188 



THE SUKVEY FOUND IMPERFECT. 



CHAP. X. 



laid with cast-iron plates, which would not bear its 

 weight, the invitation was declined. 



It turned out that the first survey of the Liverpool 

 and Manchester line was very imperfect, and it was 

 determined to have a second and more complete one 

 made in the following year. Eobert Stephenson was 

 sent over by his father to Liverpool to assist in this 

 survey. He was present with Mr. James on the occa- 

 sion on which he tried to lay out the line across Chat 

 Moss, a proceeding which was not only difficult but 

 dangerous. The Moss was very wet at the time, and 

 only its edges could be ventured on. Mr. James was a 

 heavy, thick-set man ; and one day, when endeavouring 

 to obtain a stand for his theodolite, he felt himself sud- 

 denly sinking. He immediately threw himself down, 

 and rolled over and over until he reached firm ground 

 again, in a sad mess. Other attempts which he subse- 

 quently made to enter upon the Moss for the same pur- 

 pose, were abandoned for the same reason the want 

 of a solid stand for the theodolite. 



On the 4th October, 1822, we find Mr. James writing 

 to Mr. Sandars, " I came last night to send my aid, 

 Eobert Stephenson, to his father, and to-morrow I 

 shall pay off Evans and Hamilton, tw^o other assist- 

 ants. I have now only Messrs. Padley and Clarke to 

 finish the copy of plans for Parliament, which will 

 be done in about a week or nine days' time." It 

 would appear however, that, notwithstanding all his 

 exertions, Mr. James was unable to complete his plans 

 and estimates in time for the ensuing Session of Par- 

 liament; and another year was thus lost. The Rail- 

 road Committee became impatient at the delay. Mr. 

 James's financial embarrassments reached their climax ; 1 



1 In 'The Two Jameses and the 

 Two Stephensons' (London, 1861), 

 the following letter is given, from 

 Kobert Stephenson (then not quite 



twenty years of age) to William 

 James, dated Newcastle, August 29th, 

 1823: "Dear Sir, It gives rise to 

 feelings of true regret when I reflect 



