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

CHAP. XX.] MR. STEPHKNSON APPOINTED ENGINEER. 231
to undertake the chief superintendence, making six visits in each
year, and stipulating that he should have the appointment of the
resident engineer. But the responsibility attaching to the di-
rection, in the matter of the efficient carrying on of the works,
would not admit of their being influenced by ordinary punctihos
on the occasion ; and they accordingly declined Mr. Eennie's pro-
posal, and proceeded to appoint Mr. George Stephenson their
principal engineer at a salary .of 1000^. per annum.
The appointment of Mr. Stephenson was alleged as a griev-
ance by the Messrs. Rennie ; but we cannot see that the directors
could have acted differently on the occasion. His practical experi-
ence and ability were undoubted ;
his fertility in expedients had
been- tried and proved in the course of a long life, twenty years of
which had now been directed to railway working and construc-
tion ; he had nearly completed the works of the Stockton and
Darlington Railway, which were the admiration of all who had
seen them. There was, indeed, no other man in England to
compare with him in point of practical railway knowledge and
experience ; and the Liverpool an