1915] Str SANDFORD FLEMING. 139 
SIR SANDFORD FLEMING, K.C.M.G., LL.D., 
M.Inst., C.E., Lonp., Etc., Etc. 
By the death at Halifax on July 22 last of Sir Sandford Fleming, 
The Royal Canadian Institute has lost its most distinguished member, 
the last of the small company of men who away back in 1849 formed 
themselves into a Society for the promotion of Science in Canada. He 
was the moving spirit of the time; to his energy and unwearying per- 
severance was due the fact that the flickering flame then kindled was 
not allowed to be extinguished. He has himself related how, when all 
interest in the Institute seemed to have died out and the attendance at 
a regularly called meeting had dwindled to two, those two (himself and 
another) unanimously passed a resolution that the Institute should 
from that date meet every Saturday evening. This bold action had the 
desired effect, and never since has there been any doubt as to the vitality 
of the Institute. He took a large part in framing the Constitution and 
By-laws of the infant Society, and when, after two years of struggle, so 
much progress had been made as to warrant an application for incor- 
poration, by him the Charter was drafted under which it has reached its 
present high position. 
Amid all the large and varied occupations of a more than usually busy 
life, his interest in the Institute has never flagged. A long series of 
contributions from his pen to the Publications of the Institute bears 
testimony to this fact, as well as to the wide range of his studies and 
attainments. 
While still a young man with limited means he conceived the idea 
of establishing an Endowment Fund for the Institute, and, in order 
to attain his object, in 1852 he applied to the Canada Life Assurance 
Company for a policy of £1,000 which was issued in January 1853, 
the proceeds to be for the benefit of the Institute. The policy was fully 
paid upin 1899. In 1892 he deposited in the hands of the then President, 
Mr. Arthur Harvey, the sum of $1,000 to be expended in prizes for essays 
to be called for on ‘‘The Rectification of Parliament’’ on the basis of 
an elaborate paper by himself on ‘‘ Electoral Representation’’, which was 
published as a Supplement to Volume IV of ‘The Transactions’’. 
Ten essays were sent in as a response to the call, but as none of them 
were deemed satisfactory as a solution to the problem proposed, no 
prizes were awarded. Sir Sandford, however, did not take back the money 
but in a letter to the President of December 12, 1899, he added it to 
the $4,000 of the insurance, saying: ‘‘ These two sums together amounting 
to five thousand dollars I propose to place at the service of the Institute 
