The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

200 LIFE OF GEOEGE STEPHENSON. [chap, xviii.
about seven miles an hour, the greatest speed being about nine
and a half miles an hour. But when the engine was run by
itself, with only one wagon attached, containing twenty gentle-
men, five of whom were engineers, the speed attained was from
ten to twelve miles an hour. " When it is considered," said the
Quarterly Review,* " that neither the road nor the engines are to
be compared with those that are now made, and that some parts
of the rails were loose and irregular, these experiments may be
regarded as quite decisive as to the power and the speed that
may with safety be exerted on railroads.''
When the promoters of the measure had finally determined to
proceed to ParUament for the requisite powers to form the rail-
way, they invited Mr. Stephenson to undertake the survey. Mr.
James's dilatoriness in providing the plans and sections had by
this time thoroughly provoked the promoters of the undertaking.
Besides, he was now involved in pecuniary difficulties, in con-
sequence of the failure of several of his extensive speculations
and he was under the necessity of removing to France, where
he resided for some years. '
Before leaving England, howeverj
he placed the imperfect plans of his first survey in the hands of
the promoters, and he also made over to them his surveying ap-
paratus; at the same time pointing to George Stephenson as
the only man in England fitted by his practical knowledge and
experience of railways to carry out the undertaking to a success-
ful issue. The frequent interviews which the deputations from
Liverpool had held with him on the subject, as well as on the
best mode of working the line when made, had already con-
vinced them that he was, of all others, the man best calculated
to help them at this juncture. The successful working of his
KiUingworth locomotives ; the energy which he had displayed
in carrying on the works of the Stockton and Darlington Eail-
way, now approaching completion ; his readiness to face difficul-
ties, and his practical ability in overcoming them ; the enthu-
siasm which he displayed on the subject of railways and railway
locomotion,—had indeed directed their attention to him from the
first as the most fitting man for the office of engineer of their great
undertaking; and his appointment was unanimously confirmed.
* March, 1825 ;
published before the Liverpool and Manchester Bill was in
Committee of the House of Commons.
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