that the wreck presented a pile more than 40 feet high, and blocked up both lines of rails. Soon after, a Liverpool train came up, and ran into the wreck with such force as to cause the engine and carriages to turn over on their sides. Eightteen waggons were smashed to pieces, and their goods scattered about the line. Though the Company will sustain a great loss by the accident, fortunately no personal injury was sustained. Three other accidents occurred on the same line within a few days, but none causing loss of life. Another accident with rather singular results occurred at Workington, on the Whitehaven Junction Railway. Some points, instead of closing after a train had passed through, remained open; a luggagetrain which followed passed through the points, ran into a siding, smashed a wooden bulkhead, mounted the station platform, entered the station, and went almost through it before it came to a stand. Bookingoffice, porter's office, and two waiting-rooms, were completely filled by the train, which smashed to pieces everything in its way. Fortunately no one was in the place at the time, the stationmaster having escaped. The engine-driver and stoker leaped off in time; the guard was slightly bruised. On the 28th inst., a frightful disaster occurred on the Taff Vale Railway. The branch from Merthyr to Dowlais has an incline of 400 feet in one mile, which is worked by a stationary engine. The officials neglected to attach the rope to the mid-day passengertrain before starting it. It consequently dashed down the incline with prodigiously increasing velocity as it neared the bottom. The guard leaped off the break soon after the carriages commenced their descent, and was unhurt. None of the passengers were, however, enabled thus to escape, as they were all locked in the compartments; and their shrieks while passing along the bridges over the roads near the town were most appalling. The branch joins on to the main line at the bottom of the incline, by a sharp curve. The train abandoned the rails at this spot, leaped clear up into the air a great height; the carriages were broken up, the passengers thrown out, and, with the débris of the train, fell like a shower into the Taff river and on the adjoining cinder-tips. Notwithstanding this extraordinary violence, some of the passengers were enabled to walk away comparatively unhurt. poor woman was killed, another was injured-it is supposed mortally, one having her back broken and the other a fracture of the skull, besides which they were frightfully lacerated and torn almost to pieces. Others were much hurt. One A more serious catastrophe occurred on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, on the 29th inst., to a train which left Manchester for Rochdale and Yorkshire, at 9.40. There was much snow on the ground, and a heavy fog prevailed. When the train had reached the Newton-heath Station, and was stopping for passengers, an Oldham train ran into it behind. The last carriage was completely broken up and its passengers strewn about the line. A young lady named Sykes, from Huddersfield, was seriously hurt; she sighed two or three times and expiredher spine had been broken. Her grandmother, Mrs. Lord, was taken to the station in a condition that precluded hope of recovery; Tidy, the guard, was so much injured that his recovery was thought doubtful; Mr. Michaels and Mr. Cremon, both of Manchester, seriously injured, and some others much hurt. Return of the number of Persons of every description killed and injured on all the Passenger Railways open for public traffic in Great Britain and Ireland during the Year 1853. Passengers killed or injured from causes beyond their own control Passengers killed or injured owing to their own miscon- Suicide Total killed or injured from all causes Number of passengers conveyed during the half-year sending the 30th June 45,080,316 Ditto for half-year ending 31st Dec. (not given in the return). Miles. Length of railway open on the 31st December, 1852 Increase of mileage during the year 350 Total collisions between passenger trains or between pas- 85 causes 18 . The MINISTRY, as it stood at the Meeting of the Parliament on the 10th of February, 1853. General Commanding-in-Chief. Right Hon. Viscount Hardinge. Paymaster of the Forces, and Vice-Presi- Right Hon. Lord Stanley of Alderley. dent of the Board of Trade. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Secretary of the Admiralty Attorney-General Solicitor-General Judge-Advocate General. Chief Poor Law Commissioner Right Hon. Edward Strutt. Lord Lieutenant Lord Steward. Lord Chamberlain Master of the Horse Mistress of the Robes. Right Hon. Charles Pelham Villiers. Right Hon. Earl of St Germans. QUEEN'S HOUSEHOLD. His Grace the Duke of Norfolk. THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TOOK PLACE DURING THE YEAR. IN THE CABINET.-The Earl of Clarendon, Foreign Secretary, vice Lord John Russell, a Seat in the Cabinet without Office. NOT IN THE CABINET.-James Crauford, Esq.. Solicitor-General for Scotland, vice Robert Handyside, Esq., a Lord of Session. SHERIFFS FOR THE YEAR 1853. ENGLAND. Henry Littledale, of Kempston Grange, esq. Wm. Whitting, of Manea and Thorney Abbey, esq. Francis Baring Atkinson, of Rampsbeck Lodge, esq. Frederick Acklom Millbank, of Hart, esq. John Gurdon Rebow, of Wivenhoe Park, esq. Sir Thos. Gage Saunders Seabright, of Beechwood, bt. Henry Bailey, of Nanty Glo, esq. Daniel Gurney, of North Runcton, esq. Cary Charles Elwes, of Great Billing, esq. Walter Selby, of Biddleston, esq. Thomas Spragging Godfrey, of Balderton, esq. James Morrell, jun., of Oxford, esq. John Parker, of Preston, esq. Algernon Chas. Heber Percy, of Hodnet Hall, esq. Francis Henry Dickenson, of King weston, esq. Edward Buller, of Delhorne Hall, esq. John Shelley, of Avington House, esq. Lord Henniker, of Thornham Hall. Thomas Grissell, of Norbury Park, esq. Francis Barchard, of Horsted Place, esq. Sir Wm. Edmund Cradock Hartopp, of Four Oaks Hall, bt. Francis Leybourne Popham, of Chilton, esq. Andrew Montagu, of Melton Park, esq. ELECTED BY THE LIVERY OF LONDON. London and Middlesex. {George Appleton Wallis, esq. D. Williams Wire, esq., Alderman. John Naylor, of Leighton Hall, esq. Thomas Arthur Bertie Mostyn, of Kylan, esq. Adrial Nicholas John Stokes, of St. Botolph's, esq. IRELAND. R. Shafto Adair, of Ballymena, esq. John B. Brady, of Myshall Lodge, Myshall, esq. Joseph Storey, of Bingfield, Cavan, esq. Richard Tonson Rye, of Ryecourt, Crookstown, esq. Alex. Jno. Rob. Stewart, of Ards House, Creslough, esq. Patrick Mathews, of Annagor, Duleek, esq. Viscount St. Lawrence, of Howth Castle, Howth. Robert Staples, of Dunmore, Durrow, esq. J. A. Holmes, of Clogher House, Ballaghadereen, esq. George B. Poer, of Belleville Park, Cappoquin, esq. * John Maher, of Ballinkeel, Enniscorthy, esq. |