Sir Humphrey Davy should have all the credit ! '
* So I think/ replied Mrs. Grenville ; ' the fame
ought to be more equally divided between the two,
for no doubt both equally deserve the praise that
i See Smiles' Life of Stephenson, pp. 94-203.
1 46 The Triumphs of Steam.
the partisans of Sir Humphrey desire to secure for
him alone. However, time, the great judge, has
already begun to right the balances, and I have no
doubt that future generations will hold the scales
pretty equally between the rivals/
' But, Aunt Helen/ said Charles, ' what was the
good of the safety-lamp ? What was it wanted for ? '
'To prevent the ignition of the gas,' replied Mrs.
Grenville. ' You know what a quantity of gas all
coal contains : well, when the seams of the coal are
cut through, this gas rushes out into the galleries ;
and of course any workman coming along at the
moment with a lighted taper is liable to set it on
fire, and thus expose himself and his fellow-work-
men to instantaneous death. Many a bad accident
had taken place since Stephenson had worked at the
mine, and often had he pondered over some means
for finding a substitute for the tapers that were at
that time used in the pits. Incessant business, how-
ever, and his constant labour with his locomotive,
had prevented his putting his ideas into anything
like form. At length one day, in the year 1814, a
workman ran suddenly into his cottage, exclaiming
in breathless horror, " Stephenson, Stephenson, make
haste, make haste ! the pit's a-fire ! " Throwing his
books and his plans on one side, off ran George Ste-
phenson. As he neared the pit's mouth, he heard
the cries and shrieks of the horrified women, whose
husbands and sons were working below. " Oh !
Courage of George Stephenson. 147
the numbers that are below ! the numbers that are
below ! "
'" Stand back, and give me place," exclaimed
Stephenson ; " I am going down to join them."
' " Down ! why you are going to certain death/'
remonstrated the enginemen.
' " Lower me instantly, there is not a moment to
be lost," was the stern reply ; and springing into the
basket, in an instant he disappeared down the pit's
mouth. As he touched the ground he saw the
extent of the danger, and how it could alone be
remedied.
'"Are there six men," he exclaimed, looking
round on the terrified group of workmen, who were
crouching to the ground in vain hope of safety from
the coming blast, " are there six amongst ye who
have brave hearts and strong arms? If so, follow
me. We will stop the flames, or we will perish in
the attempt."
' Roused by that ringing voice, animated by that
brave and daring spirit, the men eagerly volunteered
to follow wherever he would lead the way.
' It was a frightful peril : one instant too late, and
they were courting death. Stephenson's plan was
to build up a wall of solid masonry between them-
selves and the approaching flames, defy the de-
stroyer face to face, and stay him in his victorious
march. All the materials that he required were
fortunately at hand. Silently and earnestly the men
148 The Triumphs of Steam.
held to their work : nearer and nearer came the
enemy, but not one man flinched from his post till
the last stone was placed, and then they paused,
and gratefully thanked God for their wonderful
preservation, and honoured him whose courage,
under Heaven, had alone saved their lives.
' Not content, however, with having stayed the
immediate danger, Stephenson turned his thoughts
in earnest to how the risk might be best averted in
future. To accomplish what he wanted was very
difficult, for he must have a bright light, and yet
one which could in no way communicate with the
outer air ; and how was this to be effected ? as
of course no light would burn brightly except the
flame was fed with a certain amount of air ; and if
he admitted the necessary draught, how was he to
prevent its coming in contact with and igniting the
noxious gases ? Books he had none to help him, for
in this case there were none written on the subject. It
was just at the very moment when the attention of
scientific men was being roused to its importance
by the succession of lamentable accidents so con-
stantly occurring. Sir Humphrey Davy had been
asked to turn his especial attention to the matter,
and he had promised, if possible, to construct some
instrument which might obviate the danger.
'But Stephenson knew nothing of this, nor had
he any of the scientific knowledge which was guid-
ing the researches of Sir Humphrey. He had
The Safety-Lamp. 149
nothing but his clear head, strong common sense,
and accurate acquaintance with practical mathe-
matics. Carefully noting the causes of explosion,
and the different currents of air through the mine,
Stephenson came to the conclusion, that if he could
contrive a lamp with a long chimney, and with
tubes which could produce a sufficient current of
air, he should obtain his object. His only doubt
was how much of the outer atmosphere must be
conveyed to the light itself to make it burn. How-
ever, this he must test for himself ; and without loss
of time he set to work upon his new invention.
