Difficulties connected with making surveys of land were encountered from
the very commencement of railway enterprise. The following dialogue on
the subject took place in the Committee of the House of Commons, April
27, 1825. Mr. Sergeant Spankie was the questioner and George Stephenson
was the respondent.
_Q_. “You were asked about the quality of the soil through which you
were to bore in order to ascertain the strata, and you were rather
taunted because you had not ascertained the precise strata; had you any
opportunity of boring?”
_A_. “I had none; I was threatened to be driven off the ground, and
severely used if I were found upon the ground.”
_Q_. “You were right, then, not to attempt to bore?”
_A_. “Of course, I durst not attempt to bore, after those threats.”
_Q_. “Were you exposed to any inconvenience in taking your surveys in
consequence of these interruptions?”
_A_. “We were.”
_Q_. “On whose property?”
_A_. “On my Lord Sefton’s, Lord Derby’s, and particularly Mr. Bradshaw’s
part.”
_Q_. “I believe you came near the coping of some of the canals?”
_A_. “I believe I was threatened to be ducked in the pond if I
proceeded; and, of course we had a great deal of the survey to make by
stealth, at the time the persons were at dinner; we could not get it by
night, and guns were discharged over the grounds belonging to Captain
Bradshaw, to prevent us; I can state further, I was twice turned off the
ground myself (Mr. Bradshaw’s) by his men; and they said, if I did not go
instantly they would take me up, and carry me off to Worsley.”
Committee. _Q_. “Had you ever asked leave?”
_A_. “I did, of all the gentlemen to whom I have alluded; at least, if I
did not ask leave of all myself, I did of my Lord Derby, but I did not of
Lord Sefton, but the Committee had—at least I was so informed; and I last
year asked leave of Mr. Bradshaw’s tenants to pass there, and they denied
me; they stated that damage had been done, and I said if they would tell
me what it was, I would pay them, and they said it was two pounds, and I
paid it, though I do not believe it amounted to one shilling.”
_Q_. “Do you suppose it is a likely thing to obtain leave from any
gentleman to survey his land, when he knew that your men had gone upon
his land to take levels without his leave, and he himself found them
going through the corn, and through the gardens of his tenants, and
trampling down the strawberry beds, which they were cultivating for the
Liverpool market?”
_A_. “I have found it sometimes very difficult to get through places of
that kind.”
In some cases, Mr. Williams remarks, large bodies of navvies were
collected for the defence of the surveyors; and being liberally provided
with liquor, and paid well for the task, they intimidated the rightful
owners, who were obliged to be satisfied with warrants of committal and
charges of assault. The navvies were the more willing to engage in such
undertakings, because the project, if carried out, afforded them the
prospect of increased labour.