Weekly News. — 1892-05-05 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

YEAR'S RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.  The official summary of accidents and casualties reported to the Board of Trade as having occurred upon the railways of the United Kingdom during the year 1891 was issued yesterday. It shews that train accidents were fatal to five passengers, and caused injury to 875. The fatalities of this class were remarkably few, the lowest number since 1873 being six, occurring in 1885, followed by eight in 1886. In comparison with the number of passenger journeys, exclusive of those by seasonticket holders, the year 1885 has hitherto given the best result, the fatalities in that year averaging only one in above 116,000,000 journeys. But 1891 will now take the pre-eminence, not only from the circumstance that the deaths are five instead of six, hut owing to the circumstance that the journeys last year exceeded 800,000,000, in place of being less than 700,000,000. The passengers injured by train accidents last year shew a considerable excess over 1890, when the number was under 500. But the killed are less by 13. To the servants of the Railway Companies the year's accidents have been more fatal than to the passengers, the killed among the employes being 12, or precisely the same number as in IE9O. The number injured was 154, which also is very nearly the same as the figure for the year before. But the travellers on the railways were subject to many more casualties than those just specified. Accidents other than those occurring to trains, including such as the sufferers are considered to have brought about in some degree by their own want of caution, or by absolute misconduct, were fatal to 98 passengers, besides 737 injured. On the whole, 103 passengers were killed and 1,612 injured. Causes other than train accidents killed no fewer than 557 servants of companies or contractors, while above 3,000 were injured. Compared with the previous year, this shews an increase of 50 in the killed, and 32 among those who were simply hurt. The contractors' servants killed were 20. and the injured 30. The greatest loss of life among the companies' servants appears as having occurred while the men were walking, crossing, or standing on the line on duty. The deaths which thus earn* to pass last year were no fewer than 146. Next in magnitude we have the record of 115 killt d while winking on the permanent way or in sidings. Shunting operations killed 94, while a large number were injured. Forty-two lost their lives while walking cn the line on their way to or from work. Coupling or uncoupling vehicles was fatal to 24. But there are "other persons" besides passengers and servants. Among this outside class, 66 were killed while passing over railways at level crossings, and the toemidable number of 306 perished as "trespassers." Suicides numbered 87, and miscellaneous causes occasioned death to 57. Including accidents and casualties of all kinds, the persons killed on the railways of the United Kingdom during the year were 1,168, and the Injured 5,060. C,mpared with 1890 there is an increase oh 92 among the= killed, and 339 among the injured. In respect to the killed, there is an men are of 64 among the trespassers, and 50 among railway servants from causes other than train accidents. There is also an increase of 10 deaths in the unclassified list. There is a decrease of 17 among the deaths occurring at level crossings. Taking in the extraneous class of accidents, such as those which happen at railway stations, there is a tctal of 1,247 persons killed, and 11,500 injured. In the previous year the numbers were 1,135 killed, and 11,568 injured. Leaving out the extraneous class, and limiting attention to the 1,168 deaths immediately connected with the railways, it Will be seen that less than a tithe of these occur among passengers, the remaining nine-tenths being almost equally divided between the servants of the com• panies and those not so employed, the former having somewhat the larger share. The deaths are thus recorded: Passengers, 103; servants, 549; other persons, 516.  It is announced that Mr. Montagu Williams is in.& condition that gives the gravest anxiety to his medical attendants and his family. He is under treatment at his house at Ramsgate.  During stormy weather the new tug-steamer Dreg' heda was towing three coast vessels, the Gwalia. the Louisa Jane, and the Brothers, outiide Dreg" lieda, when all four vessels were driven ashore south of Drogheda Bay, where they remain aground. The Duchess of Edinburgh will not, after says the Lady, hold the May Drawing Booms la place of the Princess or Wales,as she remains abroad with her son until he is quite strong again. It it also doubtful whether Princess Christian will be is England during the Season, and the day of assist. ing her Majesty will devolve upon either the Duchess of Connaught, Princess Louise. or Princess Beatrice. It is said that the Queen considers Princess Marie or Edinburgh too young to be piesevted, and that the ceremony will be postponed until neat year.  "Q. '8 " new book, "1 SW Three Ships," will S published by Messrs. Caisell and Co. on May Mk and simultaneously in New York. "Rex, the Black Sheep," by M. E an °Ties)._ novel in one volume, with jr. nii-i c,e, Wll published immediately. by Messrs. Digl.y, Long aw' Co.  "The Earl of Derby." by Mr. Genrge Saint4nlW7. is tte latest addition to gleb,rs. Sampson Low sod Co.'s ' series of boos cn the Queen's Prune Minister,.