ENGLISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 656, 15 February 1869, Page 4

ENGLISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

A frightful accident on the South Wales Railway occurred near a station known as Bullo Pill, 14 miles south of Chepstow and 11 miles north of Gloucester. The trains that came into collision where the ordinary up mail leaving Milford Haven at 5 o'clock on Thursday evening and a special cattle train conveying stock from Carmarthen cattle fair, held on Thursday, 12th Nov. The cattle train was formed of 20 trucks, conveying 279 beasts, belonging respectively to John Griffiths, farmer, of Forest Farm, near Cardigan ; John George, and David Thomas, also Welsh farmers. The cattle train left Newport at 5 p.m. and was due at Gloucester at 10 p.m.; 5 hours being allowed to run a distance of less than 50 miles. A guard, named Probert, was in charge of the train, and as is the practice on the South Wales line, he rode with a number of farmers and drovers in a third-class carriage at the end of the train, his carriage having a brake in one of its compartments, and acting a 3 a brake van. The train being heavy and the rails getting wet and slippery from the fog which came on as the evening advanced, Syso, the driver, had considerable difficulty in keeping up his speed. When he started from Lydney he is stated to have told the policeman on duty at that station that he should shunt to allow the mail to pass him at Bullo Pill, which is about eight miles nearer Gloucester. This was no doubt his intention ; but it seems after leaving Lydney his difficulties from slippery rails and heavy load increased ; but he seems to have thought not 6uch an extent as to render it necessary to send back his guard, Probert, with fogsignals, in accordance with the fixed rules of the Company in cases of this kind. He was toiling at a moderate speed up a slightly adverse gradient, having just rounded a sharp curve in the line, when at a distance of only a mile and a quarter from Bullo Pill station and sidings, the mad, travelling at a speed of between 30 and 40 miles an hour, rushed upon hi* train, and caused the collision, by which the trucks were shattered into fragments. Daniel Betty, the chief guard of the mail train, who has escaped unhurt, gives an account of what occurred. He says: — There was no caution given to slacken speed, and the mail proceeded at its usual rate, up to the point indicated, where the line runs through a cutting of about 12 feet dt ep, on a rather sharp curve. On coming out of the straight and rounding the curve, from his compartment, he observed, not more than 60 to 80 yards in advance of bis engine, the three red tail lamps of the special cattle train. His first impulse was to throw himself down on the floor of the carriage. He had scarcely done so when the collision occurred. The engine of the mail train drove completely through the thirdclass carriage forming the brake of the cattle train, and mounted high up upon the fragments of the three or four of the next cattle trucks. On looking up Betty saw that one of the doors of his compartment had been carried away, and that part of a third-class carriage was driven in at the opposite window. He was unhurt, and on getting out he immediately sent Rees, the under guard, up an 4 down the line with fog-eignals to stop all other trains. Finding that his engine-driver, James Turner, and the stoker, were uninjured, his next act was to release the passengers in the train. He found two out of the number, one of whom was Mr Minet, of St. Aubyn's Road, Upper Norwood, fast asleep ; then, with the assistance of the passengers and that of a few country people who were attracted to the spot by the noise of the collision, he set about endeavoring to rescue the sufferers in the van of the cattle train,

whose cries were heard even above the lowing of the wounded cattle. All the sufferers were Welshmen, and the horror of the scene was rather increased than otherwise by the impossibility of understanding what they said. The guard, Probert, was found dead ; David Thomas owner of a large number of the cattle, died almost as soon as he was got out; Evan Morgan, a drover, was found lying amonp the cattle in one.of the trucks with a por tion of the wooden framework resting upoi his head. This man lived only a few minutes after his removal into the carriage The driver and stoker of the cattle train were unhurt. None of the carriages of the mail train were thrown off the rails by the force of the collision and only the leading carriage was at all injured. The persons killed were—David Thomas, farmer, aged 26; Evan Morgan, drover, aged 60; and George Probert, railway guard, aged 45. A fourth man, whose name is not stated, died in Gloucester Infirmary on Eriday. The wounded conveyed to the Gloucester Infirmary are—Phillip Jones, drover, aged 35; Edward James, drover, aged 13; Benjamin Roberts, drover, aged 38 ; John George, drover, aged 40; William Edwards, drover, aged 50; and Daniel Thomas, brother of the deceased David Thomas, aged 18. All these persons are suffering more or less from cuts and bruises., but none appear to be vary seriously injured, except James. Eight of the cattle trucks suffered from the collision.

