216 THE SCHEME REVIVED. CHAP. XL 



sider their next step. They called their parliamentary 

 friends together to consult as to future proceedings. 

 Among those who attended the meeting of gentlemen 

 with this object, in the Royal Hotel, St. James's Street, 

 on the 4th of June, were Mr. Huskisson, Mr. Spring 

 Rice, and General Gascoyne. Mr. Huskisson urged 

 the promoters to renew their application to Parliament. 

 They had secured the first step by the passing of their 

 preamble ; the measure was of great public importance ; 

 and whatever temporary opposition it might meet with, 

 he conceived that Parliament must ultimately give its 

 sanction to the undertaking. Similar views were ex- 

 pressed by other speakers ; and the deputation went 

 back to Liverpool determined to renew their application 

 to Parliament in the ensuing session. 



It was not considered desirable to employ Mr. Stephen- 

 son in making the new survey. He had not as yet 

 established his reputation as an engineer beyond the 

 boundaries of his own district ; and the promoters of the 

 bill had doubtless felt the disadvantages of this in the 

 course of their parliamentary struggle. They therefore 

 resolved now to employ engineers of the highest estab- 

 lished reputation, as well as the best surveyors that 

 could be obtained. In accordance with these views 

 they engaged Messrs. George and John Rennie to be 

 the engineers of the railway ; and Mr. Charles Yignolles, 

 on their behalf, was appointed to prepare the plans and 

 j sections. The line which was eventually adopted dif- 

 [fered somewhat from that surveyed by Mr. Stephenson 

 entirely avoiding Lord Sefton's property, and passing 

 through only a few detached fields of Lord Derby's at a 

 considerable distance from the Knowsley domain. The 

 principal game-preserves of the district were carefully 

 avoided. The promoters thus hoped to get rid of the 

 opposition of the most influential of the resident land- 

 owners. The crossing of certain of the streets of Liver- 

 pool was also avoided, and the entrance contrived by 



