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Leader (1850-1860), 28th August 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 7, Upon Upon fines linesopen Annual in cour...

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      Scientific Air-Voyage The Aeronauts, Who...

      ' n the least interfere with our regular work of observing and recording . The cold would , of course , have become disagreeable , had we _continual long in it . " This voyage , it is observed , should only be considered as preliminary , neither the managing committee nor the observers having any previous experience in aerostation . '

      Ar00706

      Shameful Railway Accident The Train From...

      SHAMEFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT The train from Liverpool to Manchester by way of Bolton which started at three minutes before seven on Monday nig ht , lost nearly on hour in reaching Bolton . When it arrived at that place , the line was blocked by no less than five other trains , reaching over nearly a mile of the line . The first train , which caused the delay of all the rest , was a heavy passenger train , leaving Liverpool at half-past five , and due at Bolton at twenty minutes past seven , though it did not arrive at that p lace till twenty minutes past nine . This train , which divides into two parts at Bolton , contained passengers both for Manchester and for Yorkshire ; some time was occupied in separating them , and placing them in their proper trains . The _rftgnal-lamp , which should have warned the driver of the sixth train , and which

      could have been seen a mile off , was not li ghted , for the point-man , whose duty it was to see to this signal , had left at about a quarter to nine . His usual time for leaving was half-past eight ; but , on this day , he was warned that there would be extra trains , and that , consequently , his services would be required later . The line , where it approaches Bolton , is curved , and the night being very dark , the driver of the last train did not see the obstructing trains till he came within a distance of about one hundred and twenty-five yards . He ran into the train before him , which was a luggage train , with such force , that the three first carriages of his train , which were third class , were crushed , the middle one being turnjed up on its fore end , between the other two . Fifteen passengers were injured , but only one seems to be in danger .

      The clerk of the Boston station went , after the accident , to thc house of the pointsman , whose name is Lee Bancroft . He confessed that he had received the notice requiring him to be prepared by the special trains ; but he said he did not think he should be required to remain after his usual time . About halfpast twelve the same ni ght , he was found hanging by his neckerchief from a large nail , driven into thc top of his sentry-box ; he was then quite dead .

      It is stated , that it was the duty of the guard of the train which was run into , to have gone back with his lantern when he found that the signal was not alight . It seems that he neglected this duty .

      The Inquest, Held At Docker's Lane, Resp...

      The inquest , held at Docker ' s Lane , respecting the death of Mr . John Thomas Beddington , was terminated on Wednesday , when the Jury declared themselves of opinion , that tho death of John Thomas Beddington was caused in consequence of the ashpan having been severed from the engine , but tho cause of such severance was not in evidence before them .

      Railways In 1851. Cap Tain Simmons, Of T...

      RAILWAYS IN 1851 . Cap tain Simmons , of the Royal Engineers , has mado a report from tho railway department of the Board of Trade to the Trade Committee of the Privy Council of the state of railways in 1851 . By a series of extracts wo shall bo able to place _lieforc tho reader some interesting information connected with the growth of railway system , tho causes of the accidents which are constantly occurring , and tho revenues derived by tho companies .

      INCREASE OF BAILWAY _COMMUNICATION The increase that has been mado in tho railway communication of this country in the year 1851 has not been so great aa in any of tho preceding years since 1844 . Commencing from that period , there was a rapidly progressive increase in tho number of milos opened during each _successive year . This increase reached its maximum in 1848 , in winch year 1182 miles of railway woro added to thoso previo _us ly opened for the conveyance of _passongors . Tho yearl y progress has since 1848 been as rapidly diminishing , 'lie number of miles opened during tho last year having onl y amounted to _jsflO , of which 174 aro in England , 0 in _buolli uid _, and 8 ( 5 in Ireland .

      I ho whole extent of railway communication open for )\ mu \ ° " l tho Ul , it ( ' Kingdom at the ond of 1861 was _«>»>* . , ndo « , which are distributed in the different parts of _*•»« kingdom in the following proportions : — t _i-. , Milos . In _England and Wales 53 ( H ) in _Scotland 0 ( M ) In Ireland 024

      . „ _. c Total in lho United Kingdom . ( 1890 miles < pon f () r Imbli ( , trttf , i ( . of tl tt W , clirH » however , that a vory considerable portion tin I ° Wl 11 nov " r , MJ _instructed , in consequence of 'II .., r u ° ° - lho l , owcr » conferred upon tho companies . iio _lollowmg table , compiled from tho various acta of _or _uouiont conferring powers upon tho companies , and

      Railways In 1851. Cap Tain Simmons, Of T...

