Anglo-Canadian Steamship Companies.—Allan Line.—Canadian Pacific Railway Co.—Dominion Line. Following the example of the Imperial Government the Government of Canada advertised in June, 1852, for tenders for the conveyance of mails between the United Kingdom and Quebec and Montreal in summer, and between the United Kingdom and Portland, Maine, in winter. The contract was secured by Messrs. McKean, McLarty and Lamont, of Liverpool, who formed a company, and despatched their first steamer, the GENOVA, a small vessel of 500 tons register, in the spring of 1853. The sailings were continued, but with no great regularity, for about eighteen months. In addition to the steamer named, the CLEOPATRA, of 1467 tons, the OTTAWA, and two chartered steamers, one the CHARITY, built for the African Steamship Co., and the other the CANADIAN, chartered from Messrs. Allan Brothers, were engaged in the service. On the outbreak of the Crimean War the OTTAWA and CHARITY were taken off the Canadian service for the conveyance of troops to the Crimea, and in 1855 the CLEOPATRA was despatched from London to Melbourne. The Anglo-Canadian Mail Service proving unprofitable—a natural result from the way in which it was conducted—it was transferred to the Messrs. Allan, who undertook to build a fleet specially for this trade, and to maintain a fortnightly service to Quebec in summer, and a monthly service to Portland, Maine, in winter, for the annual subsidy of £24,000. The Allan mail service to Canada commenced in April, 1856. A weekly service was instituted in 1859, and has been continued until the present day. The first four steamers of the line were built by Messrs. Denny, Dumbarton, and one of them, the ANGLO-SAXON, made a passage in nine days five hours—which was considered a record in those days. The HIBERNIAN, built in 1861, was the first steamer in the Atlantic trade to have a spar deck, covering the main deck from stem to stern, affording shelter for the passengers in heavy weather, and found to be so advantageous that it has been adopted by all the other first-class Atlantic companies. [Illustration: R.M.S. TUNISIAN. Allan Line.] The time on passage was further reduced by the POLYNESIAN in 1872. On her first voyage this steamer made the passage between Quebec and Londonderry in seven days eighteen hours and fifty-five minutes. In 1877 the BUENOS AYREAN made her appearance. This vessel is remarkable as being the first Atlantic liner constructed of steel, the material of which all ocean-going steamers are now built.