The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON; SATURDAY EVENING-„' 26, 1842

REPORT OF THE RAILWAY DE-
PARTMENT.

The " Report of the Officers of the Railway De-
partment of the Board of Trade," upon which the new
Bill of Mr. Gladstone is professedly based, has just
made its appearance.
The report commences with several tables, showing,
the number and nature of accidents upon railways at-
tended with personal injury (for to such only does the
existing law extend,) as reported to the Board. of
Trade under Lord Seymour's Act. These acci-
dents are divided into three classes. Class the first
relates to accidents arising " from causes beyond the
control of passengers," and from the table it appears
that during the year 1841, 29 such accidents oc-
curred, causing the death of 24 persons, and the in-
jury of 72 others. The four killed on the Brighton,
and the nine on the Great-Western, of course make
up more than half the total number. The table in
Class 2 refers to accidents occasioned by the negli-
gence or misconduct of the sufferers themselves, and
shows for the• past year thirty-six such occurrences,
which were fatal to 17 persons, besides 20 injured.
Class 3 shows the number of railway servants
killed or injured " under circumstances not in-
volving danger to the public." The total number
of such accidents in 1841 was sixty, killing twenty-
eight and injuring thirty-six individuals. Besides
these returns, there is a statement also of similar casu-
alties during the last five months of the year 1840,
from which, as mentioned in the Report, it appears
that the number of accidents of a public nature has
considerably diminished—the last five months of the
year 1840 showing 28 accidents, 22 deaths, and 131
cases of injury, while the twelve months of 1841 give
only 29 accidents, 24 deaths, and 71 cases of injury;
and this notwithstanding the late unfavourable wea-
ther, but for which, according to the Report, the acci-
dents on the Brighton and Great Western already al-
luded to " would in all probability not have occurred."
The Report proceeds to notice the gratifying dimi-
nution in the class of accidents, such as collisions,
arising chiefly from mismanagement or defective
arrangements. In the eight months from August,
1840, to April, 1841, no fewer than seventeen acci-
dents took place from collisions by succeeding trains,
whereas in the nine months immediately following, only
nine such cases occurred, and these, with but one
exception, unattended with fatal consequences. This
diminution is attributed partly to the precautions
suggested by the Inspector-General, and partly to the
enforcement by the companies of greater attention to
signals and time-tables. The "marked diminution in
the number of serious accidents occasioned by the mis-
conduct of engine-drivers," is ascribed, partly to the
beneficial results of more experience, and the mea-
sures taken by the companies to raise the character of
this important class of men, and partly to the salutary
operation of the punishment awarded to offenders
under Lord Seymour's Act.
The Report then refers to various details of acci-
dents, and states that the most important results which
appear to be deducible therefrom are, the impropriety
of running tender foremost ; the danger of an insuffi-
cient number of breaks ; the propriety of using buffer-
springs, and of putting higher sides to open carriages;
the necessity for extreme vigilance in watching
expected slips, especially in unfavourable weather;
the propriety of proper signal-posts and tail-lamps ;
and the dangers of level crossings. These several
points are illstrated by reference to one or more re-
cent accidents.
With respect to level crossings, it appears that there
are no fewer than 312 turnpikes and highways thus
crossed by 53 different railways. In 42 of these cases
gates have been :erected or altered, and gate-keepers
stationed, in consequence of representations from the
Board of Trade, " and it is believed that, with the ex-
ception of a few railways where horse-power only is
used, or where the low rate of speed or other local cir-
cumstances render it unnecessary, the provisions of the
Act in question (the General Highway Act) are now
generally complied with, and the public protected,
as far as possible, from the danger which is always,
to a certain extent, incurred by crossings on a
level." The Report, nevertheless, states that it would
be " very desirable that some power should exist to
compel the parties interested to come to some arrange-
ment for getting rid of level crossings by a bridge or
tunnel, where experience has shown that the occasion
a considerable degree of risk to the public.' A cor-
respondence with the Croydon Company is referred to,
as showing that an admitted source of danger is con-
tinued in consequence of the inability of the Directors
and the Trustees of the highway to come to an agree-
ment for removing it. The absurdity of placing
gates across railways instead of the common roads
which they cross is adverted to.
The Report next proceeds to the subject of a cir-
cular, which some time ago appeared, arising out of
the Brighton accident, and having reference to four
and six-wheeled engines. From the returns it ,ap-
appears that on 33 lines there are used six-wheeled
engines ; and on 17 lines 224 four-wheeled en-
gines. Some Companies, such as the Glasgow
and Ayr, and Edinburgh and Glasgow, seem to
use about an equal number of each. Among the
224 four-wheeled are included 35 of the Mid-
land Counties', and 90 of the London and Birming-
ham Company. Three accidents, attended with per-
sonal injury, are enumerated as having occurred
from the Ist of August, 1840, to the Ist of January,
1841, " occasioned by engines running off the rails
without meeting with any obstruction or other spe-
cific cause." The whole of these occurred with four-
wheeled engines, namely, on the Eastern Counties'
line (19th of August, 1840), killing four persons and
injuring six, " the speed being excessive ;" on the
Brighton (2d of October, 1841), killing four and in-
juring two, "attributed to excessive speed on a new
line; and on the Midland Counties' (Bth of November,
1840), injuring eight, " the line being in a bad state."
It is also stated to be the general opinion, that
running tender foremost and propelling from behind
are dangerous ; and, moreover, that_ in the case of
heavy trains, it is better to employ an extra engine a-
head, than to divide the train ; but this last opinion the
framers of theßeport think " may be fairly questioned."
The reporters then advert to the accommodation
supplied to third-class passengers, A table fol-
lows, from which it seems that upon the Great
Western and South-Western lines alone are third-
class passengers conveyed by heavy luggage trains ;
and on the latter the practice is about to be disconti-
nued, accommodation being substituted in the regu-
lar passenger trains. On the Birmingham line this
class of passengers is taken along with cattle, horses,
and empty return waggons, but not with heavy lug-
gage waggons. The recommendations of the Board of
Trade, as to buffer-springs and increased height of
outside pannelling in third-clas carriages were at once
acceded to by the Birmingham, Great Western, South-
Western, and- other Companies. The Managers of the
following Companies think that where lugggage wag-
gons are sent with passenger trains, the waggons should
he next the tender :—Arbroath and Forfar, Birming-
ham and Derby, Birmingham and Gloucester, Brand-
ling Junction, Edinburgh and Glasgow, St. Helen's
and Runcorn Gap, Midland Counties', Newcastle and
Carlisle, North Midland, and Stockton and Darling-
ton. On the Manchester and Bolton, Bolton and
Preston and (previous to the late accident) the Great
Western, the whole of the luggage waggons are
placed behind. On the Great Western, the pas-
senger carriages are now placed in a central position.
On the Great North of England, London and
South Western, Manchester and Leeds, and Shef-
field and Rotherham, there is no settled rule. No
heavy waggons are sent with passenger trains on the
Glasgow and Ayr, Grand Junction, London and Bir-
mingham, Liverpool and Manchester, Lancaster and
Preston, North Union, Preston and Wyre, or Shef-
field and Manchester. The reporters are of opinion,
that until buffer-springs, axles of the best materials,
&c., are used in every part of such trains, there must
be danger to passengers wherever placed, and
they appear to think that where these conditions
are not complied with, passengers ought not to
be sent along with heavy goods. An interesting no-
tice is then given of the third-class traffic on the
Manchester and Leeds line. It is stated, that the
whole number of third-class passengers carried on the
London and Birmingham and Grand Junction Rail-
ways, is less than the number carried on the short
line between Arbroath and Forfar, and not a seventh
part of that taken on the Newcastle and North
Shields. It is satisfactory (says the Report) to find
that there is a growing disposition, even among such
Railway Companies as cannot hope to profit much by,
third-class traffic, to afford every accommodation pos-
sible to the humbler classes of the community. It is
suggested as very desirable, that long stoppages
should not occur to third-elass trains at the junctions
of connected lines,'such as the London and Birming-
ham, Grand Junction, &c., as these stoppages almost
neutralise the greater speed of railway communication.
The next topic touched upon is the number of lines
wholly or partially opened since the passing of Lord
Seymour's Act. From a table given it appears that
1791 miles of double rail, and 46 miles of single rail,
have thus been brought into operation, after having
been inspected by the officers of the Board of Trade.
This is exclusive of the Edinburgh and Glasgow,
opened the other day. It is stated that the Gosport
baanch was in the first instance opened, notwithstand-
ing the recommendation of Sir F. Smith and the
Board of Trade that the opening should be delayed.
"In less than a week's time was found necessary to
close the line again."
The reporters then enter upon a consideration of
the mulfifariopl by--laws of the Companies, and a
report is embodied from 111:. Laing, gliggpsting some
very judicious amendments, or, as they are called,
" standard regulations," which have already, been
adopted by some of the Companies. Upon this part
)of the document yyp cannot, however, from want of
space, at present
Then follows a statement of the cases in which the
Board of Trade have been called upon to prevent de-
viations, under theyrovisions of Lord Seymour's Act.
In ne inotuirp has it been necessary to institute. any
prosecutiog,

