A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time. Various

et Métiers,” Paris. Some of Mr. Baillairgé’s annual reports on civic affairs are very interesting and instructive; that of 1878, on “The Municipal Situation,” is particularly worthy of perusal. His report of 1872 was more especially sought after by almost every city engineer in Canada and the United States, on account of the varied information it conveyed. It may also be remembered, as illustrative of the versatility of his talent and of his humouristic turn of mind, that a comedy, “Le Diable Devenu Cuisinier,” written by him in the French language, was, in 1873, played in the Music Hall, Quebec, and again in the Salle Jacques Cartier, Quebec, by the Maugard Company, then in the city, to the great merriment of all present. Nor will the members of “Le Club des 21,” composed as it is of the literati, scientists and artists of Quebec, under the presidency of the Count of Premio Real, consul-general of Spain for Canada, soon forget how, in March, 1879, Mr. Baillairgé, in a paper read at one of the sittings of the club, around a well-spread board, successively portrayed and hit off the peculiarities of each and every member of the club, and of the count himself, while at the same time doing full justice to the abilities of all. Mr. Baillairgé is a close and industrious worker, devoting fourteen hours out of the twenty-four to his professional calling, and again robbing the night for the time to pursue his literary and scientific pursuits. In politics, if he may be said to have any, he is inclined to liberalism, but he is of too independent a character to be tied to a party, preferring to treat each question on its merits, irrespective of its promoters. The subject of this sketch is brother to G. F. Baillairgé, deputy minister of Public Works of the Dominion, and grand nephew to François Baillairgé, an eminent painter and sculptor “de l’Académie Royale de Peinture et Sculpture, France,” who carved some of the statues in the Basilica, and whose studio in St. Louis street, Quebec (the quaint old one-story building, now Campbell’s livery stable), was at that time so often visited by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, father of Queen Victoria, during his sojourn in Quebec. A portrait of Mr. Baillairgé, accompanied by a brief biographical notice, appeared in “L’Opinion Publique,” of the 25th April, 1878. The “Rivista Universale,” of Italy, also published his portrait and a biographical sketch of Mr. Baillairgé’s career in February of 1878. Since 1879 Mr. Baillairgé has been the recipient of the following additional testimonials:

      Royal Canadian Academy of Arts,

      Grenville St., Toronto, Jan. 7th, 1880.

      Dear Sir—I am commanded by His Excellency the Governor-General (Marquis of Lorne), to inform you that he has been pleased to nominate you as an associate of the New Canadian Academy.

      (Signed), L. N. O’Brien,

      President.

      Royal Society of Canada,

      Montreal, March 7th, 1882.

      Sir—I have the honour to intimate to you by request of the Governor-General (Marquis of Lorne), that His Excellency hopes you will allow yourself to be named by him as one of the twenty original members of the Mathematical, Physical, and Chemical Section of the New Literary and Scientific Society of Canada, the first meeting of which will be held at Ottawa on the 25th of May. Should you accept be good enough to state what work you wish associated with your name. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient,

      T. Sterry Hunt,

      President of the Mathematical, Physical, and Chemical Section.

      C. Baillairgé, Esq.

      In July, 1882, Mr. Baillairgé was unanimously elected president of the newly incorporated body of Land Surveyors and Engineers of the province of Quebec, which position he continued to fill till 1885.

      Government House,

      Quebec, 18th June, 1877.

      Sir—As President of the Canadian Commission at Philadelphia, I have had occasion to show your “Tableau Stéréométrique” to the representatives of Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, and Portugal, and, with a single exception, it was known and highly appreciated by all of them. Monsieur Lavoine, engineer of roads and bridges, with whom I became acquainted in Philadelphia, where he was in charge of the exposition of models of the Public Works of France, spoke to me about it then, and also during a visit he paid me in Ottawa last fall, in the most flattering manner for you and for Canadians generally. I am happy, sir, to hear of such a testimony which does you credit, and also to know that your works, which have been crowned so often, both in your own and foreign countries, have just been duly appreciated at the Universal Exposition of 1876 at Philadelphia. I remain, sir, your obedient servant,

      L. Letellier,

      Lieut.-Governor of the Province of Quebec

      M. C. Baillairgé, C.E., Quebec.