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A daily service, except Sunday, was maintained through the islands of Georgian Bay, between Penetanguishene and Parry Sound. The flag ship of the fleet was then the HURONIC of 3,330 tons and 308 feet in length, constructed after the style of a sea-going liner. **** The passenger business to and from the upper lakes developed rapidly during the first decade of the present century, bringing with it the problem of providing increased and better travelling facilities. After careful study, it was decided, in 1908, to construct the SS. HAMONIC, also of ocean liner type, of 5,240 gross tons and 365 feet in length; the ship was launched in November of the same year, at the Collingwood Shipbuilding Company's yard. The vessel was entirely a Canadian product, and outranked any craft of her class ever built for the Lake Superior trade. She has five decks and is equipped with eight water-tight compartments, with accommodation for 470 first-class passengers and crew of over 100 men; her hold will accommodate 3500 tons of merchandise. The powerful engines are capable of an ordinary speed of twenty-three miles per hour. The first regular trip was made June 23rd, 1909. It is stated the HAMONIC had no trouble in outrunning James J. Hill's renowned liner NORTHWEST. In connection with the Georgian Bay division, a new medium sized steel steamer - the WAUBIC - was next built for the daily cruise through the Thirty Thousand Islands. The increase in trade continued, principally in connection with the Sarnia-Lake Superior route, so that about 1910 it became expedient to remove the head office from Collingwood to Sarnia, shortly after which the Northern Navigation Company became one of the lines merging with the Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company, and later becoming a subsidiary of the Canada Steamship Lines. Mr. Gildersleeve remained in control, and was again, in 1913, immersed in further ship building - this time the NORONIC of 6,900 tons, which was constructed at the Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company's dry dock at Port Arthur. She is 385 feet long, with accommodation for 600 passengers and crew in excess of 100 men; her speed is slightly less than that of the HAMONIC, but the freight space in the hold is the same. These two fresh-water liners afford passengers unsurpassed convenience and comfort while travelling. Another important improvement in connection with the service was the construction of new passenger terminals and offices at Sarnia. In course of time the local or side routes were gradually eliminated or taken care of otherwise, the traffic centering eventually almost solely between Windsor, Sarnia and Lake Superior ports, with calls at Detroit during the summer season. The operating season extended form April to December, as at present. Mr. Gildersleeve remained at Sarnia until 1926, when he was appointed District Manager of Canada Steamship Lines with headquarters at Toronto. Previous to his leaving for his new post, the members of the Sarnia staff had him as their dinner guest, and presented him with a gold watch and chain, as an expression of their esteem and regret at his leaving Sarnia. In accepting the gift, Mr. Gildersleeve paid tribute to the loyalty and cooperation all members of the staff had accorded him, as well as many other kindnesses. But his sojourn at Toronto was of short duration and he again took up his duties again at Sarnia -47-