The Port Gibson reveille., 1906-01-25

MANY PRECAUTIONS TO INSURE
SAFETY or ENcLAND's FULLER.
Special instructions Sent Out When \
Royal Train ls 10 Be Rup-~E"glnes
Must Not Whistle or Emit Smoke
Near sovereiun's Car.

Near Soverei1n's Car.
When royal train IS to be run,
says the London Daily Express, a spe.
cial notice Is issued, In which instruc-
tions are laid down to station masters,
guards. drivers, signalmen, inspectors
plate layers, gatemen, fogmen and all
other employees concerned as tovthe
working Of the train from the time It
starts to the time when It draws up
at It's destination, with the exit from
the royal saloon facing the strip OF
red carpet. To all whose duty Is
affected, a copy OF this jealousy
guarded document is handed and a re-
ceipt taken for 1t, and woe unto him
who shall be found wanting In knowl-
edge OF his part. down to the smallest
detail
The reason for all this secrecy Is
obvious. A railway train-even
royal train is not the safest place In
the world, and In spite Of all that
human thought can do to minimize the
dangers OF travelling, accidents viii
happen. Therefore. in to insure
his majesty's safety, so far aRin them
lies, the railway authorities hold up
their ordinary service to some extent,
and do all in their power to impress
upon their stan the importance. of the
trust placed in their hands.
Waiting at any important junction
or station to see the royal train dash
through, one Is struck with. the un-
usual stiffness and absence Of traffic.
This is explained by the fact that, for
some time before this privileged train
is due to pass, all traffic IS either d.
verted to side lines or held back alto
gether. Very minute indeed are the
instructions as to what shall happen
to everything on wheels that Is likely
to be on the line on the momentous
day within hours Of the time Of his
maiestys passing. Even shunting
operations on sidings near the line oc'
cupied by the royal train must be sus-
pended half an hour before the train
is due, and not be resumed. till It has
passed; and goods trains drawn up In
waiting on the adjacent set Of rails
must be carefully examined by the
guard to make sure nothing Is pro-
lecting.
To insure that the royal travellers
are not subjected to the same annoy
ances and inconvenience. as ordinary
people, drivers Of standing trains must
see that their. engines are not emit
ting smoke. or steam, oG whistling,
while the royal trainssa are passing, and
drivers OF passenger trains passing
the royal train. must avoid whistling
unless 1t is, absolutely necessary, and
must also shut on steam while run
ming past. It. Is a special instruction
to station masters to arrange for the
placing OF trustworthy men at facing
points," over which the royal train
will run. half an hour before the train.
is. due.
These facing points" must also be
carefully examined and holted and.
padlocked for the line on. which. the
royal special Is. travelling. No, work.
In any way likely to afrect the line
must 60 on at any OF the stations, and
all work In connection with the per-
manent way must cease quarter OF.
an hour before the train Is, due. In.
addition. it Is the station masters
duty to see that the entrances to their
stations are watched and kept private.
1t Is rather a curious fact also that.
all fogmen. whether there be any
signs Of fog or not, must be at their
posts an hour before the Kings train
Is due.
The arrangements for the makeup
and driving Of royal trains, are, as
might be expected. most precisei
Engines OF royal trains. must carry
three discs by day, showing the royal
arms. After dusk, during foggy
weather. or when 1t Is showing, four
lights must be shown, one. white on
each side Of the smoke box, green
light on top and a purple light on the
near side Of the buffer beam. Royal
trains must pass facing points at
speed not exceeding twenty miles an
hour-or less in specified cases-and
with steam shut on.
AS some Of the companies DO not
own a sufficient number of royal
coaches for all purposes. these are
borrowed from others who have them
/, to spare, and the company owning the
rolling stock send artificers with the
train throughout the journey. Two IN
spectors, acting as guards, accompany
the royal train. one riding In the front
and the other in the rear brakeman,
the former keeping his face to the rear
Of the train so as to observe any
signal from his colleague or from the
roval attendants, and conveys at once
to the driver any instructions neces-
sary. Another important item worthy
Of note Is that royal trains carry an
emergency telegraph instrument by
means of which telegraph communica-
tion can at once be established at any
place. a special call being arranged
to which precedence must be given
over messages OF all kinds; and
staff OF experienced telegraph men &C
company the train.
The elaborate precautions as 10
signaling the royal are interesting.
All telegraph operators must be at
their instruments two hours before
the royal train Is due to depart. and
while the train Is running they must
on no account leave their riaces. Sig
nalmen must be continuously on duty
during the time the royal train Is on
dts journey, and all signal cabins In
regular use must be open an hour be-
fore the train Is due and signals
49, ~~-~