_ . .
In conclusion, the reporters deem it " better
that the Government should not at present ask
for the power of enforcing regulations for the pre-
vention of accidents, and that such a power should
not be resorted to hereafter, unless experience should
clearly show the existence of general and culpable
negligence and mismanagement under the present
system." They also recommend that the examining
and licensing of engine drivers should, for the present,
be postponed. The other suggestions of the Report
have reference to the power of deferring openings, of
calling for returns, level crossings, gates, &c., all of
which are embodied in Mr. Gladstone's Bill.
The Report is drawn ut) with great ability, and is
signed by G. R. Porter, }red. Smith, and S. Laing.
—Railway Times.

AMERICAN NEWS.
(Further Extracts from the American Papers.)
LORD MORPETH.—The Richmond Enquirer of Tues-
day last, thus speaks of Lord Morpeth :
"Lord Morpeth arrived in Richmond on Saturdsy
evening, and left it on last evening, in the cars for the
South. He is proceeding to Charleston, and fdrther
south, and perhaps some of the West India Islands. He
may return to Virginia in the course of the summer,
and visit our springs and view our mountain scenery.
But as he is spoken of as a candidate for Dublin in the
House of Commons, his sojourn in the United States
may be cut short by the necessity of his returning home.
Lord M. is one of the most liberal statesmen and popu-
lar and rising politicians in the British empire. He
has a strong partiality for the Americans, and expresses
the sincerest desire to preserve the harmony between
the two countries. He is struck with the great scale on
which everything is constructed in America—with the
immense extent of our country—the extraordinary vo-
lume of our rivers, &c. He pronounces the Potomac to
be the noblest river he has ever seen—and he has visited
a great part of Europe, France, Russia, &c.
"He is travelling in the United States, on our railroads,
and steam. boats, in the simplest style, without equi-
page, without any species of state, without even a ser-
vant. In his manners he is equally unassuming. He
affects no airs, and appears only like a plain, unpretend-
ing, but polished gentleman, of good sense—taking a
deep interest in all that he sees, speaking of our country
with great liberality, and never boasting of his own.
" His Lordship arrived at Charleston on Wednesday
week."