254 RETUKN TO NEWCASTLE. CHAP. XIII. 



the time Robert had been in America it had been carried 

 on at a considerable loss ; and Edward Pease, very 

 much disheartened, wished to retire from it, but George 

 Stephenson being unable to raise the requisite money 

 to buy him out, the establishment was of necessity carried 

 on by its then partners until the locomotive could be 

 established in public estimation as a practicable and 

 (economical working power. Robert Stephenson imme- 

 diately instituted a rigid inquiry into the working of 

 the concern, unravelled the accounts, which had been 

 allowed to fall into confusion during his father's absence 

 at Liverpool, and very shortly succeeded in placing the 

 affairs of the factory in a more healthy condition. In 

 all this he had the hearty support of his father, as well 

 as of the other partners. 



The works of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway 

 were now approaching completion. But, singular to 

 say, the directors had not yet decided as to the tractive 

 power to be employed in working the line when opened 

 for traffic. The differences of opinion among them were 

 so great as apparently to be irreconcilable. It was 

 necessary, however, that they should come to some 

 decision without further loss of time ; and many board 

 meetings were accordingly held to discuss the subject. 

 The old-fashioned and well-tried system of horse haulage 

 was not without its advocates ; but, looking at the large 

 amount of traffic which there was to be conveyed, and 

 at the probable delay in the transit from station to 

 station if this method were adopted, the directors, after 

 a visit made by them to the Northumberland and 

 Durham railways in 1828, came to the conclusion that 

 the employment of horse power was inadmissible. 



Fixed engines had many advocates ; the locomotive 

 jvery few : it stood as yet almost in a minority of one 

 1 George Stephenson. The prejudice against the employ- 

 ment of the latter power had even increased since the 

 Liverpool and Manchester Bill underwent its first ordeal 



