Hutcheson, who long held a responsible
position in Messrs. Burns' office, and who was joined by his brother, Mr.
Alexander Hutcheson, and by Mr. David MacBrayne, a nephew of the Messrs
Burns. Under the firm of David Hutcheson & Co. the West Highland trade
has continued to be conducted with every satisfaction to the public. The
other branches are still carried on by Messrs. Burns & MacIver. While
James applied himself to the mercantile branch of the business, the
direction of the shipping department devolved upon George, whose energy
and sagacity rendered him well qualified for the onerous duties, and
under whose able management the business gradually developed into a
steam shipping concern second to none in the world.

In 1830 the establishment of mail steam communication between Britain
and North America was projected by Mr. Samuel Cunard, of Halifax, N.S.,
who, in prosecution of his undertaking, was introduced to Mr. Robert
Napier by Mr. Melvill, secretary in London to the East India Company,
and through whom he entered into conferences on the subject in Glasgow
with Mr. George Burns and Mr. David MacIver. The consultation resulted
in the undertaking since popularly known as the Cunard line, and Mr.
George Burns persuaded his brother to join in this, as he had in like
manner previously induced him to join in the establishment of steamers
between Glasgow and Liverpool. The contract for the conveyance of the
North American mails was entered into between the Admiralty on the one
part, and Samuel Cunard, George Burns, and David MacIver on the other
part; and the first steamer of the line, the _Britannia_, sailed from
Liverpool on 4th July, 1840, for Halifax and Boston. The means of
travelling between the mother country and America were previously very
inadequate. Although steam had come into pretty general use for coasting
purposes, it had been little applied to ocean voyages. The Cunard line
commenced with four paddle-wheel steamers, of an aggregate tonnage of
4602 tons. Now the company possess between 40 and 50 vessels afloat, or
in course of construction. Many of these are the most magnificent
merchant ships afloat. Some of them are over 4000 tons burden, and the
aggregate tonnage of the whole is close upon 90,000 tons.

It is not too much to affirm of the Cunard line, that it is the most
popular and successful Transatlantic service afloat. For upwards of
thirty years a Cunard Transatlantic steamer has sailed--at firs