This year the Paris, Lyons and Mediterranean line has provided the customary Christmas railway smash. The 7.55. p:1n. express from Marseilles. to Paris brei down 32 miles south. of Lyons, and while the defects sere being made good, another express, which left Marseilles at 8.15, ran into the rear of the first, The accident was due to an unfortunate combination of circumstances. The first train was. 10 minutes, late and the stoppage occurred midway between two signal stations. The man in charge of the last station passed seems. to have given the signal Line clear" before receiving advice that the first train had passed the next box to the
signal, but appearances are so much against north, He swears that he received the him that he" has boon arrested. The night, unluckily, was foggy, and the driver of the 8.15 did not see the tail-lights of the 7.65 till he was close upon them. It was the duty of the guard of the 7.55 to run back along the line and place fog-signals, but it is doubtful whether this precaution was adopted. The 8.15 does not appear on the time-table and is merely the second half of the 7.55. As this train consisted only of four first-class carriages, n sleeping-car, and. three vans, j it might be asked why it was necessary to run two trains instead of one, especially with only 20 minutes between them. China passengers arriving at_ Marseilles will do well to remember that second trains are always best.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.