      from returns presented ; to Parliament , shows that the powers , both for the compulsory purchase of the necessary lands , and for the construction of the works , had ceased without having been exercised with respect to 645 _mdes , and that the powers for the compulsory purchase of lands had been allowed to expire previous to the end of 1850 ( to which date the returns have been made ) to a further extent of 571 miles , reducing the number of miles of railway not now open for traffic , for making which the powers were in force at the end of 1850 , from 5101 to 3888 . " And it seems probable that a very large deduction from this

      number must be stUl made . Prom the latest returns which have been presented to Parliament relative to the capital of _radway companies , it appears that at the end of 1850 railway companies had raised , either by shares or loans , a sum equal to 240 , 270 , 746 / ., and that they retained powers to raise a further sum of 122 , 431 , 900 ? ., but a small proportion of which wdl ever be applied to the railway purposes contemplated when granted by Parliament . The sums raised annually previous to the year 1848 cannot be ascertained ; but since that period Parliament have required returns from , the companies , from which it appears that the sums raised for railway purposes

      in—1848 amounted to . . . £ 33 , 234 , 418 1849 „ ... 29 , 574 , 720 1850 „ . . . 10 , 522 , 967 The returns of the sums raised during 1851 have not all , as yet , been received ; and therefore the amount raised for the last year cannot be stated . From a table which has been prepared in continuation of the similar table in the reports of the Commissioners of Railways of preceding years , it appears that the number of persons employed in making railways was 15 , 947 less on the 30 th June , 1851 , than on the 29 th June , 1850 , while the number employed on railways open for traffic has been increased by 3589 , showing the persons employed upon railways to have been 12 , 358 fewer in 1851 than in 1850 .

      As the very rapid extension of railways consequent on the proceedings of the years 1845 and 1846 appears , from what has been shown before with reference to the capital of railway companies , now to be drawing to a close , the following comparative statement has been prepared with the view of exhibiting the fluctuations in the employment given by these extensive undertakings : — PEBSONS EMPI / _OTEU ON _BAItWAYS .

      Upon Upon Fines Linesopen Annual In Cour...

      Upon Upon fines linesopen Annual in course Annual for increase . of con- decrease . traffic . struction . On May 1 , 1847 47 , 218 _¦» 256 , 609 - _> \ 6470 [ 68 , 332 May 1 , 3848 . 52 , 688 < 188 , 178 < _[ 3280 [ 84 , 361 June 30 , 1849 65 , 968 < 103 , 816 < _[ 4006 \ , 931 Junb 29 , 1850 59 , 974 < 68 , 885 < [ 3589 \ , 947 June 30 , 1851 63 , 563 J 42 , 938 ¦> Tot . incr . 16 , 345 Total deer . 213 , 571 Incr . on lines open 16 , 345 Balance of decrease . 197 , 226

      The General Result Is, That On Tho 30th ...

      The general result is , that on tho 30 th of June , 1851 , the number of persons employed upon railways , either in construction or working , was 197 , 226 less than at tho corresponding period in 1847 . It would appear , therefore , that in the interval which has elapsed , this number of _Sersons , who must havo been withdrawn from other _inustriol occupations in consoquenco of the great demand for labour created by the impetus givon in 1845 and 1846 to tho construction of railways , has been again absorbed in other occupations , and obtain a living by other means . Tho reduction of labour , as divided betwoen tho three kingdoms , is as follows : — Tho number of persons employed on tho 30 th Juno , 1851 , is less than on tho 1 st May , 1847—¦ In England and Wales by . . . 125 , 296 In Scotland by 49 , 306 In Ireland by 22 , 624 Total diminution .... 197 , 226 From this it will bo seen that tho cessation of railway works baa fallen moro especially upon Scotland , whero tho greatest proportionate reduction in tho persons employed has taken place . Tho number of persons employed in each country on tho 30 th Juno , 1861 , was—In England and Wales .... 80 , 612 In Scotland 8 , 802 In Ireland 17 , 087 Total 100 , 501 ACCIDENTS . On the subject of accidents it is to be observed , that 36 passengers havo been returned as killed , and 375 injured , during tho year 1861 ; these number ., showing a very great increase us compared with tho preceding year , when onl y 32 passengers woro killed and 183 injured . It must not be assumed , however , that all of these accidents to passongors woro accidents arising _IVom _caunos beyond their own control , and are therefore to bo considered as attributable to tho dangers of railway travelling ; for , upon examining lho returns , it appears that during tho year 1861 no less than 17 passengers wore killed and 20 injured owing to their own misconduct or want of caution , leaving 11 ) killed and 365 injured as the total number of _Bufferera from causes beyond their own control . With respect to tho 37 passengers either killed or injured by their own misconduct or want of caution , it appears

      The General Result Is, That On Tho 30th ...

