1890-91.] REPORT OF THE HISTORICAL SECTION. 75 



March 26th. " History and Occurrence of Nickel," — Mr. Geo, Mickle. 

 April i6th. " Nickel Assaying,"— Mr. Geo. Mickle. 



WM. HAMILTON MERRITT, 



(Signed) Chairman. 



GEORGE MICKLE. 



A ding- Secretary. 



REPORT OF THE HISTORICAL SECTION. 



The Historical Section, organized on the 15th July, 1890, for "the 

 study and investigation of the history of Canada and cognate subjects, 

 such as Archaeology, Genealogy and Ethnography," reports with pleasure 

 that 27 members of the Institute have signed the roll. 



1. The officers for the past year have been : — Mr. J. C. Hamilton, 

 M.A., LL.B., Chairman ; Mr. Arthur Harvey, Secretary ; Messrs. Wm. 

 Houston, M.A., D. A. O'Sullivan, LL.D., G. M. Rae, Committee. 



2. The following papers have been read at meetings of the Section : — 

 Wm. Houston, M.A., on " The Genesis and Development of Legisla- 

 tive Functions in the Northern Parts of America." 



J. G. Ridout — " An account, written by the late Hon. Thos. Ridout, 

 Surveyor-General of Canada, of his captivity among the 

 Shawnees in 1788." 

 Wm. Houston, M.A., on " The Development of Legislative Autonomy 



in Canada." 

 J. C. Hamilton, M.A., LL.B., on " Afro-Canadian Incidents, and the 



Career of John Brown in Canada." 

 D. B. Read, Q.C., on " Incidents in the Life of Gen. Brock." 

 J. G. Ridout, on "The Campaign of 181 5 (Waterloo)." 

 Wm. Houston, M.A., — A Transcript (with illustrative maps and com- 

 ments) from the diary of Mr. Alex. Macdonell, who had 

 accompanied Gov. Simcoe on an expedition from the Humber 

 Bay to the Georgian Bay, by way of Lake Simcoe, in 1793. 



3. The subject of publication by the Provincial Government of manu- 

 scripts of importance to the history of Ontario was brought before the 

 Institute by this Section, and a deputation appointed to wait upon the 

 Administration in reference thereto. At the interview which shortly 

 followed, the Hon. Atty. -General Mowat requested that deputation 

 to forward a memorandum in writing of such documents as they thought 

 should in this connection receive consideration. The preparation of this 



