The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-19 00:00:00

meat Commission on the gauges, for the purpose of
testing their tractive power, and of ascertaining the
maximum speed attainable on the broad gauge, as
compared with the narrow. The occasion was one of
considerable scientific interest, and the experiments
having, it is supposed, originated in a sort of challenge
on the part of the advocates of the broad and narrow
gauges, who have been battling so long for the palm of
speed, and the supremacy of space. The idea of testing
the relative powers of the traction and velocity attainable
by the two systems, at alternate periods, on the Great
Western and Birmingham, arose during the inquiry
before the Commissioners on the gauge question, Sir
F. Smith and Professors Barlow and Aircy, having
been sedulously employed throughout the recess in
taking evidence pro and eon, from the principal en-
gineers and promoters of each system, with the view
of either removing or mitigating the evils consequent
on a diversity of gauge, and of ascertaining the
effect of its present want of uniformity at important
points upon the locomotion and commercial relations of
the country. These evils, arising principally out of
damages from transhipment and delay, are not to be un-
derrated in their magnitude and effect, since the delay as
regards both commercial and military emergencies, is
known to be very great, and tantamount to the crossing
of a ferry. The subject assumes still greater importance
when considered in relation to the proceedings in Par-
liament in the ensuing session, when so many lines, both
arterial and lateral, will have to be adjudicated, con-
nected with England, Ireland, and Scotland, completing
the international route of the railway system, whose
usefulness will mainly depend upon its simpleness and
comprehensiveness as a whole. At present the narrow
gauge has connected with it the major amount of the
country's locomotion, the broad gauge being indigenous
to the west, where it was first planned and planted by
Brunel. The general conjecture appears to be that to
the west the broad gauge will be confined, and that
Rugby will be its boundary to the north, thus re-
stricting it entirely to the geography of the
west. The narrow gauge has at present territorial domi-
nion of 1,667 miles, the broad of 278. The length of
narrow gauge now constructing is 522. The length
of narrow gauge obtained last session was 2,386,
and for broad 455. It has been calculated that the narrow
gauge district embraces a population of 11 millions,
and the broad of three millions, exclusive of the metro-
polis. The question as to how the gauges work com-
mercially is the all-important point, and secondarily
comes the question as to how they work at relative rates
of velocity and speed. Mr. Bidder, one of the cham-
pions of the narrow gauge, asserted before the commis-
sion that the stamina and stout build of the Birmingham
engines on the narrow or 4-foot Bi-inch gauge, were
capable of accomplishing as much as the Goliah engines
of the Great Western, running on its great gauge of
7 feet wide. This being disputed by Mr. Brunel and
Mr. Gooch, the commissioners determined on an experi-
mention crucis, fixing yesterday for their trip on the
Great Western, and deferring for a future day that on
the Birmingham. It being impossible to run on parallel
lines simultaneously, or, in other words, to make a rail-
way race of it, it was resolved that trials of proportionate
loads should be made on the respective lines, and it is
understood that on the result sums of money are staked,
and will undergo mutation from hand to hand. The
route selected by the Great Western was probably on the
best appointed portion of their line ; namely, from Pad-
dington to Didcot, the departure point for Oxford, a dis-
tance of fifty-three miles, consisting principally of sur-
face line, but characterised by considerable curvatures.
The London and Birmingham, it is understood, do not
intend to select their own line, but some portion of the
Manchester and Birmingham.
The first experimental train, consisting of eight car-
riages, six first-class, two second, all six wheels, with 24
passengers, and weighted to a "gross load" with iron to
80 tons, exclusive of the engine and tender, which may
be taken at 26 tons more, and equal to a train of 342
persons, started from the first mile post beyond Padding-
ton, at six minutes past ten, containing Sir Frederick
Smith, K.C.8., Professor Barlow, Sir John Burgoyne,
K.C.8., Major-General Pasley, inspector-general ;
Captain O'Brien, secretary of the Board of Trade; Mr.
William Watson, secretary of the gauge commission ;
Mr. Brunel, Mr. Gower, Mr. Charles Saunders, Mr.
Bidder, C.E., Mr. Gooch, C.E., Mr. Windham Harding,
C.E., Mr. Berkley, Mr. Barlow, and several scientific
gentlemen. The engine chosen was the Ixion, with
machinery of immense power. She was driven by Mr.
Brunel and Mr. Gooch, with Mr. Bidder and Mr. Berk-
boy on the platform. As the engine was working itself
into rapid action, so as to accomplish the given distance
in a spell, a slight obstruction occurred after passing the
first mile post, and at the junction point with the West
London, which crosses, in consequence of a transverse
train being in sight. The breaks had to be applied,
but the time lost was not more than half a minute
ere the steam was up again, and the speed reco-
vered. A perceptible retardation of speed was occa-
sioned by a high wind from the north-west, which of
course beat upon the broad base of the engine and the
breasts of the after carriages; and this on a glance may
be gathered from the variable velocities indicated in the
tubular collocation below. Another probable cause may
have been the difficulty the huge wheels had-in coping
with the curves, more particularly in the case of the car-
riages, which are six- w heeled. Looking, however, at
general results, and the minute observations made, the
speed was remarkable and steady. The maximum on
the first down trip being one mile in one minute and five
seconds; the maximum on the up trip, two miles in
two minutes and sixty-two seconds, or at the rate of
fifty-two miles in one hour five minutes and sixty-two
seconds, with the given amount of tonnage. On arriv-
ing at Didcot the party left the train, and corresponding
weights were placed in the carriages in order to keep up
the fixed tonnage. The return from Didcot was at eight
minutes past twelve. At the second mile from the Pad-
dington station the breaks were put on, and the train
reached the first mile post at one hour and nine
minutes, completing the fifty-two miles in one hour and
forty minutes, or at the rate of fifty-one miles an hour.
The second trip from Paddington to Didcot, with
seventy tons, was accomplished in sixty-four minutes,
and up, with wind in its favour, in fifty-five minutes.

