As this latter amount largely exceeds even the high payments for railway conveyance over the same distance, the project was indefinitely postponed, without its very entertainment, so far as I am aware, ever having reached the public ear. And here, I may remark, that almost every improvement, mechanical or otherwise, is preceded by more or less of inquiry, cogitation, and experiment, sometimes involving serious labour and expense, which, ending only in disappointment, remains unknown; while the public, through absence of information, naturally makes its estimate of labour by reference to that only which produces manifest results; an error often productive of great injustice to inventors, who are thus regarded rather as men that have made lucky hits than as those who by energy, perseverance, and generally great pecuniary sacrifice, have, after many failures, worked their way to valuable results. I, indeed, was now able to make needful experiments without any risk to myself, or even much outlay by the department; but projectors are seldom so fortunately placed. When, some time afterwards, a company was formed for reducing the plan of tubular conveyance to practice, all the information on the subject acquired by the Post Office was handed over for its use. Though greatly pressed we declined to enter into either partnership or covenant with the company until the successful working of the scheme should be established. One line was so laid down as to be available for our purpose, viz., that from the Euston Station to the North Western district Post Office, a distance of about half a mile, and was used accordingly. Unfortunately, however, the whole enterprise proved unprofitable, and for the time, at least, tubular conveyance of mails came to an end. Still, what is recorded here may one day prove useful, since the day may arrive--perhaps is now come--when, on some one line at least, the expense involved, prodigious as it must be, will be justified by the amount of correspondence and the importance of speed. Perhaps the approaching termination of the contract for the Irish mail service may afford convenient opportunity for the trial.[208] CONTROVERSY WITH MR. ROBERT STEPHENSON.