ih! TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Vou IIT. 
whose skill and enterprise have in advancing these results done honour 
to Canada? Would it not therefore be becoming on the part of the 
Canadian Institute to initiate a movement to establish some enduring 
record in commemoration of the voyage of the “Royal William” in 1833, 
and in honour of those connected with her? The record might take the 
form of a brass memorial tablet, or as may hereafter be determined, 
placed in some fit position in the halls or corridors of the Parliament 
Buildings at Ottawa. This course is followed in the mother country, 
where records of great historical events can be seen in the entrance 
Hall of the Houses of Parliament at Westminster. 
Whatever form the suggestion may assume, or wherever placed, it will 
be a lasting tribute to the skill and courage of the men associated with 
the first transatlantic steamship. Such a record is due to our country 
and our countrymen, and the proposal having its origin in Toronto will 
be accepted as a graceful compliment to a sister city, where the “ Royal 
William” was designed, constructed and sent to sea. The memorial itself 
will denote an incident in our annals of which all Canadians of whatever 
race, may feel allowable pride. It will indicate the point of commence- 
ment of a new era in the history of navigation. It will mark the part 
which Canada has played in the inauguration of a system of inter-com- 
munication which has contributed in a remarkable degree to the advance- 
ment of civilization ; and which has exercised and will long continue to 
exercise an important influence on the destinies of the human race. 
NOTE ON EARLY SPEAMBOATS: 
By SANDFORD FLEMING, LL.D., C.M.G., ETC. 
(Read 17th December, 1892). 
There are many records of attempts to propel vessels by steam before 
the beginning of the century. The most successful were those of Mr. 
Miller, on Dalswinton Loch in Scotland in 1788 and of Mr. Syanington 
on the Forth and Clyde Canal some twelve years later. These and other 
inventors devoted much time and money to accomplish the object they 
had in view and much credit is due to them for the ingenuity displayed ; 
