268 



THE TRIAL AT RAINHILL. 



CHAP. XIII. 



tition. Engineers, scientific men, and mechanics, 

 arrived from all quarters to witness the novel display 

 of mechanical ingenuity on which such great results 

 depended. The public generally were no indifferent 

 spectators either. The inhabitants of Liverpool, Man- 

 chester, and the adjacent towns felt that the successful 

 issue of the experiment would confer upon them indi- 

 vidual benefits and local advantages almost incalculable, 

 whilst populations at a distance waited for the result 

 with almost equal interest. 



On the day appointed for the great competition of 

 locomotives at Rainhill, the following engines were 

 entered for the prize : 



1. Messrs. Braithwaite and Ericsson's 1 "Novelty." 



2. Mr. Timothy Hackwor4h's " Sanspareil." 



3. Messrs. R. Stephenson and Co.'s " Rocket." 



4. Mr. Burstall's " Perseverance." 



Another engine was entered by Mr. Brandreth of 

 ( ; Liverpool the " Cycloped," weighing three tons, 

 worked by a horse in a frame, but it could not be 

 admitted to the competition. The above were the 

 only four exhibited, out of a considerable number of 

 engines constructed in different parts of the country 

 in anticipation of this contest, many of which could not 

 be satisfactorily completed by the day of trial. 



The ground on which the engines were to be tried 

 was a level piece of railroad, about two miles in length. 

 Each was required to make twenty trips, or equal to a 

 journey of seventy miles, in the course of the day ; and 

 the average rate of travelling was to be not under ten 

 miles an hour. It was determined that, to avoid con- 

 fusion, each engine should be tried separately, and on 

 different days. 



1 The inventor of this engine was a 

 Swede, who afterwards proceeded to 

 the United States, and there achieved 

 considerable distinction as an engineer. 



His Caloric Engine has so far proved a 

 failure, but his iron cupola vessel, the 

 " Monitor," must be admitted to have 

 been a remarkable success in its wav. 



