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

CHAP, xxxm.] BANQUET AT BRUSSELS. 409
a report embodying the result of their investigations, which was
presented to the Sambre and Mouse Company, and afterwards
published.
The engineers of Belgium took the opportunity of Mr. Ste-
phenson's visit to their country to invite him to a magnificent
banquet at Brussels. The Public Hall, in which they enter-
tained him, was gaily decorated with flags, prominent amongst
which was the Union Jack, in honour of their distinguished
guest. A handsome marble pedestal, ornamented with his bust,
crowned with laurels, occupied one end of the room. The chair
was occupied by M. Massui, the Chief Director of the National
Railways of Belgium ; and the most eminent scientific men in
the kingdom were present. Their reception of " the father of
railways" was of the most enthusiastic description. Mr. Ste-
phenson was greatly pleased with the entertainment. Not the
least interesting incident of the evening was his observing, when
the dinner was about half over, a model of a locomotive engine
placed upon the centre table, under a triumphal arch. Turning
suddenly to his friend Sopwith, he exclaimed, "Do you see the
'
' Rocket ? " It was indeed the model of that celebrated engine
and Mr. Stephenson priced the compliment thus paid him, per-
haps more than all the encomiums of the evening.
The next day (April 5th) King Leopold invited him to a pri-
vate interview at the palace. Accompanied by Mr. Sopwith, he
proceeded to Laaken, and was very cordially received by his
majesty. Nothing was more remarkable in Mr. Stephenson than
his extreme ease and self-possession in the presence of distin-
guished and highly-educated persons. The king immediately
entered into familiar conversation with him, discussing the railway
project which had been the object of Mr. Stephenson's visit
to Belgium, and then the structure of the Belgian coal-fields,
the king expressing his sense of the great importance of economy
in a fuel which had become indispensable to the comfort and well-
being of society, which was the basis of all manufactures, and
the vital power of railway locomotion. The subject was always
a favourite one with Mr. Stephenson, and, encouraged by the
— ;
king, he proceeded to describe to him the geological structure of
Belgium, the original formation of coal, its subsequent elevation
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