'At length the lamp was completed, and, in com-
pany with two of his most intimate friends, Stephen-
son descended into the mine to make trial of its
power. By previous arrangement a small portion of
a very dangerous part of the pit had been boarded
off, that the gas might escape into it in large quan-
tities, and thereby test to its utmost the powers of
the lamp. It was a fearful moment. Suppose the
lamp proved unequal to the trial, certain and imme-
diate death must be the fate of all three.
' " It is too hazardous !" exclaimed one of the party.
" Let us go back ; it is tempting Providence."
* " No, no," exclaimed Stephenson, " I am confident
of the power of the lamp ; besides, it must be tested.
The trial is worth the risk ; it is one man's life to
save a thousand. Go you back .; I and my lamp go
forward together.'*
150 The Triumphs of Steam.
' The men looked at each other for a moment in
silence, but the risk was too great, and their courage
was not proof against the dreadful ordeal. They
went back to a place of safety, whilst their calm,
brave, dauntless companion passed on, and was lost
to their sight in the surrounding darkness. His own
heart may have beaten more quickly, but his hand
never trembled as, having reached the place of trial,
he held out his lamp, and placed it in the full cur-
rent of the noxious air. His companions mean-
while awaited in beathless suspense the sound of the
explosion which was to tell them that their brave
friend was no more. Minutes seemed like hours,
and then they heard the sound of a footstep, and
then the cheery, well-known voice that told them all
\*/as right. " Come, come, see for yourselves," he
said ; " it is quite safe, never fear ; come and judge."
Following Stephenson, at a very prudent distance
however, they saw him go up to the dangerous spot,
and coolly hold out the lamp. The flame bright-
ened, flickered and v/ent out, but no explosion
followed. Clearly it was safe. Half the battle was
won. All that was now required was to find the
means of keeping alive the light, and the friends re-
turned together to Stephenson's cottage to discuss
how this, the remaining portion ot their work, might
be effected, thankful for their own wonderful pre-
servation, and rejoicing to think that at length a
means had been iound by which the lives of thou-
Success of the ' Geordie Lamp' 1 5 1
sands might be rendered safe, and more than ever
honouring the man who could thus calmly make
sacrifice of his own life, if need be, to promote the
well-being of his fellow-creatures/
'What a grand fellow he was !' exclaimed Ernest.
* He was something like a man/
* He was indeed/ replied Mrs. Grenville. ' It is
quite refreshing to know that such men have lived in
our own days. We are apt to think, when we read
of heroic and of noble deeds in history, that they
belong to a generation quite passed away, having
nothing whatever to do with us, and so we lose half
the benefit of their example ; whereas, when we hear
of those living amongst ourselves, our very own
countrymen, doing such brave deeds, we feel that
for very shame we must try and imitate them, or be
content to rank amongst an inferior class of men/
'And did Stephenson find out how to make the
lamp burn, mamma ?' inquired Arthur.
'Yes. After much thought and many experi-
ments, he at length hit upon a plan by which the
poisonous air which extinguished the light might be
discharged, and pure air introduced through tubes
to keep alive the flame. The plan was tried, and
with perfect success ; and thus, before Stephenson
had ever heard of Sir Humphrey Davy's lamp, and
in fact before Sir Humphrey himself had begun to
construct it, the " Geordie Lamp," as it was termed,
was in actual use in the Northumberland coal-pits.
152 The Triumphs of Steam.
Unfortunately for Mr. Stephenson's fame, whilst he
at the risk of his own life had been working out
his problem practically, Sir Humphrey Davy, with
every aid that science could afford to his really fine
intellect, had come to a theoretical conclusion pre-
cisely similar. The lamp which he exhibited at the
Royal Society was more neatly put together, be-
cause he could command the help of all the most
skilled workmen in England ; but the principles on
which it was made were so identically the same with
those of the " Geordie," that when it was first shown
to the Killingworth pitmen, they exclaimed, " Why,
that is Stephenson's lamp !"
