152 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 



Government, on 4th May 1839, entered into a contract 

 with Cunard for the conveyance of the Mails between 

 Liverpool and Halifax, Boston and Quebec, for seven years, 

 at ;^6o,ooo per annum, stipulating at the same time that 

 the ships should be of sufficient strength and capacity to 

 be used as troopships in case of necessity, and to receive a 

 fitting armament. The first voyage of this line across the 

 Atlantic was made by the " Britannia," which in the 

 presence of an immense concourse of spectators, left Liver- 

 pool on 4th July 1840, Cunard himself sailing in the vessel. 

 She arrived at Boston in 14 days 8 hours, where on 22nd 

 July Cunard was entertained at a public banquet given to 

 celebrate the establishment of steam postal communication 

 between America and Great Britain. 



On gth March 1859, in recognition of the services 

 which he had rendered to the country by the establishment 

 of the Cunard line of steamers. Her Majesty, upon the 

 recommendation of Lord Palmerston, conferred a Baronetcy 

 on Cunard, who was elected a Fellow of the Royal 

 Geographical Society in 1846. 



He died at his residence, 26 Princes Gardens, Ken- 

 sington, London, on 28th April 1865, when he was succeeded 

 by his son Sir Edward, father of the present Baronet. 



