The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-22 00:00:00

THE AUTHOR OF THE RAILWAY

SYSTEM (?)
TO THE-EDITOR OF 7'HE SUN.
Sin,—Your Exeter correspondent, in a somewhat peremp.
tory tone, claims for Thomas Gray the title of "Author of
the Railway System," which I, in a work published two
years ago, applied to George Stephenson. The death of the
idea, but George
distinguished subject of my eulogium no doubt induced you
to quote the passage in which I attempted to do justice to
greati idea, but he
the first of our Railway Engineers. That I have done no
more than justice to George Stephenson, I shall have no diffi-
culty in proving.
The merits of Thomas Gray are undoubtedly great. It is
much to be regretted, for the
.credit .of the nation, that they
have not been acknowledged in a suitable manner,Live Liverpool
ier
and
Government or the wealthier members of the railway public).
the locomotive
He planned and constructed the Stockton and Darlington,
Thomastsutrer,ei)turned
Stephenson
Grayshoant iwas
ea
iwasnntootthaeognral
yeuattthhfoaercloufthaor greato a
the first public railway, the Act for w was obtained
ißillanicBh2els.terl,
mechanical a perfect work—up
to the present hour it remains a pattern railway. He applied
been . constructed
piy d pupils.
did
engine, and taking it up where Tre% ethic left it, turned what
He
powers
e crhs plannedcaf
mt
heaenf
.Ndo,
emrc3o,hnfil ssrt
first order
handsre
(.:Id e
r delito
had previously been scarcely more than an ingenious experi-
ment into a practically useful machine, more economical than
horse power. He did more, while constructing the Liverpool
and Manchester Railway—he founded the modern school of
. welt known to all
railway engineers. Almost all the most remarkable railway
works in the world have
acquainted with the progress of our railway system. With
such facts before my eyes, I think the great body of your
These facts are matters of history,
justice in terming George Stephenson the author of our rail-
way system.—l am, Bce,
readers will admit that,so tar from exaggerating,
Westminster, Aug. 22, 1848. S. SIDNEY.

—,. L
THE WEATHER.---14IYERPOO
to the north-west,
,
MONDAY, HALF'
PAST FOUR P.M.—Early this morning a gale commenced
blowing from the south-east, accompanied with heavy showers
oafndrahina.s Towardsuaily noon
dsltioif taedh
urrn;
enadn
e.
We are happy
gradincreasei
to state that as yet we have no disasters to record, the
landing stage, to which large iron bridges have lately been
added, although presenting an immense surface to the wind,
outstanding the hurricane nobly.
PRAYERS FOIL FINE WEATHER.,—It was publicly
notified from the pulpits of the various Roman Catholic
churches and chapels in the metropolitan district, on Sunday
morning, that it was the desire of the bishop that each mem-
ber of the community should offer his individual prayers far
more favourable weather for the harvest than has hitherto
been experienced during the present season.
STORM IN THE NORTH.— 0n Friday night, and
till four o'clock on Saturday morning last, the counties of
Cumberland and Westmoreland, especially the latter, were
visited by a tremendous storm of wind and rain, which has
done a great deal of damage. Numbers of large forest trees
were torn up by the roots; the stooks of corn in the harvest
fields were scattered far and wide, and considerably damaged ;
and hundreds of bushels of apples and other fruit, which are
not ripe, were scattered from the trees, many of which were
blown down, while others were much shattered. All the
rivers were much swollen.