GISBORNE, Frederic Newton, Canadian inventor, born in Broughton, Lancashire, England, 8 March, 1824. He made a tour around the world in 1842-'5, came to Canada in July of the latter year, and, after spending two years in farming, became one of the operators of the Montreal telegraph company, and opened its first station at Quebec. He was then connected with various telegraphic enterprises, and successfully completed the line across Newfoundland in October, 1856. In 1862 he was acting commissioner for Newfoundland at the London exhibition, represented it at the Paris exhibition of 1865, and was appointed London agent for mines and minerals by the government of Nova Scotia. In 1879 he was made superintendent of the Dominion government telegraph and signal service, which office he now holds (1887). He has invented electric, pneumatic, and mechanical ship-signals, anti-corrosive and anti-fouling compositions for the bottoms of iron ships, an electric recording target, and improvements in gas-illumination. His semaphore was awarded a gold medal at the late fishery exhibition in London. He was one of the original members of the Royal society of Canada.