CHAP. XVII. THE RAILWAY KING. 385 



concerned. Mr. Hudson displayed great energy in sup- 

 porting the measure, and lie worked hard to ensure its 

 success .both in and out of Parliament ; but he himself 

 attributed the chief merit to Mr. Stephenson. He 

 accordingly suggested to the shareholders that they 

 should present him with some fitting testimonial in re- 

 cognition of his valuable services. Indeed, a Stephenson 

 testimonial had long been spoken of, and a committee 

 was formed for the purpose of raising subscriptions as 

 early as the year 1839. Mr. Hudson now revived the 

 subject, and successively appealed to the Newcastle and 

 Darlington, the Midland, and the York and North Mid- 

 land Companies, who unanimously adopted the resolu- 

 tions which he proposed to them amidst "loud applause ;" 

 but there the matter ended. 



The Hudson Testimonial was a much more taking 

 thing ; for Mr. Hudson had it in his power to allot 

 shares (selling at a premium) to the subscribers to his 

 testimonial. But Mr. Stephenson pretended to fill no 

 man's pocket with premiums ; he was no creator of 

 shares, and could not therefore work upon shareholders' 

 gratitude for "favours to come." The proposed testi- 

 monial to him accordingly ended with resolutions and 

 speeches. The York, Newcastle, and Berwick Board in 

 other words, Mr. Hudson did indeed mark their sense 

 of the "great obligations" which they were under to 

 Mr. Stephenson for helping to carry their bill through 

 Parliament, by making him an allotment of thirty of 

 the new shares authorised by the Act. But, as after- 

 wards appeared, the chairman had at the same time 

 appropriated to himself not fewer than 10,894 of the 

 same shares, the premiums on which were then worth, 

 in the market, about 145,000^. This shabby manner of 

 acknowledging the gratitude of the Company to their 

 engineer, was strongly resented by Mr. Stephenson at 

 the time, and a coolness took place between him and 

 Mr. Hudson which was never wholly removed though 



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