DISCOVERY OE TREASURE TROVE. An important discovery of treasure trove was made a few weeks ago, near Hildesheim, by a working party of Prussian soldiers whilst making excavations for a rifle-butt for the military in garrison at that town. At the foot of the hill, on which malefactors were hanged, some pieces of curiously formed and ornamented antique silver plate were dug up, which led to further explorations, and these to the discovery of the whole treasure. A royal commission of archaeologists and others lias been appointed, who have examined the treasure and sent in their x'eport. One of the learned commissioners, Professor linger, of the University of Gottingen, is of opinion that it was made at the best period of Romam art, temp. Augustus Cassar, and conjectures that it formed part of the camp table equipage of some Roman general. The treasure consists of a number of plates, dishes, vases, drinking cup, and candelabra, all of pure silver, of elaborate workmanship and unique design. The largest piece is the cover of a goodsized vase, much oxydised and imperfect, with chasings in high relief of stags, dogs, aud other animals. Another work of art stical value is a silver drinking cup, about eijjht inches high, with two handles, covered with a profusion of vine leaves, intermixed with Iheatrical masks, so perfect in conception and delicacy of execut on as to be considered a chef d'ceuvre Another valuable piece is a flit vase, pro h ably a fruit dish, containing a beautiful full-length figure of Minerva, in alto relievo, the helmet," cegis, and other attributes richly gilt. The other vase 3 are ornamented with busts, also in high relief, the one representing goddess Rhea, and the other the Phrygian moon god Deus Lunus, recognisable by the Phiygian cap and the half moon, with the horns projecting over the shoulder of the figure. Another vase bears a gilt medallion of the infant Hercules strangling the the serpent. An interesting part of the discovery is, that on nearly every piece of plate is inscribed its weight, which will go far to set at rest the vexed question of what the Roman weights really were, and how far they correspond with those now in use.

DIED OF STARVATION. A shocking- tale of distress was told at an inquest held on November 13 at Bethnal green on the body of a man named Bridges, who, it wa3 said, had died of starvation. His widow was the principal witness. She said her husband had been badly off for some time. The witness had three children who lived in one room, for which thGy payed two shillings a week. One of his sons worked for him when he could get work. Witness tried to support the family by selling clothes in Petticoatlane on Sundays, but she never made more than three shillings. The whole family earned five shillings a week. On Monday he got a job in Dog-row, and he had to work in an open yard the whole of the day. In the evening, he returned home, and he threw sixpenco down on the table, and said, " Have pity on me, I am dying through weakness. What I have suffered this day no one knows. I have been shivering with cold ; my heart pains me." Witness said to him, " Why did you not go to the workhouse as I asked you, and they would have given you relief." He replied, " Nonsense, you know we applied there last winter, and they refused us relief." Witness then went to the workhouse, and they said, " Go and Work." Witness replied, " We have neither food nor fire." " We have plenty of these tales," said the gentleman, " send your husband." <c He lias been and he was refused." The gentleman then spoke very loud, and he said, "I shall not give you anything; there is the door!" »* Give me a loaf of bread," said the witness, " No," said the gentleman, "I shall not give you anything ; there is the door." That was on Saturday, and the witness then went home. She, her husband, and their three children, all lay down on the floor. They remained lying there until the middle of Sunday, when William, their eldest boy, got up and went out. He returned in a short time with 3d which he had borrowed from another boy. He bought one pound of broad and a little tea with the money, On

Tuesday her husband died. Before he died the man said, " I have been wa king about in search of work for three days. [ have had no food day or night during those three days except a halfpenny loaf and a little cold water." On Saturday previous to his death he walked to the workhouse, but the doors were closed, ind ho thought he should never reach home again, he felt so weak. The family had had no meat for five months. They felt happy when they got a herring to livide amongst them. The night before net husband died he said that he would make another [another effort to walk to the workhouse. Witness believed that he died from want of food. The doctor's evidence showed that death was caused by effusion of serum on the brain, and this, he said, was the result of want of food. The jury took a long time to consider their verdict, but ultimately found that death was occasioned aa the medical man had stated.

NEWSPAPER POSTAGE. The Times, December 4, has an article on the newspaper postal system in the United States. The writer eulogises the American poHcy of permitting newspapers to be forwarded through the mails at low rates of postage, whereby the general diffusion of knowledge is promoted and encouraged; praises the liberality of the "free exchange" system for the benefit of the press, and hopes the time will soon come when England will adopt the entire American plan, which time has proved to be so successful and beneficial iu that country. MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS. No fewer than 16,770 persons were locked up for being drunk in Liverpool during the year ending Sept. 29, 1868. The death is announced of Alderman Williams, of Sunderland, a gentleman who, in 1839, was imprisoned in Durham gaol for complicity in the designs of the Chartists. An infant, four weeks old, has been killed at Leeds by his mother administer ing to it a large dose of paregoric, in ignorance of its dangerous properties. The proceedings against ex-Grovernor Eyre have assumed another form. On Nov. 17 he was the defendant in an action for assault arising out of the disturbances in Jamaica. The damages are kid at £IO,OOO. The Court of Queen's Bench took time to consider its judgment. England and North Germany have agreed on the basis of a new postal treaty, by which the rate of postage between the two countries will be reduced to threepence, and the post office order system will be introduced. Gioacchino Antonio Rossini, the illustrious musician, departed this life on Fri day night, Nov. 13, at his apartments in the Ene de la Chausseo d'Antin Paris, in his 77th year. With him has departed one of the most remarkable geniuses and one of the kindliest spirits of the 19th century. The funeral was solemnised in Paris on Nov. 21. The Home News says:—At home no more important death has occurred than that of the foolish and vi'ious young Marquis of Hastings, who dissipated a splendid fortune on the turf, and in every debauchery, and died a wreck. Some cant was talked because the journals very properly remarked upon such a career, and the eternal de mortuis was parrotted, but the single use of the Marquis of Hastings was the warning which his fate held up to other silly young men. Princess Louis of Hesse (Princess Alice) gave birth to a prince on November 25 at Darmstadt. The anniversary of Colston, the philanthropist, was celebrated in Bristol on the 13th November, when the sum of £2,687 was collected.