w far advanced, and some
dispute having arisen as to the method of assigning the proper load for
the "Novelty," no particular experiment was made, further than that the
engine traversed the line by way of exhibition, occasionally moving at
the rate of 24 miles an hour. The "Sanspareil," constructed by Mr.
Timothy Hackworth, was next exhibited; but no particular experiment was
made with it on this day.

The contest was postponed until the following day, but before the judges
arrived on the ground, the bellows for creating the blast in the
"Novelty" gave way, and it was found incapable of going through its
performance. A defect was also detected in the boiler of the
"Sanspareil;" and some further time was allowed to get it repaired. The
large number of spectators who had assembled to witness the contest were
greatly disappointed at this postponement; but, to lessen it, Stephenson
again brought out the "Rocket," and, attaching to it a coach containing
thirty persons, he ran them along the line at the rate of from 24 to 30
miles an hour, much to their gratification and amazement. Before
separating, the judges ordered the engine to be in readiness by eight
o'clock on the following morning, to go through its definitive trial
according to the prescribed conditions.

On the morning of the 8th October, the "Rocket" was again ready for the
contest. The engine was taken to the extremity of the stage, the
fire-box was filled with coke, the fire lighted, and the steam raised
until it lifted the safety-valve loaded to a pressure of 50 pounds to the
square inch. This proceeding occupied fifty-seven minutes. The engine
then started on its journey, dragging after it about 13 tons weight in
waggons, and made the first ten trips backwards and forwards along the
two miles of road, running the 35 miles, including stoppages, in one hour
and 48 minutes. The second ten trips were in like manner performed in 2
hours and 3 minutes. The maximum velocity attained during the trial trip
was 29 miles an hour, or about three times the speed that one of the
judges of the competition had declared to be the limit of possibility.
The average speed at which the whole of the journeys were performed was
15 miles an hour, or 5 miles beyond the rate specified in the conditions
published by the Company. The entire performance excited the greatest
astonishment amongst the assembled spectators; the directors felt
confident that their enterprise was now