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

CHAP. XXX.] AUTOBIOGEAPHIC SKETCH. 379
you think I managed ? I betook myself to mending my neighbours'
clocks and watches at night, after my daily labour was
done. By this means I saved money, which I put by ; and, in
course of time, I was thus enabled to give my son a good educa-
tion. While quite a boy he assisted me, and became a com-
panion to me. He got an appointment as under-viewer at
Killingworth ; and at nights, when we came home, we worked
together at our engineering. I got leave from my employers to
go from Killingworth to lay down a railway at Hetton, and next
to Darlington for a like purpose ; and I finished both railways.
After that, I went to Liverpool to plan a line to Manchester.
The directors of that undertaking thought ten miles an hour
would be a maximum speed for the locomotive engine ; and I
pledged myself to attain that speed. I said I had no doubt the
locomotive might be made to go much faster, but we had better
be moderate at the beginning. The directors said I was quite
right ; for if, when they went to Parliament, I talked of going at
a greater rate than ten miles an hour, I should put a cross on
the concern ! It was not an easy task for me to keep the engine
down to ten miles an hour ; but it must be done, and I did my
best. I had to place myself in the most unpleasant of all positions—the
witness-box of a parliamentary committee. I was
not long in it, I assure you, before I began to wish for a hole to
creep out at. I could not find words to satisfy either the committee
or myself; or even to make them understand my mean-
ing. Some said, ' He's a foreigner.' ' No,' others replied ;
' he's
mad.' But I put up with every rebuff, and went on with my
plans, determined not to be put down. Assistance gradually
increased ; great improvements were made in the locomotive
until to-day, a train which started from London in the morning,
has brought me in the afternoon to my native soil, and enabled
me to meet again many faces with which I am familiar, and
which I am exceedingly pleased to see once more.''
After the opening of this railway, the completion of the East
Coast line, by effecting a connection between Newcastle and
Berwick, was again revived ; and Mr. Stephenson, who had
already identified himself with the question, and was intimately
acquainted with every foot of the ground, was called upon to
assist the promoters with his judgment and experience.
;