CHAP. VII. THE DAVY TESTIMONIAL. 121 



connexion with his claims as the inventor of the safety- 

 lamp : " It will hereafter be scarcely believed that an 

 invention so eminently scientific, and which could never 

 have been derived but from the sterling treasury of 

 science, should have been claimed on behalf of an 

 engine- wright of Killingworth, of the name of Stephen- 

 son a person not even possessing a knowledge of the 

 elements of chemistry." 



But Stephenson was really far above claiming for 

 himself any invention not his own. He had already 

 accomplished a far greater thing even than the making 

 of a safety-lamp he had constructed a successful loco- 

 motive, which was to be seen daily at work upon the 

 Killingworth railway. By the improvements he had 

 made in the engine, he might almost be said to have 

 invented it; but no one not even the philosophers 

 detected the significance of that wonderful machine. 

 It excited no scientific interest, called forth no leading 

 articles in the newspapers or the reviews, and formed 

 the subject of no eloquent lectures at the Eoyal Society ; 

 for railways were still comparatively unknown, and the 

 might which slumbered in the locomotive was scarcely 

 even dreamt of. What railways were to become, rested 

 in a great measure with that " engine-wright of Kil- 

 lingworth, of the name of Stephenson," though he was 

 scarcely known as yet beyond the bounds of his own 

 district. 



As to the value of the invention of the safety-lamp, 

 there could be no doubt; and the colliery owners of 

 Durham and Northumberland, to testify their sense of 

 its importance, determined to present a testimonial to its 

 inventor. The friends of Sir H. Davy met in August 

 1816 to take steps for raising a subscription for the 

 purpose. The advertised object of the meeting was to 

 present him with a reward for " the invention of his 

 safety-lamp." To this no objection could be taken ; 

 for though the principle on which the safety-lamps of 



