194 History of Inland Transport 



ist of May. The completion of this bold and difficult under- 

 taking, through numerous hills and valleys, precipices and 

 declivities, is an object of general admiration." 



Yet in these same records published in 1803 and among 

 his accounts of the crowds, the flags, the music and the 

 cannon that had then so recently welcomed the opening of still 

 more canals, Phillips tells of an innovation destined eventually 

 to supplant the canal system by reason of advantages which 

 he himself seems to have recognised, though he naturally 

 did not then anticipate all that was to follow. The said 

 innovation is thus recorded by him under date " 1802 " : 



" The locks, canal and basin, from which the Surrey iron 

 rail-way now in agitation, is to commence at Wandsworth, 

 have been lately opened and the water admitted from the 

 Thames. The first barge entered the lock amidst a vast 

 number of spectators, who rejoiced at the completion of this 

 part of the important and useful work. The ground is laid 

 out for the rail-way, with some few intervals, all the way to 

 Croydon ; and the undertakers are ready to lay down the 

 iron ; it is expected to be ready by midsummer. 



" N.B. The iron rail- ways are of great advantage to the 

 country in general, and are made at an expense of about 

 300?. per mile. The advantage they give for the conveyance 

 of goods by carts and waggons, seems even to surpass, in 

 some instances, those of boat carriage by canals." 



So we come to the story of the railway, which had, however, 

 been undergoing development, from very primitive conditions, 

 for a considerable period even prior to this notable event on 

 the banks of the Thames in 1802. 



