The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-09-27
DISTINGUISHED CANADIANS.
Minister Bowel of the Dominion
Cabinet and Mr.. Fleming, the
Eminent Engineer.

British Columbia papers received
by the steamer Warrimoo had items
referring to the departure for Aus
tralia of Hon. Mackenzie Bowel, |
Minister of Trade and Commerce in |
the Dominion Cabinet, and Mr.. San |,
ford Fleming, the eminent civil |
engineer who directed the surveys
of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The two distinguished travellers wero
on board the Warrimoo, where Major !
Wodehouse, British Minister, took |
lunch with them Sunday afternoon.
1t was mentioned in a Vancouver
paper that Mr.. Fleming was going
to Australia to investigate the feast
bility of laying cable from there
to British Columbia. A BULLETIN
representative met Mr.. Fleming on
the deck of the steamer, and was re-
ceived by him with quiet cordiality.
Mr.. Fleming, on a reference being
made to an item in Vancouver
paper about his going to Australia
on Pacific cable business, said he
held no public commission. He had
been working hard for many years,
and was travelling for rest aud plea
sure.
He was asked if the French cable
now being laid from Queensland to
New Caledonia was part of larger
scheme.
81 think not" he replied with a
new CLEAN of interest kindling his
features, as if a subject close to his
heart had been touched.
"How is it, then, that the Govern
ments of New South Wales and
Queensland have given it recogni-
tion by sending representatives with
the cable steamer2"
This question aroused the latent
fires of the quiet gentleman's nature
still more.
"It is a silly piece of business, a
most unfortunate proceeding. Moth
ing could be more foolish and un-
patriotic. The idea of British Colo
nies thus playing into the hands of
the French Government! Between
you and me-" the famous engineer
said, lowering his tones, that is ust
what is taking me to Australia"
This admission was regarded as
made in confidence, until the depart
ure of the mail steamer due next
day for San Francisco. Now that
the mail has gone the information
here given cannot reach the outside
world until Mr.. Fleming has divul-
ged his business in Australia. Some
thing is bound to drop before he is
many hours in Sydney. 1t is be-
lieved that he is in intimate relations
with the Canadian Pacific Railway
and its telegraph line, the latter be-
ing connected with the Mackay
Bennett Atlantic cable. Mr.. Flem-
ing need not carry an official com
mission, nor be travelling for aught
but his own pleasure-as he said
to enable him to do effective work
for the cause that is known to be
near his heart, that of a cable across
the Pacific to complete an electric
circuit of the globe under British
auspices.
MIR. Fleming expressed his plea
sure at having met the interviewer,
who recalled having seen him at an
interesting point in his career
twenty-six years ago. "You must
have been very young then" and Il
had hard row to hoe" he said, the
reference being to his engineering
of a railway line the opening OF
which the writer witnessed at that
period. He said they (Mr. Bowel
and himself) had called on Queen
Liliuokalani. The subject of poll.
tics was not broached on either part
during the visit. Mr.. Fleming said
the Queen was a very intelligent
woman. He had seen her in London
. at the Victoria Jubilee in 1887. As
he had letters to finish before the
steamers departure, and the adver
tised time being only few minute.
: away, Mr.. Fleming excused himself
f The steamer having been delayed
, several hours, however, Mr.. Fleming
accompanied by Mr.. Bowel, Mr.
Sydney Clementson, a prominen
2 wool factor of Boston who spen
t some time here on previous jour
, ney, and other passengers by th'
steamer took occasion to visit the U
. S. flagship Philadelphia. After thei
return Mr.. Fleming met our repre-
sentative again and put manly ques
tions to him regarding the islands
He took great interest in tn,
swimming and diving of a crowd o
g native boys in the dock, and aske'
3 if it did them any harm to be in til
t water SO much.
g Mr.. Fleming was made a com
o mander of the order of the garter b.
J. Queen Victoria, emitting him t.
g carry G. M. G. after his name, in re
t cognition of his distinguished ser
n vices in connection with the Cana
J. dian Pacific Railway. He was Pres
: ident of the Royal Society of Cana
4 da founded by the Marquis of LOrnc
i and is Chancellor of Queens Univer
:, sity, Kingston, Canada.
Q On being asked by the writer if h
s was not the inventor of standar
n time, now in use on the principa
y railways of North America, NJ
d Fleming modestly replied tina
= while he had had a great deal to d
e with it, there were others entitle
It to large share of credit of whic
q he had no desire to deprive then