s any suitable person known to you who would consent to have charge of
them [the buildings under construction] without remuneration, on
condition of the requisite fuel being provided?" The gross annual
revenue from the McGill properties vested in the Board for the support
of the College was only L559. 6. 8. The Board again appealed to the
Government for a grant of L5,000 to finish the building, also for "a
very moderate sum to purchase the large collection of books formerly
belonging to the late Mr. Fleming, the greater part of which would form
a suitable foundation for a Library." This appeal was again
unsuccessful.

During the summer of 1841, amidst many discouragements and financial
worries, the erection of the buildings went forward. On October 21st,
1841, the Principal, who was one of the building committee, notified the
Board that they were nearly ready for the reception of pupils. But their
completion was for various reasons delayed several months. The Governors
then decided to apply to the Legislature for a grant of L1,500 a year
for current expenses and L5,000 for Philosophical Apparatus, the
rudiments of a Library, and furniture; to ask also for the passing of an
act repealing the Act of 1801, and vesting the McGill bequest in the
Governors of the College; and to request that the Chief Justice and the
Principal be authorised to communicate with the Royal Institution and to
take steps to carry out this resolution. This application was again
without avail, and the submitting of it was obviously not conducive to
harmony and peace.

Arrangements were now completed for the sale of lots from the Burnside
Estate. In all 251/2 acres were offered in small sections "as soon as
Mr. Phillips' consent could be obtained to give one-half of the ground
required for a proposed street," and negotiations were entered into for
the leasing of any of the land left unsold. The Governors demanded that
the Royal Institution should transfer to them the entire property, but
the Board refused, claiming that they were prohibited from so doing by
the terms of the will.

The Governors then devised an ingenious scheme to secure possession of
the premises. The Principal proposed to the Board in May, 1842, that
they lease the estate to the Governors for a period of 99 years. This
the Board refused to do. They had obviously no desire to allow the
Governors to get control. An endeavour to secure a lease was then made
by a Mr. Pelton, and his