The Sun. — 1840-12-04 (London, England)

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TOMORROW. Morning...... 4 minutes attar 10. Evening ..... 37 militates after 10.  The t üblication of t e Evening Edition of THE SUN commenced at 10 minutes after Three.  4k, • . 4 • Rl/: e +  LONDON: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1840  The verdict in the case of the accident on the Birmingham Railway, though an extraordinary one, and though the law was perhaps stretched to justify it, is calculated to assure the public that the utmost care will be taken of their lives by that as by every other conveyance. That verdict was, in the case of DAWSON, wilful murder against SiMPSON, the driver, and he only escaped a criminal prosecution by having been previously called to account before a higher tribunal. We should certainly have been more satisfied with it had there been any evidence of maliciously killing ; but whatever may be its vices, it was according to the law as laid doWn by the Coroner. In SIMPSON'S own case, the verdict.wasfelo de se, the Jury branding his conduct with most signal reprobation. The deodand of 2,0001. was a severe fine for the Company. If there ware before any doubt on the subject, it is now plain that the public, as Jurors, may protect themselves, so far as any penal law can protect them, and if they neglect properly to use the power which is in their hands, they only will be to blame. It is plain, from the verdict, if it will stand good in law, that no new statutes, or no new powers are wanted to enable Jurors to severely stigmatize and severely punish any of the Railway Companies, or any of their servants, who, by neglecting their duties, cause the death of any of her MAJESTY'S subjects. The Jury did not separate without pointing out several species of negligence, or improper behaviour in the Company, which, we trust, will lead to corresponding improvements. The imperfect code of night signals, the want of a means of communication between the guards and the drivers, the necessity for a more vigorous and careful executive authority in the Directors, and the propriety of appointing some person of superior education as a captain of each train, were all very properly adverted to, and the observations of the Jurors will not be without their effect on the Directors. Should they neglect these admonitions, and accidents hereafter occur by their neglect, they will be considered as persons who wilfully cause mischief, and will be liable according to the law, as laid down by Mr. WA K LEY, to have a Coroner's verdict of wilful murder recorded against them, and to be tried for their lives at the Old Bailey. For these useful admonitions the public are, we apprehend, mainly indebted to Mr. ROTCII, the Foreman of the Jury, who, being both a man of scienceand a lawyer, knows equally what is due to the public, and what ca❑ be achieved by the Directors of railways. •  Under another aspect, the verdict is worthy of notice. It enhances very much the responsibility of engine drivers. They will henceforth be considered liable to be tried for murder, if, by an accident arising from their carelessness, a passenger or a fellow-workman loses his life. Now these added responsibilities will impose on the Directors the corresponding duty of giving considerably higher wages to this class of useful men, and of selecting  them with the greatest care. On the whole, however, the proceedings will not be disadvantageous to railway proprietors, for they will ensure a better management, and enable the Directors to bring a better case than otherwise before Parliament when it meets, and so keep it from unnecessarily interfering with their property.  Though there is now reason to hope that the general peace will not be disturbed, we have not yet heard of any cessation of our naval preparations ; nor can we say that it would now be wise to suspend them. The late conduct of M. TRIERS, and the late debates in the Chamber of Deputies, have brought two important facts into painful relief. The first is, the existence amongst a large portion of the French of a diseased desire for war ; and the second is, the existence, we regret to say, of a wide-spread hatred amongst French statesmen, if not amongst the French population, of England. M. DE CARNE, in a few brief sentenct s, stated both facts :—" France (he said) hopes in war, and I say so without distinction of party or opinion." " The English alliance (he added) is not a normal and natural condition for France. France has another interest in the world than that of preserving peace, although this may be the first of all. I can understand that the interest of the preservation of peace may be established as the • basis of the policy of a State like Austria, like England ; but, I own it, I can -never conceive it for France but as a temporary interest.—(Marks of strong adhesion in the Chamber.)" While such feelings prevail to any extent, and they have been much fostered by the press during M. TRIERS' .Administration, there is a pro. liability that he may be forced back into power, which would inevitably bring on war ; and as long as a probability, or even a possibility of that exists, England will be compelled to keep up and even to augment her navy. If we have not war, we shall