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

406 LIFE OF GEORGE STEPHENSON. [chap, xxxiii.
thus authorized was 246 miles. The eventual success of this
measure was mainly due to the energy and sagacious enterprise
of the king. He foresaw the immense advantages of the railway
system, and its applicability to the wants of such a state as Bel-
gium. The country being rich in coal and minerals, had great
manufacturing capabilities. It had good ports, fine navigable
rivers, abundant canals, and a teeming industrious population.
He perceived railways were of all things the best calculated to
bring the industry of the country into full play, and to render the
riches of his provinces available to all the rest of the kingdom.
King Leopold therefore openly declared himself the promoter
of public railways throughout Belgium. The execution of the
works was immediately commenced, the money being provided
by the state. Every oflScial influence was called into active ex-
ertion for the development of these great enterprises. And, in
order to prevent the Bel^an enterprise becoming in any sort
converted into a stock-jobbing speculation, it was wisely provided
that the shares were not to be quoted on the Exchange at Ant-
werp or Brussels, until the railway was actually completed.
Mr. George Stephenson and his son, as the leading railway
engineers of England, were consulted by the King of the Bel-
gians, as to the formation of the most efiicient system of lines
throughout his kingdom, as early as 1835. In the course of that
year, Mr. Stephenson visited Belgium, and had some interesting
conferences with King Leopold and his ministers on the subject
of the proposed railways. On that occasion the king appointed
him by royal ordinance a Knight of the Order of Leopold. Im-
provements of the system were recommended and adopted ; and
in 1837, a law was passed, authorizing the construction of addi-
tional lines,— ^from Ghent to Mouscron on the French frontier,
from Courtray to Tournai,—from Brain-le-Comte to Namur,
with several smaller branches. These, with the lines previously
—
authorized, made a total length of 341 English miles.
Much diligence was displayed by the government in pushing
on the works ; the representatives of the people in the Chambers
now surpassing even the king himself in their anticipation of
the great public benefits to be derived from railways. The first
twelve miles between Brussels and Malines were opened in