' However, Sir Humphrey Davy was at that time
the admired of all men, and looked upon as one of
the great lights of the age, whilst George Stephen-
son was merely a workman, or at best an unknown
engineer. When, therefore, some of his friends came
forward and claimed for him the honour due to his
invention, the idea was simply laughed at and put
on one side. But Stephenson was not a man to
allow himself to be quietly laughed down. He did
not wish to claim for himself one iota more merit
than he deserved, but right should be done to him
as much as to another ; so, quietly and firmly, he
held his ground. " Only let the matter be fairly
sifted," he said, " and then let the praise rest with
those to whom the praise was due."
' As is often the case, the partisans on both sides
The Rival Lamps. 1 5 3
took up the matter with undue warmth. Each
would have claimed the entire merit for their own
champion, whereas in reality both men were equally
deserving of praise, and it was a thousand pities
that a feeling of jealousy should have been fostered
for a moment between two such rivals. The ques-
tion became an embittered one ; nor was the matter
mended, when, at a great meeting of all the princi-
pal men connected with the Northumberland mines,
it was resolved that a splendid testimonial should
be given to Sir Humphrey Davy, to mark their
sense of the importance of his invention, whilst they
merely presented George Stephenson with a hun-
dred guineas, to show, as they said, that they were
not unmindful of his exertions in the cause of
humanity.
' But this did not satisfy Stephenson. He did
not want the hundred guineas, but he did want the
credit that he had so hardly earned. A number of
his friends took the same view. A statement of the
facts was published, and of course drew forth a
rejoinder from the opposite side. Unfortunate as
this controversy then appeared, it has perhaps had
the advantage of enabling us, now that all heat of
partisanship has passed away, to judge clearly be-
tween the merits of the two men ; and, without
depreciating either, to be thankful for the blessing
bestowed upon the miners by the scientific know-
ledge of the one, and by the practical experience
154 ^^ Triumphs of Steam.
and clear-thinking, hard-working perseverance of the
other.
' Not content, however, with giving to the world
the true history of Stephenson's invention, his friends
determined to present him with some tangible proof
of their admiration and regard ; and in a manner
most peculiarly gratifying to Stephenson, they
begged his acceptance of a silver tankard and one
thousand guineas, as a slight mark of the estima-
tion in which they held his high qualities both of
heart and head.
'This money came just at the right moment.
Robert, his darling boy, had grown up all that his
father's fondest wishes could desire. He had now
been for about two years working with his father at
the mines, the greatest possible assistance to him ;
for not only was his knowledge of every part of an
engine so complete, that Mr. Stephenson could leave
him fearlessly in the entire charge of the most com-
plicated works, but Robert was just as much inte-
rested as Mr. Stephenson himself in the construction
of a perfect locomotive ; and his accurate drawing,
and quick, ready power of suggestion, were of the
greatest value to his father in preparing his different
plans and models. Nothing was a trouble to him :
his energy was untiring. That it was right that
such and such a thing should be done was quite
sufficient. No matter what self-denial it entailed,
the sacrifice was cheerfully made ; and for weeks
Advantages of Education. 155
together he would be up between two and three
in the morning, steadily at work at his engine
intent merely on doing his present duty, and doing
it well.
' To lose such an assistant and such a companion,
might well seem to Stephenson an irreparable loss ;
but no sooner did he receive the thousand guineas
than he made up his mind that part of it should be de-
voted to sending his son to college. He understood
too well in fact this Davy controversy had shown
him the immense disadvantages that he laboured
under for want of a university education, and of the
standing it always commands in the world. Robert
should be spared this trial, at least. He should
start on an equality with other young men of his
day ; and in his heart he prophesied he would shoot
ahead of them with the speed of his own locomotive.
So Robert went to Edinburgh, and Mr. Stephenson
endeavoured to reconcile himself to his loss by
devoting himself more than ever to the perfecting
of his unwieldy favourite, of whom people were apt
to say, as they shook their heads gravely, " Ay, but
there will be an awful blow-up some of these days."
And so there was, but not exactly in the sense they
intended. Not many years, and the prejudices of
the ignorant and the forebodings of the learned
were alike blown to pieces by the practical know-
ledge of the self-taught engineer.
