GEORGE STEPHENSON. 109 



steam raised until it lifted the safety-valve, loaded to a pressure 

 of 50 lbs. to the square inch. This proceeding occupied fifty- 

 seven minutes. The engine then started on its journey, 

 dragging after it about thirteen tons' weight in waggons, and 

 made the first ten trips, backwards and forwards along the two 

 miles of road, runnmg the thirty-five miles including stoppages, 

 in an hour and forty-eight minutes. The second ten trips were 

 in like manner performed in two hours and three minutes. 

 The maximum velocity attained during the trial trip was twenty- 

 nine miles an-hour, or about three times the speed that one of 

 the judges of the competition declared to be the limit of 

 possibility ! The average speed at which the whole of the 

 journeys were performed was fifteen miles an-hour, and five 

 beyond the rate specified in the conditions published by the 

 company. The entire performance excited the greatest astonish- 

 ment amongst the assembled spectators. The directors felt 

 confident that their enterprise was now on the eve of success ; 

 and George Stephenson rejoiced to think that, in spite of all 

 fiilse prophets and fickle counsellors, his locomotive system was 

 safe. When the * Rocket,' having performed all the conditions 

 cf the contest, arrived at the ' grand stand ' at the close of its 

 day's successful run, Mr. Cropper, one of the directors favour- 

 able to the fixed-engine system, lifted up his hands and exclaimed, 

 'Now has George Stephenson at last delivered himself This 

 interesting engine, the parent of the locomotives at present in 

 use, is still to be seen in the Patent Museum at South Kensington." 

 The prize of ;!^5oo was at once awarded to the maker of the 

 " Rocket." The engine was not only remarkable for its speed, 

 but also for the contrivances by which that speed was attained. 

 Most important among them was the introduction of tubes 

 pissing from end to end of the boiler — said to have been sug- 



