrieon, and that gentleman, who was
in the neighhourhuod, vase shortly 'mile) ed into the room
by the deputation, and received with warm and long,
continued plaudits. Mr. Harrison was completelyeavoure over-
come, and having thanked the gentlemen, or endeavoured
to do so, the meeting disperse.
Some observations were made with reference to the
conduct of a gentleman who has cornineted himself in
an extraordinary manner, to which w© shall not fur-
ther allude.

------------:-------
On Saturday evening, Mr. and Mni. Jean made
setc ?vea,rminesthte
their first appearance at the Theatre Royal, Dublin, this
manner,comedyand sera received in
for on the fulling of the curtain, to meet with the re,:
ofby iVahcnie!),3''ded hotnie, and called
newed pleudits of the si;Aiimpc.—Dublin Pilot.
A FAcT.—ln the window of tit.'. Servants' Re-
gxstry-iqfice in Well.:, may be seen—" Place TriabtP,4, by
a young woman, as cook, in a respectable family, where
a plane footman is kept, of Ilisvic church principles,"

THE LATE FATAL RAILWAY
• ACCIDENT.
INOITINGHAM, MONDAY.—Thomas Dean, who was
under examination when our reporter left, was cross-
examined by several of the jury, in order more clearly
t elucidate his evidence, but no variation from his
. .riginal examination was to be noticed. He stated that
he had not heard a man say, that if he were master he
would prevent the train going on until the other arrived,
:ire! continued, " No steps were taken at Beeston to stop
the London train till I heard the crash, unless turning
the red side of the signal ; but it was very foggy, and
the train might possibly have gone on if the crash bad
taken place lower down the line. My having heard the
crash, and the Nottingham train not having arrived at
the proper time, were the cause of my going towards the
London train with the red flag. The points of the rail-
way are self-acting points. Two trains going the same
way are not allowed to go after each other until ten
minutes elapse, The London train could not have seen
the red signal to stop at a distance of 100 yards, as it
was so foggy, but they would have seen it when they
came up to Beeston. There are fog signals given to the
engine-drivers. I never heard such a crash before as
that which I heard when the two trains met. I told the
station- master that it was like the report of a cannon,
but not such a dead heavy sound as the report of a can-
non."—The inquest, was then adjourned.
TUESDAY, FOUR O'CLOCK, P.X.
At half-past nine o'clock this morning the Coroner and
jury re-assenibld at the hospital, to pursue the investi-
gation adjourned from last night.
Mr. Youle and other directors were again present, and
all the legal gentlemen engaged, as well as the officials of
the railway, were also in attendance.
rho first witness called was dohn Bolton, wbe deposed
as follows :—I lire at Long Eaton, and am overlooker
ter the contractor. I saw a tender get off the rails at
Wilford. The four wheels came off the rails, and the
rails were bent in consequence. I could not calculate
how long it would take to remove the tender and adjust
the rails, but I think it would take an hour. I saw
Kearsley at the place where the tender was off, and I
heard him direct Howitt to go up the line to Beeston to
stop any tr..ins from coming down. Howitt said—
" What, to Beeston ?" and Ke-arsley said, " Yes," or if
he did not go himself, he should send the next man on
the line to Beeston." I then said to Howitt, " You may
as well go yourself, for the other man has got but one
leg." It was very foggy that day. Howitt started di-
rectly- afterwards. lie made a stop when he got about
15 yards. He was reminded again that the trains might
come up, and he then went right assay. It was so foggy
we could not see more than 100 y ards up the line at the
time. I saw nothing of Mr. Lightfoot there, but I had
seen him pass in the up-train to Beeston. I cannot say
whether Howitt had any signal with him when he went
up the line. The first time I saw Mr. Lightfoot was, to
the best of my knowledge, when I saw him go on the
train. I heard nothing said to him by any person. We
got the tender off the line just as the driver of the second
up-train returned to inform us of the accident. Nothing
passed between Mr. Lightfoot and me at Nottingham.
I cannot say how it was that the tender got off the line ;
but when I examined the points before it happened I
found them all right. I saw Marland and Reilly before
the accident (the drivers who went on the wrong line),
and they expressed no fear of any collision, nor did they
appear to have the least dread of any such occurrence.
Mr. 11. Youle—l am one of the directors of the Mid-
land Counties Railway Company. I was at the Notting-
ham station on Thursday. I was on horseback, and
when I got to the gates leading to Wilford I perceived
they were closed. On looking to the right hand I saw
some men at work on the railway, and I shouted to them
to know what was the matter. Immediately Mr. Light-
foot advanced to me and said that a tender was off the
line ; and added, " As the time is now near at hand for
the train to London to start, and it must of necessity go
on the wrong line, I think I had better go with it to see
that the line is clear, and caution the police at Beeston
station before the arrival of any down train." I said,
" I think you had better do so." The gates were then
opened. I proceeded about ten paces, and reflecting on
what Mr. Lightfoot had said, I turned round, and said
again, " I think, Mr. Lightfoot, you had better go your-
self to see that the line is clear." I then rode away.
My impression was that Mr. Lightfoot would adopt every
precaution, for I had known him for years, and had the
highest opinion of his experience, his caution, and pru-
dence, having often admired him for those qualities. I
therefore calculated that he would give every necessary
order to secure trains from accident.

