Series consists of letterpress copies of reports to Privy Council from Marine Branch. The records are copies of the reports, recommendations, and references made to the Privy Council by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries in matters related to marine administration between the years 1868 and 1910. The records contain information regarding the subjects listed in the appendix to the Act for the Organization of the Department of Marine and Fisheries of Canada (31 Vic., c.57). Topics include Trinity Houses and Trinity Boards, pilots and pilotage; beacons, buoys, lights and lighthouses and their maintenance; harbours, ports, piers and wharves; steamers and vessels belonging to the Government of Canada; harbour commissioners and harbour masters; classification of vessels and granting of certificates of masters and mates; shipping masters and shipping offices; inspection of steamboats and boards of steamboat inspection; enquiries into causes of shipwrecks; establishment, regulation, and maintenance of marine and seamen hospitals, and care of distressed seamen.
The submissions made by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries were gathered together in a series of registers or "Report Books". The information varies from entry to entry. Each "Report Book" contains an alphabetical index which directs the reader to the appropriate page(s). Volumes 1029-1034 also contain a reference listing of Order in Council numbers where relevant. The records are arranged chronologically as follows: January 1868-December 1871 (Volume 1022, reel T-6109); January 1872-May 1874 (Volume 1023, reels T-6110 to T-6111); May 1874-April 1877 (Volume 1024, reels T-6111 to T-6113); May 1875-December 1878 (Volume 1025, reels T-6113 to T-6114); June 1887-October 1890 (Volume 1026, reels T-6114 to T-6116); October 1890-March 1893 (Volume 1027, reels T-6116 to T-6118); July 1895-November 1898 (Volume 1028 , reels T-6118 to T-6119); November 1898-August 1902 (Volume 1029 , reels T-6119 to T-6120); September 1902-February 1905 (Volume 1030, reels T-6120 to T-6121); February 1905-December 1906 (Volume 1031 , reels T-6121 to T-6122); November 1906-June 1908 (Volume 1032, reels T-6122 to T-6123); June 1908-August 1908 (Volume 1033, reels T-6123); and December 1908-February 1910, (Volume 1034, reels T-6123 to T-6124).