1833

The Niagara Gleaner published a list of most of the Canadian steamboats on Lake Ontario, on 27 April 1833, and it read as follows:

With regard to the little steamboat JOHN BY, the Niagara Gleaner stated that she arrived at that port about the end of July, and that she was to operate between Hamilton and York. Her master was William Kerr. Another new vessel calling regularly at Hamilton was the ST. GEORGE,Lt. Harper, R. N. Her sailing notice included this:

The steamboat CONSTITUTION, listed above, was built by William Chisholm at Oakville, and seems to be the first vessel specifically for the Hamilton and York service. She measured 133 x 23 ft.; 150 tons. She was sailed by Lt. Critchell, R. N. and made her runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Later in the season, two more steamboats were completed for the Lake trade, one being the COMMODORE BARRIE, built by Henry Gildersleeve, at Drummond's shipyard in Kingston. She was named for the commander of the Royal Naval Dockyard there. The other vessel was the COBOURG, built at Cobourg by Hathaway for Charles and James McIntosh, of Prescott.Charles McIntosh was her first master. She measured 152 x 36 x 11 and her tonnage was given as 418. She was powered by two low-pressure beam engines rated at 50 HP each, built in York by Sheldon, Dutcher & Co., the "York Foundry". This establishment was located on Yonge Street,

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This volume is copyright The Estate of Ivan S. Brookes and is published with permission of the Estate. The originals are deposited in the Special Collections of the Hamilton Public Library.