XII ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
gallery in which can be exhibited the best works of Canadian artists, 
as well as some paintings of famous Europeans, for the cultivation of 
true artistic taste in this young country. The present—somewhat 
ironically called “ National Gallery” in Ottawa is wretched in the 
extreme, while the collection of paintings is insignificant, and not at all 
worthy of the capital of the Confederation. If such a building be 
erected, it is to be expected that every precaution will be taken to make 
it as fire-proof as is practicable, that it will be completely isolated trom 
the city proper on Major’s Hill Park. 
13. HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY. 
The able engineer of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, 
W. P. Anderson, Esq., reports that the hydrographic survey of the 
Canadian shores of the Great Lakes has made fair progress during the 
past season. Mr. Stewart, with his assistants, Messrs. F. Anderson and 
R. E. Tyrwhitt, and the steamer “Bayfield,” completed the survey of 
the south shore of Manitoulin Island, making connection with the work 
done by Capt. Boulton, R.N., in 1884, at the entrance to Georgian Bay. 
He then surveyed the northeast shore of Lake Huron between Cape 
Hurd and Lyal Island at the entrance to Stokes Bay. A fair sheet of 
the work done between False Detour Channel and) Duck Islands, Lake 
Huron, was draughted last winter and forwarded to the Hydrographer 
of the Admiralty, but no new engraved charts of the work done have 
yet been issued. The old Admiralty chart of Lake Erie has been 
revised and all recent work engraved thereon. The United States 
Hydrographic Office have issued a very complete new chart of Lake 
Erie, embodying all the results of the Canadian survey. During the 
coming season it is hoped to complete the survey of Lake Huron as 
far as necessary at present. Some small harbour surveys were made by 
Capt. Walbran, master of the D.G.S. “Quadra,” and the plans furnished 
to the Hydrographer of the Admiralty, for inclusion in the Admiralty 
charts. 
14. TipaL OBSERVATIONS. 
It is satisfactory to be able to report that greater activity is to be 
shown in the making of tidal observations in the waters of the 
Dominion. The grant for this service has been increased by nearly 
$3,000. The system is now extended to British Columbia, where $1,200 
of the increased grant will be alone expended. In referring to the 
subject in the House of Commons, Sir Louis Davies, Minister of Marine 
