E. DOBSON. — State of Applied Science in GaMerhury. 145 



1864 ; and the Press, anotlier daily paper, is printed by one of Ericsson's 

 caloric engines. 



Steam cranes have been in use upon the railway wharf at lieathcote 

 for nearly three years. 



It may be mentioned, that amongst the items of intelligence brought by 

 the last September mail, is the erection of steam cranes on the quays at Paris. 



A poAverful steam engine is in use on Timaru beach, for hauling up the 

 cargo boats used in the lighterage service. 



And here I must conclude this brief but, I trust, tolerably comprehen- 

 sive sketch of the present state of applied science in Canterbury. If, on 

 the one hand, there are many shortcomings to be regretted, I think it may 

 also be said that, as yet, we have made few mistakes ; whilst with scanty 

 means, and a comparatively small population, we have succeeded in intro- 

 ducing amongst us, and making familiar as " household words," most of the 

 great inventions of the civilized world. We have our telegraph through the 

 country, and our submarine cable connecting our "capital with the seat of 

 Grovernment in the Northern Island. We have our great tunnel in con- 

 struction, and our road across the New Zealand Alps. We have our gold 

 fields, our coal mines, our foundries, our broad acres tilled with the steam 

 plough, our clipper steamers, our mail coaches, and our locomotive railways, 

 and we have all this in a country which fifteen years ago was an almost 

 unknown land, but which is now, by Grod's blessing, the happy home of 

 prosperous thousands of our fellow-men. And let me impress on your 

 minds that this measure of success has been due in no small degree to the 

 superior education of Canterbury men, as compared with that of the usual 

 class of settlers in a new country, and to the stimulus given to applied 

 science in Canterbury by the prosecution of the trigonometrical survey, the 

 establishment of permanent departments of public works, of geology and 

 natural history, and the appointment of a board of education as one of the 

 departments of the Provincial Grovernment ; and, in conclusion, let me 

 earnestly hope that every member of the Institute will endeavour to realize 

 the responsibility which rests upon him, to do all in his power to carry on 

 the work so well begun, and that each succeeding year will bring fresh 

 subjects of interest to record, and fresh successes to incite us to greater 

 exertions in behalf of science and of our adopted country. 



19 



