STEAMERS 131 



and John Jackson, an engineer. She was 

 eighty-five feet over all and sixteen feet in the 

 beam. Her engine was six horse-power, and 

 her trial speed five knots an hour. She was 

 launched, broadside on, behind the old Molson 

 brewery. She was fitted up for twenty pas- 

 sengers, but only ten went on her maiden trip. 

 The fare was eight dollars down to Quebec and 

 ten dollars back. The following is interesting 

 as a newspaper account of the first trip made 

 by the first Canadian steamer. It is taken, 

 word for word, from an original copy of the 

 Quebec Gazette of November 9, 1809. 



The Steam Boat, which was built at 

 Montreal last winter, arrived here on 

 Saturday last, being her first trip. She 

 was 66 hours on the passage, of which she 

 was at anchor 30. So that 36 hours is 

 the time which, in her present state, she 

 takes to come down from Montreal to 

 Quebec [over 160 statute miles]. On 

 Sunday last she went up against wind and 

 tide from Brehault's wharf to Lymburner's ; 

 but her progress was very slow. It is 

 obvious that her machinery, at present, has 

 not sufficient force for this River. But 

 there can be no doubt of the possibility of 



