MR. RICEwished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Derby, the Railway Commissioner, a question with reference to the recent accidents on railways. It was stated, that the inquiry respecting the accident on the Brighton line was postponed to the 3rd of August. On the evidence on that inquiry, Hesketh, foreman of the enginemen, stated, that Stephen-son's engines, Nos. 39, 40, 41, and 42, "kick about more than others. "Capt. Coddington said, "they oscillated more than others; hut he did not think thirty-five miles an hour would be unsafe." He further stated, they were used on the Eastern Counties and Dover lines. Now, as he (Mr. Rice) was frequently in the habit of travelling at a much greater speed on the latter line, the question he wished to ask was, whether the Railway Commissioners possessed any, and what, powers of adopting means for affording protection to the public against accident and loss of life on railways; and, if so, in what way they proposed to exercise those powers with reference to the recent accidents? He put the question generally.
§ MR. STRUTTsaid: According to the present provisions of the law, in case of accident attended with serious personal injury, the company on whose line it has happened is required to give notice of the occurrence to the Railway Commissioners within forty-eight hours. If the Commissioners think further information necessary, they can either call for it from the Railway Company itself, or send down an official of their own to make an investigation into it. Upon that examination, and when in the possession of all the facts, the Commissioners can make any recommendation to the Company they may think fit, for the prevention of future accidents. To make the subject clearer, perhaps I had better simply state what course the Commissioners have taken with respect to the three accidents that have lately occurred, namely, that of the Dee bridge, at the Wolverton station, and on the Brighton and Chichester line. With respect to the 841 accident at the Dee bridge, the Commissioners considered it of great importance; they therefore despatched Captain Symonds, accompanied by Mr. Walker, to inquire fully and on the spot into the causes of the accident. They made a very able report to the Commissioners, which was laid before the coroner's jury at the inquest. The Commissioners have since taken the report into consideration, and the conclusion they have drawn from it is, that further experiment and examination are necessary with regard to the use of cast iron in the construction of railway bridges. The Commissioners have reason to believe, that though there has been sufficient experience to regulate the use of cast iron where it is subjected to steady pressure, additional experiments and further information are required as to those cases where, as in railway bridges, it is liable to the passing of heavy weights at great velocities, and where the vibration is caused by such circumstances as these. Taking this into account, the Board has recommended the Government to appoint a commission to investigate the subject, with power to make experiments upon it; that commission will be constituted partly of gentlemen of eminent scientific experience, and partly of practical engineers. In the meantime, circulars have been issued to all the railway companies in the United Kingdom, requesting them to make a return of all the cast-iron bridges they have on their lines, their dimensions, and other particulars; they are also recommended, in case there are the slightest doubts of the stability of any bridge, at once to give it additional temporary support, and, till the report of the experimental commission is made, to run the trains over it with great caution, and only at low rates of speed. I hope to be able to produce to-morrow the report which the Commissioners have drawn up on the subject. With respect to the second accident, which occurred at Wolverton, and arose from the misconduct of one of the servants of the company in directing the points, the Commissioners sent Captain Symonds down to make an examination on the spot; his report was laid before the directors of the company, who attended with great promptitude to it, and stated their full concurrence with its recommendations. They requested that Captain Symonds might be placed in communication with Captain Huish, the superintendent of the line, for the purpose of drawing up some regula- 842 tions that might prevent similar accidents in future: not on that line only, but on others; due authority was given to Captain Symonds for that purpose, and he has prepared some regulations on the subject. With respect to the third accident, that on the Brighton and Chichester line, where the engine got off the rails, an investigation has been made by Captain Coddington, under the orders of the Commissioners; that gentleman has made a report, and has also attended the inquest. With respect to this accident, I may mention that the attention of the Commissioners was also called to the state of the working stock of the company, as great alarm existed on the subject, under a supposition, whether erroneous or not, that the working stock was not in a fit condition. The Commissioners thought it their duty, from a due regard to the public safety, and as a matter of justice to the company, to institute a full inquiry. When that intention was communicated to the company, they expressed the utmost readiness to afford every facility; Captain Coddington was appointed to conduct it, assisted by Mr. Murray, a gentleman recommended by the Admiralty. The inquiry is in progress; but till the inquest, which is adjourned, is over, I will not express any opinion as to what the result of the examination may be. I only hope that to all future accidents, as to these, the Commissioners will pay the utmost attention, and will look on it as the most important duty they have to perform.