CHAP. XVI. STEPHENSON'S LONDON OFFICE. 343 



greatly increased with the projection of new lines of 

 railway, Mr. Stephenson found it necessary to set up an 

 office in London in 1836. His first office was at No. 9, 

 Duke-street, Westminster, from whence he removed in 

 the following year to 30J, Great George-street. That 

 office was the busy scene of railway politics for several 

 years. There consultations were held, schemes were 

 matured, deputations were received, and many pro- 

 jectors called upon our engineer for the purpose of 

 submitting to him their plans of railways and railway 

 working. His private secretary at the time has in- 

 formed us that at the end of the first Parliamentary 

 session in which he had been engaged as engineer 

 for more companies than one, it became necessary 

 for him to give instructions as to the preparation 

 of the accounts to be rendered to the respective com- 

 panies. In the simplicity of his heart, he directed Mr. 

 Binns to take his full time at the rate of ten guineas 

 a day, and charge the railway companies in the pro- 

 portion in which he had been actually employed in their 

 respective business during each day. When Robert 

 heard of this instruction, he went directly to his father 

 and expostulated with him against this unprofessional 

 course ; and, other influences being brought to bear 

 upon him, George at length reluctantly consented to 

 charge as other engineers did, an entire day's fee to 

 each of the Companies for which he was concerned 

 whilst their business was going forward ; but he cut 

 down the number of days charged for, and reduced the 

 daily amount from ten to seven guineas. 



Besides his journeys at home, Mr. Stephenson was on 

 more than one occasion called abroad on railway busi- 

 ness. Thus, at the desire of King Leopold, he made 

 several visits to Belgium to assist the Belgian engineers 

 in laying out the national lines of that kingdom. That 

 enlightened monarch at an early period discerned the 

 powerful instrumentality of railways in developing a 



