Tt was the confidence reposed in Robert Napier that secured the necessary capital, and it was undoubtedly their hands have significance in Buddhist lore, Then they circle with fans and parasols, their bodies Turkish Governments, and was entrusted with over 60' contracts. from the British Admiralty. The determination, skill and sterling character of sucha man are apparent. from his works. And it is of great signifi Samuel Cunard In the early "thirties, a prominent Canadian named Samuel Cunard, attracted by the performance of ' the [Royal William, was considering the pos sibility of steamships for communica tion between the two continents. Cunard, after serving an apprentice: ship in a merchant's office, joined a Boston shipping firm. The good passages made by the Sirius and the Great Western in 1838, and the efforts of the British and American Steam Navigation Ca, strengthened Cunard's determination to inaugurate an Atlantic postal service, and towards the end of that year he ob-{tained a provisional Atlantic mail contract, and set out for England take the necessary steps for fulfilling it On arrival in London, Cunard consulted the secretary of the East India Company, Mr. James G. Melville, regarding the building of vessels fo" the proposed service, and Melville strongly advised him to place his contracts for new ships with Napier. An arrangement was made between the two whereby Napier was to build, for him three ships at a cost of £90,000 each. Napier's determination to make the project a success, however, caused him to alter the arrangement so as to build larger vessels. and he actually stipulated that if Cunard paid for the alterations, would make him a present of all his part of the work for the enlarged Steamships. The arrangement _was accepted by Cunard. and a formal
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