Readers will recall that our October "Ship of the Month" was the passenger steamer RAPIDS QUEEN. The early history of this ship is in considerable doubt, as we really do not know for whom she was built or whether it was actually intended that she serve on the St. Lawrence River at all.

Rev. Edward J. Dowling, S.J., an honourary life member of T.M.H.S., has advised us that he has access to an 1892 American vessel register. It indicates that, in 1892, the year she was built, the steamer COLUMBIAN, signal letters KLGR, was registered to the Morgan Iron Works of New York City. This is somewhat odd, for she was built by the Delaware River Company at Chester, Pennsylvania, but it would seem to suggest that she was not built for the Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company Ltd., but rather that she was built "on speculation" for sale to any party who might want her.

We will report more on this rather interesting question should further information become available.

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