      that no fewer than 24 of . these accidents ( 9 killed , 15 injured ) arose from passengers attempting either to get into or out of trains whilst in motion . On this subject it may be worthy of observation that during the same period ( the year 1861 ) eight servants of railway companies , persons therefore , it may be presumed , in the habit of moving about , more or less , upon engines and trains , were killed , and seven injured from the same cause . Such a statement ought to operate as a caution to passengers not to leave their scats or to attempt to get into carriages while the trains are in motion ; for if experienced officials constantly employed upon railways meet with such frequent disasters from this cause , it is naturally to be

      expected that inexperienced people , in making similar attempts to get either upon or off trains in motion , will be much more subject to accidents of this character . This result , giving a total of 374 sufferers , when viewed with reference to the number of passengers conveyed during the year , which amounted to 85 , 391 , 095 , appears not unsatisfactory , being about 4 in 1 , 000 , 000 ; but when compared with the returns of the preceding year ( 1850 ) , it appears that the traffic has not been conducted nearly with the same degree of safety in 1851 as in 1850 ; for while the number of passengers conveyed has increased

      rn the ratio of about 17 per cent ., the number of passengers injured by causes beyond their own control , which may be considered as a measure of the relative safety upon railways during different periods , has more than doubled , tho ratio of increase being 104 per cent . It will be found also , upon reference to the last annual report of the Commissioners of Railways , that the casualties in 1850 more than doubled those that occurred in 1849 , so that relatively the risk of danger in travelling upon railways appears to have considerably increased . It is matter of observation that this increase of accidents

      has taken place concurrently with the extension of the system of excursion trains , which has been principally developed within the last two years ; and it is also to be observed that in the same period the number of persons employed upon each mile of railway open for traffic has decreased , as shown by the returns presented to Parliament , which are made up for the 30 th June in each year , at which date it may be presumed that the excursion traffic is in full operation . The average number of persons employed upon all the railways in the United Kingdom open for traffic were on the—30 th June , 1849 .... 10-27 per mile 29 th June , 1850 .... 956 „ 30 th June , 1851 .... 949 „

      It is , however , right to observe that this reduction in the average number of persons employed may be in some degree to be attributed to improvements in the management of the railways , and to the consideration that the railways which have been opened in late years have traversed less populous districts than the railways first constructed , and have therefore required fewer persons to conduct the traffic upon them . These accidents may be classified under two heads : — 1 . Those which arise from accidental failure of machinery , or from defects in the roadway or works .

      1 . Those which arise from defeets in the establishment and management of the railways . Thia head may be further- subdivided into—A . Inherent defects in the system upon which the traffic is conducted . B . Defects in regulations . C . _Inattention to regulations , or inexperience of servants . D . Want of punctuality . Of the 41 accidents that have been reported upon , 2 only appear to belong exclusively to tho first class , whilo 25 belong to the second class , and in 14 arc involved circumstances falling under both classes .

      Tho remedies suggested are , that goods trains aid passengers trains should not run during the same time ; tbat more care should be bestowed on the points ; that greater accuracy should be obtained in time-tables ; and that time-tables should be given to tho drivers of goods trains .

      TRAFFIC . It appears that the number of passengers travelling on railways in England and Wales , which in 1850 amounted to 58 , 514 , 435 , reached 70 , 471 , 179 in 1851 , showing an increase of 20 per eent . ; while the receipts from these passengers rose from 5 , 888 , 603 / . to 0 , 952 , 012 / ., being an increase of 18 per cent . This increase in a great degree is to be attributed to tho Great Exhibition . The general results of traffic over all the railways in the United Kingdom hIiow that tho aggregate number of passengers conveyed in 1850 amounted to 72 , 854 , 422 ; in 1851 to 85 , 391 , 005 ; being an increase of 12 , 530 , 873 , or 17 _' 2 per cent . The gross receipts from passengers in 1850 amounted to 0 , 827 , 701 / . ; iu 1851 to 7 , 010 , 704 / . ; showing an increase of 1 , 113 , 003 / ., or 103 per cent .

      The gross sum received for the transport of goods amounted in 1850 to 0 , 370 , 907 / . ; in 1851 to 7 , 050 , 095 / ., showing an increase of 079 , 788 / ., or 10 _'C * per cent . The gross revenue of all the railways arising from traffic of all descriptions , wbieb in 1850 amounted to 13 , 204 , 008 / ., amounted in 1851 to 15 , 997 , 459 / ., or very nearly 15 millions , showing nn increase in tho receipts for the year of 1 , 792 , 791 / ., or 135 _percent .

      Sugar Treason. Tin: Liverjhiol Jamaica A...

      SUGAR TREASON . Tin : _LiverjHiol Jamaica Association held a meeting on Tuesday , to receive a deputation from the island concerning its present distressed condition . Mr . J . B . Yates , who took tho chair , complained

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 28, 1852, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28081852/page/7/