By a Juror—ls there any understanding as to which
train—the up or the down train—must be kept back in
case of accident interfering with the rail? Witness—l am
not aware of any such understanding.
CORONER—We have it in evidence that there are two
sets of rails, which do not correspond with each other ;
that one set (the old set) was in operation with some of
the men till the day after the accident, and that the
other (the new) was not in operation with the others on
the gth of November. I wish you to explain this. Mr.
Youle—lt is the duty of Mr. Knitley to see that the
engineers have proper copies of the rules.
CORONER—Do you know how it is that the whole of
the drivers have not been provided with regulations of
the same description? Mr. Youle—l do not.
CORONER—The regulations affecting changing the
rails differ materially in the two sets of regulations, and
yet some of the servants had one set of regulations, and
others another set.

Mr. Youle—Mr. Knitley, the principal engineer, I
understand, arranges that.
The CORONER—I should wish very much to have it
explained.
A Railway Director—lt shall be explained.
A Juror—Naikland (the driver of the engine which
was on the wrong line) did not get the new regulations
till Friday morning after the accident, so that you went
to the insurance-office after the fire.

Mr. John Wildy—l went down to the Nottingham
station on last Tuesday afternoon, between a quarter
and half •past two. I took a place at the station for the
train which was to have started at a quarter to three. It
did not start then. I should think it was ten minutes
behind its time for starting. I was in the fourth-class
,:arriage, which is without seats. We proceeded on the
proper line to Wilford, and our train was then stopped,
and backed to the other line—the down line. I supposed
we were going to take up some luggage. We hums-
diatiately started on our way up, being still on the down
line. I saw a tender off the rails. As soon as we pro-
ceeded on the down line, I felt very much alarmed, and
my alarm was greatly increased by hearing the driver
constantly blowing his whistle. I had my child, about
3 years old, OR my knee. I was conscious that something
serious would happen. I was in the last carriage of the
train. When we arrived at about three-quarters of a mile
from Beeston, I was alarmed by hearing a tremendous
crash, and being at the same time thrown with great
force against the door-way of the carriage. We were
then going about 12 or 14 miles an hour, which I con-
sider to be about half the usual speed. I was stunned
for a few seconds, and as soon as I recovered myself I
looked round, and found that no one had been left in the
carriage but myself and my little boy. The first voice
I heard was that of Mr. Baker, who said, "For God's
sake, come and help these poor creatures." I then laid
my boy in the field, and assisted the passengers. The
first person I took out was Mrs. George Dean, wife of
Mr. Dean, of the Castle and Falcon. I then saw Mr.
Dean lying with his head out of the carriage. I put my
arms under his to lift him out, and I found that his legs
had got fast in the broken wood of the carriage. I used
a little extra force, and took him out and laid him against
a gate. Mr. Dean was able to stand when I took him
out, but not able to speak. 1 asked him where he was
hurt, and he looked wistfully at me, but could not speak;
I could see that his face was bruised. I saw him again
shortly after, and he was still standing. When next I
saw him he was lying in a cart in a field on the right-
hand side; he appeared then to be dying. My little boy
who was with me escaped without any injury whatever.
About half an hour after the accident Mr. Lightfoot
asked me what o'clock it was, and I told him it was half-
past three. The driver of the down train then came to
Mr. Lightfoot, and said, " Oh, Mr. Lightfoot, what a job
this is; you can't blame me— it is entirely your own
fault t. " Mr. Lightfoot then walked away, and made no
reply. He appeared to be very much troubled. I took
as much precaution as possible, by placing myself in
such a position as would break my fall, in case of a col-
lision.

By a Juror—Would you have gone if you knew the
train was to go on the wrong line ?
Witness—l would not have gone, if I had known it,
for all the railway companies on earth. (In continua-
tion)—As soon as we found ourselves going up on the
wrong line, all in the carriage became so mach alarmed,
that I don't think an additional word was spoken
amongst us from the time we had remarked it to the
time of the accident.