'Just at the present moment, however, a fresh
156 The Triumphs of Steam.
difficulty was thrown in Stephenson's way, by a
very general notion that steam-carriages could be
so constructed as to travel along the common high-
way ; and the attention of all the best engineers of
the day was directed to seeing how this might be
effected. Stephenson, however, said from the first
that they were trying to accomplish an impossibility,
for that the inequalities and roughness of a common
road would offer too great a resistance. If they
desired to make steam power really available, it
must be by finding a perfectly smooth level on
which the engine might run. He was met by the
reply : the engine wheels would not bite, conse-
quently the engine could never be propelled forward.
" This was a mere popular delusion," Stephenson
replied. " Give him only the opportunity, and he
would show that it was." There was no use argu-
ing with Stephenson, he was so determined ; so the
engineers shrugged their shoulders and pitied his
ignorance, and Stephenson, caring little for their
silent contempt, worked quietly on at an undertak-
ing, by which, as he truly said, " he would revolu-
tionize the world."
' Certain that he was right in the principles on
which he meant to work, Stephenson's first care was
to improve the line of rails on which his engine ran.
One improvement suggested another, and at length,
in 1819, the locomotive at the Killingworth mine
had been proved such an undoubted success, that
Opening of the Helton Railway. 1 5 7
Stephenson was applied to by the owners of the
Hetton colliery to construct a line of about eight
miles long, which was to be worked entirely by his
locomotive engine. This was his first great triumph,
the first public recognition of the truth of his theory.
Stephenson set to work with a hearty good-will, and
on the 1 8th of November 1822 the Hetton Railway
was opened ; and amidst the cheers of hundreds of
spectators who had assembled to witness the novel
sight, the engines started from their post, dragging
after them long trains of heavily loaded waggons/
' And how fast did they go ? ' asked Ernest.
' About four miles an hour/
' Oh ! only that ? '
' That was considered fast in those days. But a
new and far more important success was now await-
ing Stephenson/ continued Mrs. Grenville. 'You
remember, I suppose, what an immense impetus
had been given to the cotton trade by the inven-
tions of Arkwright and the engines of Watt ? *
' Oh yes, of course/ exclaimed the children, ' we
remember/
' One of the consequences that naturally resulted,
was the greatly increased importance as mercantile
cities of Manchester and Liverpool, and the abso-
lute necessity of finding some means of more rapid
communication between the two. All the principal
traffic had hitherto been carried on by means of the
Bridgewater Canal ; but not only was this a very
158 The Triumphs of Steam.
slow means of transit, but it was utterly impossible
to find boats sufficient to convey the quantities of
goods which, for want of means of transport, were
lying idle, or, worse still, rotting in the different
warehouses. Something must be done, and that
speedily, or the tide of advancing commercial pro-
sperity would be stayed. A very clever, though
somewhat speculative man, a Mr. James, suggested
that a tram-road, to be worked by horses, should be
constructed between the two cities. Whilst, how-
ever, matters were still pending, Mr. James was told
of the wonderful engines that were working at the
Killingworth collieries, and of the still more wonder-
ful man who had made them. Mr. James imme-
diately determined to pay a visit to the mines him-
self, and judge of the truth of what he had heard.
He was equally delighted with the engine and the
engineer, declaring that the one would attain to the
celebrity of Watt, and as to the other', that there
would be no limit to the wonders it might perform.
From that moment he became one of Stephenson's
stanchest adherents, and would gladly have ob-
tained his assistance in the immediate construction
of a railway between Manchester and Liverpool, but
the storm of opposition the mere proposal of such a
plan excited amongst all the most influential land-
holders of the neighbourhood was too strong for Mr.
James and his small knot of supporters. For the
moment, therefore, the plan was stopped. But it
God's Providence. 159
only went to sleep, refreshing itself till the time for
action should arise ; and meanwhile there was plenty
of work cut out for the indefatigable engineer.
'In tracing the wonderful ways of God, I have
always been deeply impressed with the fact, that
when any great change is destined to take place in
the world, or any great benefit is about to be con-
ferred, exactly the right men are raised up in the
right place. It should teach us, I think, both thank-
fulness and humility ; thankfulness, if in any mea-
sure we are chosen to co-operate in the good work ;
humility, in that we see that our finest talents are
but as instruments in God's hands, by which He
works out His own foreordained and unalterable
plans, becoming to ourselves a blessing or a curse,
in so far as we account them of value for God's
glory or our own.