SHOCKING EXPLOSION AT BOL-
TON—NINE LIVES LOST.
BOLTON, TUESDAY.—Yesterday afternoon an explo-
sion of a steam-boiler, attended by a frightful loss of
life, took place at the cotton-mill of Messrs. Bothwell
and Kitts, in this town. The mill in question is an old
mill, to which, in the year 1833, a new end was built,
and about 250 hands were employed on the premises in
the various departments. During the.: dinner-hour
yesterday, it is understood—for at present nearly all is
conjecture—the engineer was preparing to start the en-
gine, for the purpose of the mill working after dinner,
when it was found that the air-pump was out of order.
At a little past one o'clock nearly all the hands were
upon the premises, and every exertion was being made
to get the air-pump in order, the engineer, Mr. Kitts,and one of the overlookers, assisting at the work, when
one of the boilers—an old one—situate inside the mill
near the engine-house, blew up with a tremendous ex-
plosion. The entire of the new end of the building was
shattered to fragments, falling principally inside, and
burying great part of the persons employed thereabouts,
and in the rooms above in the ruins. The workpeople
in the old part of the mill being completely astounded at
the explosion, and imagining that the building was going
to fall about their ears, rushed to the main staircase, but
these being blocked up with bricks and rubbish, they
tore up the floors and got out at the lower windows.
Many of them were much hurt in their endeavours to
escape, but it is quite preposterous to attempt enumera-
tion or description of their injuries.
Of course the report made by the explosion drew
many people, including the county police, to the spot,
and the good-natured people of the neighbourhood used
their utmost exertions until midnight to extricate the
bodies from the ruinous mass. The entire of the new
end was a heap of rubbish, and the defective boiler was
hurled, torn into an indescribable form, into the yard of
the railway company, on the opposite side of the
mill wall.
Several surgeons, including Mr. Sharpe, of the Dis-
pensary, Messrs. Ferguson, Hampson, and Chadwick,
were speedily on the spot, and many persons were ex-
tricated from the ruins, some of them severely injured,
but we give a list of those found dead in the ruins, and
the others who were taken to the Bolton Dispensary,
where we understand they are doing well.
Mr. Taylor, the Coroner, has summoned a jury for to-
morrow, but it is understood that the examination of
the witnesses will not taken place until Thursday.
The following is a list of the dead and wounded, so far
as is known to the authorities of the police:—
DEAD.
Edward Bothwell, aged 23, nephew of the late owner.
His parents live at Carlisle. H. e was learmegthe
business, and was instantly killed In the street adjoining
the mill, by some missile striking him.
Alice Hampson, a young woman, taken dead out of
the ruins.
Peter Greenhalgb, the manager, taken out of the
ruins quite dead.
Priscilla Seholes, taken dead out of the ruins.
Alice Edge, a young woman, taken dead out of the
ruins.
Thomas Mort, a boy, about seven or eight years of
age. Had taken his brother's dinner, and was warming
himself at the boiler door. His brother Richard was
man, named William Fletcher, was also much
also much hurt, and was taken to the Dispensary. A
young
hurt, near the same place ; but it is believed that both
the latter will recover.

MISSING.
Agnes Coniston and Elizabeth Coniston, sisters; both
buried in the ruins, and no doubt both dead. At seven
o'clock last evening the groans of both were heard under
the ruins.

Mary Allen, also known to be under the ruins.

MUCH HURT.

In addition to the others above-named, the following
are much hurt, though not seriously :
The engine-driver, likely to recover.
A youth named Heaton, a mechanic. He had fallen
from the top story of the building, and is much lace-
rated about the leg.
A young woman named Farington, and two others
whose names we did not learn.

Mr. Kitts, ono of the owners of the mill, who is much
stunned, but is believed not to be much otherwise hurt.

SOCIETY FOE PROMOTING THE RELIEF Oc THE
DESTITUTION IN THE METROPOLIS.—The Worshipful Com-
pany of Goldsmiths have sent the sum of 100 guineas in fur..
therance of the views of the above society. The Archbishor
of Armagh has also sent 100 guineas for the same purpose.
Within the last month, the parish of Newington, Surrey
comprising a population of 60,000 souls, has, with the sanc-
tion of the Archbishop of Canterbury, been brought within
the range of the society's operations.