§ MR. DARBY GRIFFITHsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to an accident in the Hampstead Road, caused by a Locomotive Steam Road Carriage, which, in going along the road, removing the débris from the old Reservoir, snorting and blowing off steam, caused the horses of an omnibus to take fright, rush on the pavement, and capsize the passengers, breaking arms and legs, and doing shocking injury to the passengers; and whether he is of opinion that such Locomotives could safely run in future on the public roads?
SIR GEORGE LEWISstated that a Report had been made to him on the subject by the Commissioners of Police, at his request. The nature of the accident was substantially that reported in the public papers, but the injuries were confined to one man having his collar-hone broken and to several others receiving bruises. At the same time, though the accident was not so serious as had been imagined, there could be no doubt that considerable danger was caused by the passage of such a vehicle; the Superintendent of Police, who reported on the matter, stated his opinion that the employment of such an engine on the public roads was dangerous. Under the present state of the law the only remedy, in addition to the civil action which might be brought by persons suffering injury, was the indictment of the proprietors for a public nuisance.