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

206 LIFE OF GEORGE STEPHENSON. [chap. xvin.
my wish to promulgate to the world that the ridiculous expecta-
tions, or rather professions, of the enthusiastic speculator will be
realized, and that we shall see engines travelling at the rate of
twelve, sixteen, eighteen, or twenty miles an hour. Nothing
could do more harm towards their general adoption and improve-
ment, than the promulgation of such nonsense."
Indeed, when Mr. Stephenson, at the consultations of counsel
previous to the Liverpool and Manchester bill going into Com-
mittee of the House of Commons, confidently stated his expecta-
tion of being able to impel his locomotive at the rate of twenty
miles an hour, Mr. William Brougham, who was retained by the
promoters to conduct their case, frankly told him, that if he did
not moderate his views, and bring his engine within a reasonable
speed, he would " inevitably damn the whole thing, and be himself
regarded as a maniac fit for Bedlam." *
The idea of travelling at a rate of speed double that of the
fastest mail coach appeared at that time so preposterous that
Mr. Stephenson was unable to find any engineer who would risk
his reputation in supporting his " absurd views." Speaking of
his isolation at this time, he subsequently observed, at a public
meeting of railway men in Manchester : " He remembered the
time when he had very few supporters in bringing out the railway
system—when he sought England over for an engineer to
support him in his evidence before Parliament, and could find
only one man, James Walker, but was afraid to call that gentle-
man, because he knew nothing about railways. He had then no
one to tell his tale to but Mr. Sandars of Liverpool, who did
listen to him, and kept his spirits up ; and his schemes had at
length been carried out only by dint of sheer perseverance." f
* Mr. John Dixon, engineer of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, then
Mr. Stephenson's assistant, relates the ahove circumstance.
t Speech of Mr. Stephenson at a meeting held in Manchester on the 15th of
June, 18i7, to present a service of plate to J. P. Westhead, Esq., chairman of
the Manchester and Birmingham Railway Co.
Mr. Stephenson did not hesitate to speali freely to his intimate friends of the
high speeds which he anticipated securing on railways by means of his improved
engines. At a dinner given to his son, Mr. Robert Stephenson, on the
presentation of a testimonial from the contractors on the London and Birming-
ham Railway, on the 16th Nov. 1839, Mr. Biddulph related the following circumstance
: " He could well recollect the time when railroads, and, indeed, all