'Just at the very moment when George Stephen-
son was wanting a more ample field for the develop-
ment of his great discovery, he was brought into
connection with the man most suited to give him
the assistance he needed. Mr. Pease of Darlington
was one of those shrewd, clever, large-hearted men,
true sons of the north, who put us more effeminate
southerners to shame with their energy.
' Mr. Pease had been for some time impressed
with the great advantages which would accrue to
his native place, if he could open up a ready
means of transporting the coal from Darlington to
1 60 The Triumphs of Steam.
the neighbouring seaport town of Stockton. His
notion was to lay down a tram-road between the
places ; and, after considerable difficulty, he pro-
cured the necessary Act for enabling him to carry
this into effect. One night, however, before any
operation was yet begun, he was told that two
men wished to speak to him on business, and on
going into his study, he was met by a clever, intel-
ligent, thoughtful -looking man, who, without any
excuse or preamble, introduced himself as George
Stephenson, " an engine-wright," who was anxious to
speak to Mr. Pease about this new tram-road which
he was on the point of making, and which he thought
might be changed into a railroad, with immense ad-
vantage to all the parties concerned in the under-
taking.
' Mr. Pease was somewhat taken aback by such a
very bold innovation on his plan, and made by a
perfect stranger also ; and yet there was an earnest,
straightforward truthfulness about his visitor that
impressed him greatly in his favour. Begging Ste-
phenson to be seated, he went into the whole subject
at great length with him listening most attentively
to all that Stephenson urged in support of the pre-
tensions of his pet locomotive ; and at length, when
Stephenson concluded by saying, "Come and judge
for yourself; seeing is believing!" he promised to
accept the invitation, and take an early opportunity
of coming over to Killingworth, to examine for him-
Mr. Pease Convinced. r6r
self the boasted powers of the travelling engine.
True to his word, he kept his appointment. Ste~
phenson put the locomotive through all its accom-
plishments, and so satisfied Mr. Pease of the truth
of all that he had told him of its powers, that he
became as ardent an admirer of the engine as Ste-
phenson could possibly have desired, and from that
day forward was indefatigable in his efforts to bring
into public notice both the workman and the work ;
and so strenuously did he advocate his cause, that
he persuaded the gentlemen who were connected
with him in the management of the Darlington and
Stockton tram-road to reconsider their plans, and
obtain a new grant from Parliament, by which they
might be allowed to construct a railroad instead, and
work the line with the locomotive engine.
'This done, Stephenson was appointed engineer,
and set to work with a hearty good-will, to find
levels and make all things ready for this his first real
triai of the feasibility of his long-thought-of scheme.
With earliest dawn he used to be up and out, hard
at work surveying and measuring, and not till day
closed in did he return to take either rest or re-
freshment, except such as was offered to him at any
of the farmhouses by which he passed. His kind
manners, and the readiness with which he could
adapt himself to all circumstances, made him a
general favourite. People were only too glad to
offer him the best of what they had, and thought
1 62 The Tmimphs of Steam.
themselves well repaid for their hospitality as they
listened to the fresh, racy stones of their guest.
But full of fun and light-hearted as he might have
seemed to the world at large, this was in reality
a time of anxious thought. Stephenson was quite
aware how much the future success of all his most
cherished hopes hung upon the prosperous issue of
his present undertaking. If the locomotive were
tried now and found wanting, good-bye to all his
darling projects ; if, on the contrary, it succeeded,
there were no bounds to his ambitious views for its
future. Day and night he pondered over the sub-
ject, inventing, contriving, altering, improving as
usual, cheered on and aided by his energetic son.
But, alas! at this moment even this son was an
additional cause of anxiety.
'Anxious to improve to the very uttermost the
advantages he well knew his father had earned for
him so dearly, Robert had studied so hard, that
even his fine constitution seemed giving way. He
might carry away prizes, he might earn applause ;
but what were these to Stephenson, if they were to
be bought at the price of the health of his darling