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

202 LIFE OF GEOKGE STEPHENSON. [chap. xvm.
pensation, though in most of the cases he was of opinion that
not the slightest damage had been done.
The principal opposition, however, was experienced from Mr.
Bradshaw, the manager of the Duke of Bridgewater's canal
property, who offered a vigorous and protracted resistance to the
railway in all its stages. The Duke of Bridgewater's farmers
obstinately refused permission to enter upon their fields, although
Mr. Stephenson offered to pay for any damage that might be
done. Mr. Bradshaw positively refused permission in any case.
The survey through the Duke of Bridgewater's property was
consequently made entirely by stealth. Mr. Stephenson, after-
wards describing the difficulties which he had thus encountered,
said :— " I was threatened to be ducked in the pond if I pro-
ceeded, and, of course, we had a great deal of the survey to take
by stealth, at the time , when the people were at dinner. We
could not get it done by night : indeed, we were watched day
and night, and guns were discharged over the grounds belonging
to Captain Bradshaw to prevent us. I can state further, that I
was myself twice turned off Mr. Bradshaw's grounds by his
men ; and they said if I did not go instantly, they would take me
up and carry me off to Worsley." *
The levels of the line were taken by Mr. Steel and Mr.
Gillever, and the surveys were made by numerous assistants, not
then so expert or so correct in railway surveying as they after-
wards became. Mr. Stephenson was under the necessity of rely-
ing upon these imperfect surveys in the preparation of his esti-
mates ; and it is not at all a matter of surprise that, when the
first engineers of the country were afterwards set in array against
them by the wealthy canal and landed interests, they should have
been able to pick so many holes in them, and thus for a brief
period to defeat the designs of the promoters of the measure.
"When the canal companies found that the Liverpool merchants
were determined to proceed with their scheme,— ^that they had
completed their survey, and were ready to apply to Parliament
for an Act to enable them to form the railway, they at last re-
luctantly, and with a bad grace, made overtures of conciliation.
* Prooeedings of the Committee on the Liverpool and Manchester Kailroad
Bill. Evidence, p. 261.