Masterpieces of Science 



passenger locomotive were ."bout to be put to the 

 test. He had fought the battle for it until now 

 almost single-handed. Engrossed by his daily 

 labours and anxieties, and harassed by difficulties 

 and discouragements which would have crushed 

 the spirit of a less resolute man, he had held 

 firmly to his purpose through good and through 

 evil report. The hostility which he experienced 

 from some of the directors opposed to the adop- 

 tion of the locomotive was the circumstance that 

 caused him the greatest grief of all ; for where he 

 had looked for encouragement, he found only 

 carping and opposition. But his pluck never 

 failed him; and now the "Rocket" was 

 upon the ground to prove, to use his own 

 words, * 'whether he was a man of his word or 

 not. " 



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 "Nov- 

 elty." 



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



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



4. Mr. Burstall's "Perseverance." 



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 confusion, each 



