The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1881.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4158, 18 August 1881, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1881.

To those who earn their bread by tbe labonr of their hands the story of a trnly great man, risen from the lowest raDke of their order, must surely bo of surpassing interest. Jane 9, 1881, was the centenary of the birth oi Geoege Stephenson, aod the English journals to haul bear gratifying testimony to the manner in which it was held in honour by all classes, bnt more especially by working men. In what is called the Northcountry, the love and admiration with which the memory of the great engineer is oherished, were displayed fully in the enthusiasm with which the centenary of his birth was celebrated. To the simple people — the busy ironworkers, the toiling colliers — of fche North of England, it io easy to understand that the oareer of Gbohqe Ste* phbnbon presents itself bb tbe highest realisation of the loftiest ambition which it is possible to conceive of ono of their clasß, and truly no story of romance could be more interesting than the display of energy, perseverance and genius which raised Ghoege Stephenson from the exceedingly humble position of a pit* boy at 2d per day in such a country as England — where, for every prize in life there are thousands of eager, capable candidates — to that of the first engineer in Enrope. Great as this achievement undoubtedly was, it does not comprehend all that Geokgb Stephknson left behind him to ensure affectionate remembrance. Not only does ho present himself as a high exemplar of what patient industry, great energy, calm study, and indomitable perseverance can accomplish in the face of almost insuperable difficulties, bat his simple sterling character and his genuine benevolent nature lift hira into a type of fche highest manhood. Therefore, not only as a man of genius, not only as a benefactor of mankind, but as a standard of all that a good workman should be, as a model for imitation in sterling worth and honest manliness, does tho career of Geokge Stephenson present itself, and in that aspect the interest in it ia certainly not

confined to the North oountry, or to all England ; it ahould be universal to working men in every land under the sun. It is also worthy of notioe that Gboege Stephensojt waß an advanced Liberal, and the democratic spirit of the working men of the North finds pride in the faot that, although he won hie way to fortune and fame and held a high position amongßt the most illustrious men of his time, he was faithful to the principles of his youth, scorned a titular distinction when offered to him, and preferred to die as he had lived, in simplicity and plainness. Henoe, although it passed unnoticed in other quarters of the world, the 9th of June waß observed as a grand gala day in the North of England. No effort was spared to make the centenary of the great engineer's birth a most exceptional event, and to do all fitting honour to the memory of one whom the people oould truly claim as "one of ns," every possible resource open to the humblest was strained to the utmost.

In a poor cottage, in the primitive, rough village of Wylam, some eight miles west of Newoastle-on-Tyne, was born Ghoecu- Stbphbnsoh, of parents occupying a rery humble station in life. His father struggled to bring np as creditably ub possible a family of six on 12b per week. Though the coal mines of Wylam are now exhausted and tke dwellings in which resided a busy population in the days of his childhood are now in rains, the cottage in which Gsob«k Stkphbmson was born is still most carefully preserved, and there oan be no donbt will be saved from the destroying influences of time as long as the skill of man will avail. Prom the papers before ns we learn that a most interesting and appropriate feature of the centenary fdte consisted of a procession from Newoastle of sixteen large engines linked together, which ran almost np to the very door of the cottage, as if upon a pilgrimage to the shrine of him whoße gecius called the huge monsters of modern progress into existence. The Mayor of Newoastle and the prominent publio men of all the chief centres along Tyneside followed in a speoial train. Killingworth Colliery is the place of next interest to that of his birth in connection with Gxokgx Stiphhhsojt, for it was here that in 1804 he beoame a breaksman. We extraot the following graphio sentence from the "Encyclopedia Britannica" in referenoe to this part of his life : —

"The times were hard, taxes heavy, and his own prospoct* in particular rather gloomy. He was drawn for the militia, paid for a substitute, and contemplated emigration to the United States. Poverty prevented the step. He mended olooks and watohes, repaired ■hoea, and cut out pitmen's clothes. Every spare minute was improved, and his observant eye waa always vigilant. He improved the winding engines of tne colliery, and was fortunate in repairing and refitting a failing pumping engine. Hia fame as an * engine doctor ' grew, and he was appointed colliery engine-wright at Killingworth."

At Killingworth colliery in 1814 the first locomotive engine was applied to the drawing of trucks of coal, and it is said that there are men still living able to speak irom reoolleotion of the events of that period regarding the illustrious Engineer and the attempts he made at railway construction before success was finally aohiered. It was not, however, until 1821, that the first actual railway — the Stookton and Darlington line — was brought into operation, but it would be nearer the faot to place the actual inauguration of railway communication aB late as 1830, when the world wit* nessed the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester line. The celebration of , the Stepheksojt Centenary has been the means of recalling many stories of the Engineer, and, of course, that of the " coo " that was to wander upon the line, occupies a foremost place. Another incidental interesting as instructive has been brought up. Speaking of the Engineer's proposal to run at ten miles an hour, the Quarterly Review, then a leading magazine, said : — " Ten miles an hour ! As well trust one's self to be fired off on a Oongreve rocket." Stbphemsoj* replied by calling his engine " The Rocket," and, as everybody now knowß, he waß able to drive it along at thirty-five miles an hoar. It is soarcely neceeßary that we should ask our readers to cast their eyes over the world to-day and note the position which railway carriage occupies in our civilisation. There are railways in existence more than sufficient to reach from our earth to the moon or belt the earth ten times over, and every year witnesses a wonderful increase. Great Britain, a comparatively very small country, contains about 18,000 miles of railway, but that is nothing to America, which can boast no less than 83,000. In the Ooloniea of Australasia, great progreßß haß been made in railway construction ,- perhaps it would be right to olaim for these Colonies a greater progress than that of any people on the globe, as in proportion to population the mileage is larger. If thiß can be said of Australasia as a whole, what may nofc be claimed for New Zealand with its limited population and larger extent of mileage than any of the other Colonies ? Surely, here, if anywhere, the memory of Geokge Stephbkson should be cherished, and it may be sail that nowhere in the world is he held in higher honour, as our railways are the moßt substantial and enduring monuments we can erect to bear witness to his fame.