14 AUGUST 1880, Page 3

The railway accidents are beginning in terrible force. On Tues-

day the " Flying Scotchman," coming south, became a wreck within three miles of Berwick,—from causes not yet explained, but probably due to coming round a sharp curve at too great speed, to make up for late starting,—with a loss of three lives. On Wednesday there was a fearful accident on the Midland line, near Lancaster, which caused the loss of seven lives, due, per- haps, to the inadequate fitting of points at a junction, and the great speed at which the train came up to the points. Else- where we have read an account of what would have been a very bad accident, but for the presence of mind of two gentlemen, who, seeing that the permanent way had been swept from beneath the rails, ran one in one direction and one in the other, to atop the approaching trains. The heavy rain has caused great injuries to some of the permanent ways, and the rapid travelling due to the frequency of late starts is, at this time of the year, a very great cause of danger. The Railway Companies should remember that they may easily lose in a single accident far more than the profits of a successful excursion can replace.