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

CHAP. XXXI.] BOARD OF TRADE. 389
want of foresight displayed by both houses in obstructing the
railway system so long as it was based upon sound commercial
principles, was only equalled by the fatal facility with which
they subsequently granted railway projects based on the wildest
speculation. Parliament interposed no check, laid down no
principle, furnished no guidance, for the conduct of railway pro-
jectors, but left every company to select its own locality, deter-
mine its own line, and fix its own gauge. No regard was paid
to the claims of existing companies, which had already expended
so large an amount in the formation of useful railways. Specu-
lators were left at full liberty to project and carry out lines
almost parallel with theirs. In 1844, Lord Dalhousie, who then
presided at the Board of Trade, endeavoured, in a series of able
reports, to give a proper direction to legislation on the subject
of railways ; but in vain. Both houses viewed with jealousy
any interference with the powers of the committees ; Lord Dal-
housie's recommendations were entirely disregarded, and an unlimited
scope was afforded to competition for railway bills. A
powerful stimulus was thus given to the existing spirit of specu-
lation, which rose to a fearful height, in 1845, turning nearly the
whole nation into gamblers.
The House of Commons became thoroughly influenced by the
prevailing excitement; and even the Board of Trade itself be-
gan to favour the views of the fast school of engineers. In the
" Eeport on the Lines projected in the Manchester and Leeds
District," * they promulgated some remarkable views respecting
gradients, declaring themselves in favour of the "undulating
system." Thus they cited the case of the Lickey incline on the
Birmingham and Gloucester Railway, as " a conclusive proof
that a gradient of 1 in 37j for a length of two miles may be
worked by the aid of an engine constructed for the purpose,
without serious inconvenience to an extensive traiiic ; "—that
" gradients of from 1 in 50 to 1 in 100 are perfectly practicable
to the ordinary locomotive engine, with moderate loads
; "—that
lines of an undulating character " which have gradients of 1 in
70 or 1 in 80 distributed over them in short lengths, may be
positively better lines, i. e., more susceptible of cheap and ex-
* Dated the 4tli February, 1845.