C ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



difficulties John Cabot contended with and overcame, and we who are 

 always searching after historic accuracy ought to rejoice today that re- 

 cent research has so far enabled us to clear up this mysterious story as 

 to enable us without a misgiving at least to give honour where honour is 

 due, 



I have purposel}' refrained from alluding to what is being done in 

 Biistol in commemorating this great event to-day, because my honoured 

 friend and co-delegate, Mr. Davies, is the chairman of the Bristol com- 

 mittee who have had charge of the undertaking, and he has told you all 

 about it. 



I will only add that when we return to our home it will be with the 

 remembrance of all the kindness we have received, and with the hope 

 that our coming here will help in some small measure to cement the good 

 feeling existing betv;^een these distant parts. Our coming and going as 

 individuals will be a matter of little moment, but if you will accept us as 

 representing the many thousands of our fellow-citizens in Bristol our 

 visit will have abiding results. 



Signore G. Soliitibergo, consul-general of Italy, representing on this 

 occasion the city of Venice, was received with cheers. He said : 



It is not without feelings of heartfelt emotion that on the present 

 auspicious occasion I offer to your Excellency the Grovernor-General of 

 the Dominion, to the members of the Eoyal Society of Canada, who have 

 asî^embled in numbers to honour the memories of John and Sebastian 

 Caboto, and to delegates of affiUated societies, as well as to other distin- 

 guished guests, I offer, I say, the greetings of Italy, a nation bound to 

 England by intimate ties of friendship ; and also the congratulations of 

 Venice in particular, on this the shore which was first discovered and 

 visited by her sons. 



This is not merely a form of speech suggested by the occasion — it is 

 more — it is, as it were, a homage rendei-ed to all of you, who to-day, 

 dwelling in a country which is prosperous and great, call to mind the 

 humble labourers of days gone by, from whatsoever corner of the earth 

 they came, and with due solemnity fully recognize their claims to 

 enduring fame. 



You come yourselves from a powerful race of illustrious navigators, 

 bold explorers and conquerors of many lands and many seas — and in the 

 plentitude of glory — with a history alive with glorious traditions you 

 make j'ourselves just distributors indeed, aud without any jealous dis- 

 crimination you glory still more in tendering a solemn recognition, of 

 the fame of others. Your presence here to-day shows that you are 

 desirous of doing honour to a daring Italian navigator, who, four cen- 

 turies ago, led by some mj-sterious intuition, that I may be allowed to 

 call the polarization of genius, and confidently relying on the guidance 

 and protection of God, was the first to set foot on these shores, after 

 perilous wanderings on the face of the deep. (Applause.) 



