THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION'S VISIT TO MONTREAL, 1884.
LETTERS
BY CLARA LADY RAYLEIGH,
Printed for Private Circulation.
INTRODUCTION.
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.
(Reprinted from The Times, 1884)
It seems early to begin to speak of the arrangements for the next
meeting of the British Association, but it is a far cry to Montreal, and
a proportionately long start must be made before the final leap is
taken. So heartily have the Dominion Government and the Canadian
_savants_ entered into the preparations that everything is ready;
all the presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries of sections have
been selected; all arrangements made with steamship companies and
American railways; all excursions have been planned, and all possible
routes provided for; instructions of the most detailed kind have been
drawn up for the guidance of members; nothing has been left, indeed,
except what depends on contingencies of time and place, so that
Professor Bonney and his legion of officials may at any moment take up
their portmanteaus and walk on shipboard. All this forwardness and
completeness are largely due to the zeal of the High Commissioner, Sir
Charles Tupper, and his energetic and obliging secretary, Mr. Colmer.
When the decision was come to at Southampton to hold the meeting of 1884
in Canada there was widely expressed disapproval of the step, and doubt
as to its legitimacy; but the prospect of entertaining the upper
thousand of English science has evidently so greatly gratified our
Canadian brothers that even the most stiff-necked opponent of the
migration must be compelled to give in if he has a shred of good nature
and brotherly feeling left. There are doubtless a few grumblers who will
maintain that the Montreal assembly will not be a meeting of the
_British_ Association; but after all this Imperial Parliament of
Science could not be better occupied than in doing something to promote
science in one of the most important sections of the British dominions.
Indeed, since some maintain that so far as this country is concerned it
has almost ceased to have a _raison d'etre_, might it not extend
its functions and endeavour to exercise the same effective influence on
the promotion of science in other parts of the Empire as it has
undoubtedly done in the past in the Mother Country? It can scarcely hope
ever to hold a meeting either in Australia or India, nor even, we fear,
in South Africa; but there are other means Which it might adopt more
appropriately than any other body to encourage the progress of science
in these parts of the Empire, and make accessible to the public
interested in it the good work which is being done, at least in some of
the Australian colonies. In Canada itself there are several important
scientific societies; but so far as we know, they have no common bond of
union. Seeing that there is already an efficient American Association,
we should not advocate the formation of a separate Canadian body; but
possibly the Montreal meeting might be able to do something to
federalise the separate Canadian societies. We suggested some years ago
that the Association might do such a service to the numerous local
societies in this country, and we are glad to know that the suggestion
has borne fruit, and that already a real advance has been made in this
direction.
But whatever may be the results of the Montreal meeting, it is clear
from the programme which has been drawn up that everything possible is
being done to render the occasion one of genuine enjoyment to all who
are fortunate enough to be present. The Canadian Parliament has voted so
handsome a sum for the entertainment of the Association that its
expenses are likely to be less than at an ordinary meeting. Provision
has been made for free passages and free living for fifty of the
officials, who need not spend a penny from the time they set foot upon
the steamer until they step ashore again upon their native land. Not
only so, but a sum of $14,000 has been allotted for the reduction of
members' passages to Canada in addition to any abatement of fares
allowed by the steamship companies. The most important of these
companies, sailing not only to Quebec and Montreal, but to New York and
Newport, offer reductions averaging about 10 per, cent, on the ordinary
fares. The companies who offer these advantages are the Allan, the
Dominion, the Beaver, White Star, Cunard, National, Anchor, Guion,
Inman, Monarch, and Union lines; so that intending visitors have ample
choice of route. On the other side, again, all the railway companies
have shown the greatest liberality. The Government railways are free to
all who produce members' vouchers. The Canada Pacific Line will from
July 1 up to the date of the departure of the special free excursion to
the Rocky Mountains, grant to visiting members free passes over its
lines to the northward (Rocky Mountains, Lake Superior, &c.) and
intermediate points. This company also offers to one hundred and fifty
members of the Association a free special excursion to the Rocky
Mountains, by way of Georgian Bay, Thursday Bay, and Winnipeg, providing
that those places passed during the night on the outward journey will be
repassed during the day on the return. The only thing members will have
to pay for will be meals, which will be provided at a rate not exceeding
2s. Arrangements, moreover, will be made for trips and excursions from
Toronto, across Lake Ontario to Niagara, under the direction of local
committees to be formed in both places, giving to all members an
opportunity of visiting the Falls. Various other excursions have been
liberally arranged for by the company, so that visitors will have ample
opportunity of seeing most that is worth seeing in Canada for
practically nothing. The Canada Atlantic Railway has also arranged for
several free excursions, while the Grand Trunk, the North Shore, the
Central Vermont, and other railways in the States offer tickets to
members at something like half the usual rates; thus those who proceed
to New York may visit various parts of the States before proceeding
northwards to Canada at extremely cheap rates.
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