The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-13
QUEEN pICToRIA,s ENGINEER.
Precautions Taken to Safeguard Inor Hallway
Journcsh.

From Arstrers.
Everybody knows that extra care Is cxcr-
ciscd whenever her Majesty travels by rail. I"
remarked George Lasham, familiarly known
among railway men.as the Queens driver to
the writer one day recently, but few people
realize how thorough and complete arc the pro.
cautions taken to guard against any and every
possible danger
Mr.. Lasham, It may be explained, has driven
the Royal Special" over the London md South.
western system for nearly forty yoars, and Is
therefore an authority on the subject. Quito
recently, on his retirement from active service.
lie. wnG presented by her Majesty with n bcauti.
full silver salvcr, deliberately chased and en-
gravcd with tho royal arms.
Before every journey he explained. mo
matter how short tho distance may be, the en-
CINE and tender attached to the special are care.
fully examined by the chief locomotive supcrin.
tendcnt. A pilot engine PROCEEDS the train, all
ordinary traffic is suspended, and the line for
the whole distance is watched by relays OF plate.
layers. To the driver are given the most OK.
plicit instructions as TO speed. stoppages, &c,
to disregard any one of which would be 10 court
instant dismissal. Printed instructions arc
given to every official accompanying the train,
who is strictly forbidden to give any informa.
ton respecting the arrangements.
1t Is wrong, to suppose, rs many do, that the
SiSti u pCtih bApb ulbllk TIA III
other train; AS a matter Of fact, 1t is a stand
ing order that the speed Of the Queens train Il
never to exceed forty miles nn hour, and it Is
generally. kept well within even that moderate
limit. This latter regulation. however. applies
only to her Majesty's special. The Prince OF
Wales likes to travel as rapidly rs possible. and
he generally has his desire gratife6. II not, he
Invariably wants to know the reason why.
when any special danger is unprecedented the
ordinary precautions arc redoubled. For in
stance, during tho dynamite scare In the Jubilee
year every piece OF coal used in the furnace was
broken into little bits in the presence OF an Off
cial before being loaded on the tender. and the
interior of the boiler was carefully examined
and scrapcd. The object was. of course, The
same In both instances TO guard against the in
PRODUCTION OF explosives"
In is not usual, 1t appear, for members Of oul
own royal family to bestow extra remuneration
upon the drivers Of their trains. Foreign potcn
tates, however. arc more frec-handed. Thus Mr.
Lasham recounts with IA good deal Of ~satisfac
tion that he invariably received from the Shall
ego a trip. Next to that much be- cwel!cd anto-
crat in generosity vas the late Emperor Napo
leon, whom the 'Quecn's driver often tool
yariably, good" for "a R5 note. 1t was Away,
delivered, inclosed in a sealed envelope, by hi
Majcsty's private secretary. This custom hi
widow, the impress Eugene, kept up until tn
death of the Prince Imperial, when she ceasc'
to charter specials
The number of cigars presented to tn
Queens driver" by distinguished travellers /
come dust and ashes. but some of them hav
been preserved as souvenirs. Notable amonI
these latter is n gigantic specimen, nearly
foot long. presented to Mr.. Lssham by the lat
Car, and "A tiny one, not much bigger than
cigarette. given him by the Empress OF Austria