STEPHENS. 553 STEPHENSON. director of university extension at the Univer- sity of California. His published works in- clude: Historij of the French Rccoluiion (ISSU) ; Portugal (1891), in the "Story of the Nations Series;" Albuquerque and the Early Portuguese Settlements in India (181)1) ; History of Europe, nsn-lSl.J (1899), in the "Periods of European History Series;" Modern Euroiiean History, IHOO-ISOO (1899). He also edited Principal Speeches of the Statesmen and Orators of the French Kcrolution (1891). and. in collaboration with G. B. Adams, Select Documents of English Constitutional History (1901). STEPHENS, James (1824-1901). An Irish agitator and Fenian leader, born in Kilkenny. After participating in the Young Ireland rising of 1848, he fled to Paris. In 1853 he instituted the foundation of the Irish Repuldican Brother- hood, commonly known as the Fenian So- ciety (q.v.). His system depended on complete preparation of the people. A favorable oppor- tunity was to be awaited when England should be embroiled in foreign troubles. By 1803, both in point of view of numbers enrolled and revenue raised, the organization had assumed formidable proportions, but from that time dates its de- cline. The Irish People, a newspaper which he founded in Dublin in 1803 as a Fenian organ, he conducted on a private basis. The rising in the autumn of 1805 was an ill-timed affair that had hung fire from the preceding spring, and the lead- ers were arrested. Stephens's facile escape from Dublin Castle was a cause of reproach on the ground that he sacrificed his lieutenants to hia own chances instead of taking them with him. He proceeded to the United States and devoted his energies to pacifying and uniting the branch of the society there. l)ut in 1807 he was formally deposed. He fled for his life to Paris, and in 1891 returned unnoticed to Ireland. STEPHENS, John Lloyd (180,5-52). An American traveler and author, born at Shrews- bury. X. J. He graduated at Columbia College in 1822: from 1825 until 1834 practiced law in New York City, and then traveled for two years in Southern and Eastern Europe and in Pales- tine and Egypt, writing letters for the American Monthly Magazine that attracted widespread at- tention. Later he published Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Pctrwa, and the Holy Land (1837) and Incidents of Travel in Greece, Turkey. Russia, and Poland (1838). In 1839 he was sent by President Van Buren on an unsuccessful mission to Central America. On his return he published Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan (1841). He again went to Central America in 1841 and made further explorations, the results of which appeared in Incidents of Travel in Yucatan (1843). Both works were widely read at the time and attracted attention to the archaeological remains in Yucatan. In 1849 Stephens became interested in the plan for building a railroad across the Isthmus of Panama, and was made vice- president and afterwards president of the com- pany that was formed for that purpose. A monu- ment was erected in his honor on the highest point traversed by the railroad. STEPHENS, William (1071-1753). An Eng lish colonial Onvernor. liorn at Bowcombe. Isle of Wight. He graduated at King's College, Cam- bridge, in 1084, and was admitted to the Middle Temple. About 1730 he went to South Carolina to survey a barony and met General Oglethorpe. He removed to Georgia in 1737 and became sec- retary of the trustees. In 1741 he became presi- dent of Savannali, one of the two counties into which the colony was divided, and in 1743 was made president of the colony. He was requested to resign on account of his age in 1750, and gave up his oflSce in April, 1751. He published Jour- nal of the Proceedings in Georgia, Beginning October :iO, ItS-i ( 1742 ) . One volume was printed separately as State of the Province (1742). His life was written by his son. Thomas, under the title The Castle-Biiilders (2d ed., 1759). STEPHENSON, ste'ven-son, George (1781- 1848). An Englisli engineer and inventor and the 'founder of railways.' He was born at Wy- 1am, near Newcastle, where his father was fire- man at a colliery. After a boyhood spent in farm work he became assistant to his father and was steadily advanced. He got some education while working as fireman and brakeman, and in addition to his regular duties undertook the cleaning and repairing of clocks. He became acquainted with William Fairbairn at this time and the two were in frequent confer- ence. After serving as engineer at various col- lieries and other establishments he was made engine-wright of the Killingworth High Pit, having by this time gained a thorough practical knowledge of the operation and construction of engines and pumping machinery. Devoting his leisure to scientific pursuits, he invented a miner's safety lamp (q.v.) known as the 'Geor- die' (1815). and there resulted a controversy over the priority of the invention, as a similar idea had been successfully worked out by Sir Humphry Davy (q.v.). His attention was meanwhile turned to the experiments of Black- ett and Hedley with locomotives, then in prog- ress at Wylam, and he induced the owners of the Killingworth Colliery to undertake the construction of a locomotive. (See Locomotive.) In 1821 he became chief engineer of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (see Railways), and in 1824 he was appointed engineer of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. In 1825 the Stockton and Darlington road was opened, and was the first regularly operated in the world where loco- motives were employed to haul freight and pas- sengers. In 1829 his Rocket won in the cele- brated competitive trial of locomotives on the Liverpool and IManchester Railway, and in 1830 the line was formally opened. Subsequent im- provements were made in the locomotive and Ste- phenson became chief or consulting engineer to nearly all of the railway projects that were soon set on foot. His success in this field made it possible for him to become interested also in the development of coal mines. Stephenson visited the Continent in 1840. where he was received with unusual honors. He was the first president of the Institution of Jlechanical Engineers, which he founded in 1847. but was never a candi- date for political honors. In the latter part of his life he devoted himself to farming at his country place at Tapton House, where he died. By his successful development of the locomotive and of the railway Stephenson ranks as one of the forf>most mechanical engi- neers of the nineteenth century. Not only was
