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The Westinghouse Brake 119 ceived the only really feasible braking system, and, of course, as you may well imagine, I have fully protected myself with patents.” Young George Westinghouse apparently accepted the advice and the opinion that his labours were in vain, but inwardly he commented to himself that he would strive harder than ever to build a brake superior to that evolved by Mr. Ambler, the short- comings of which were only too obvious. The moving windlass struck him as being particularly primitive and likely to precipitate considerable trouble. Upon his return home he attacked the problem in greater earnest. In his own mind he was convinced that George Stephenson, the father of the locomotive, had struck the correct line of development when he brought out his steam-applied brake controlled from the locomotive, and he set out to elaborate and to expand this idea. But he speedily appreciated the limitations attending the utilisation of steam. A braking system, such as he evolved, proved perfectly satisfactory when only four or five carriages con- stituted the train ; but, as a matter of fact, even then the latter was growing, from ten to twelve or more carriages being attached to a single locomotive. Steam, therefore, in its employment as he then con- templated, was forced to go the way of the chain- operated method. One day a couple of lady canvassers, who were seeking subscriptions for a monthly magazine, entered the works of Mr. Westinghouse at Schenectady. The young engineer was busily engaged, but he was forced to suspend operations and to listen to their seductive conversation. To escape their pressing persuasions he