CHINA MAIL, PAGE 38
HONG KONG CENTENARY NUMBER
1841
China Coastal Shipping
(Continued from Page 34)
Co has
The foremost British Companies are the China Navigation Co. (managed by Messrs. Butterfield & Swire) and the Indo-China S. N. Co, managed by Messrs, Jar- dine. Matheson & Co, These two Companies control feets fr- respective of tugs, lighters and other small craft, bulks, pontoons ami valuable shore properties. The China Navigation direct services established between Canton & Hong Kong, Swałow. Anoy, Fouchow, Shanghai, Tsing- tau, Chefoo, Tientsin, Newchwang to the north, Hoihow & Haiphong. Bangkok, Singapore and the Phi- Tippine Islands to the south, and branch services up the mighty Yangtze River and all the prin- rapal and remite inland water- ways of the Flowery Republic.
The China Navigation Company was formed more than 50 years ago and began in a modest way with a small paddle steamer, To- day, the Taikoo steamers are to be seen by scores in the China seas and in design and equipment are thoroughly well adapted to the peculiarities of the trades In which they are permanently em- ployed. From both business and technical points of view the pro- gressive changes in the types of China Coasters is interesting and informing, and the China Naviga- tion Co. is renowned for its enter- prise and foresight in this respect. Of equal importance In Hong Kong and Coast shipping is the Indo-China S. N. Co., Ltd. This Company was formed in 1881, but for many years prior to that its general managers, Jardine, Mathe- son & Co., Ltd., operated a feet of steamers, the descendant of which is the Indo-China S. N. Co.,
The Company also owns its own Wharf on the Praya in the most central position of all.
The British Hong Kung, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co. has a model Acet of river craft and arc the pioneers of the Canton River steamer carrying trade.
Although the development of steam tonnage has been so rapid and thorough on the China coast and inland waterways, junk traffle still prospers. True, junks do not go so far afield as formerly, but they still carry large quantities of merchandise between Hong Kong and the Canton and West Rivers ;ud
ports along the coast of China, Indo-China, Hainan, etc.
The effect of shipping on the Colony is incalculable. Trade is the raison d'etre of its existence as a British Colony and the recent appointment of Sir David Owen to go into our harbour facilities indicates that everything will be encouraged which is calculated to mainlamı Hong Kong's position as the premier shipping port in Far Eastern waters.
Given a restoration of political stability, the future of British Far Eastern shipping is assured. It will have its ups and downs in accordance with the vicissitudes of world trade but its strength and vitality as the result of char- acteristic sound and enterprising management will continue to pro- duce full effect. The Government is wideawake to the potentialities of the future and intends to pro- vide the requisite materials for attracting further shipping activi- ties. Bountiful as nature has been, the development of science in trade and industry necessitates a re-arrangement of the primitive scheme of things. Much in this
been running to the Peninsula a year or two previous to that date. In 1840 the Company was extend- ed into the Peninsular and Orien- tal Steam Navigation Company, being incorporated by Royal Charter. As it was practically the same Company, though enlarged, Its foundation, however, dates from the formal opening of its first mail service in 1837. Its ju- bilee in 1887 was signalised by the construction of Jour steamers amounting together to 20,000 tons and costing little short of £800,- 000.
Like most commercial under- takings, the Company has now and
by the canal. Hence a new fleet had to be built with what speed was possible (under financial con- ditions the reverse of favourable) and such other changes wrought in the general system of the Company AS to harmonise its equipment with the requirements of a new era. This resulted in a distinct Improvement, and from then, up to the pre-war period, a steady rate of progress has been maintained. One hundred years ago, the whole trade of Great Bri- tain with the East did not amount to more than £20,000,000. To- day, it is at least five times that figure. What share the Company
The largest liner now on the regular Hong Kong service In normal times, the Empress of Japan, under the giant crane of the Kowloon Dock.
then experienced serious reverses and on more than one occasion its fortunes have been at somewhat low water. Notably, the opening of the Suez Canal so altered the conditions under which the Com- pany had worked for more than thirty years, that in a short time its revenue fell off to the extent of nearly half a million, while its ships, and to a considerable degree its existing organisation, were found unfitted to cope with the new order of things inaugurated
may have contributed towards the growth of this vast commerce cannot of course be defined, but when it is remembered that for upwards of 33 years the Company was almost the exclusive carrier by steam to India, China and Aus- tralia, and that during that period the correspondence, the exchanges, the transport of bullion and the more precious merchandise de- pended entirely upon its organisa- tion and working, it may be
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The Douglas Co.'s "Undine" 1881. From a print by J. W. Jef-
ferson in the Chater Collection. (Photo: King's Studio).
Ltd. While Its steamers run in friendly rivalry with the China Navigation Co. in the China Coast trades, it also has a line of large passenger and cargo steamers to India with termini at Calcutta.
In the case of both these power. ful British Companies they have organised their resources on simi- lar lines and they have played the most important part in the mo dernisation of China's coastal carrying trade. Although tha sphere of operations of the China, Navigation Co. and the Indo- China S. N. Co. is in Far Eastern waters, both Companies sent a full quota of ships for service in connection with the Great War. The Douglas Steamship Co which since 1883, has traded be- tween Hong Kong, Swatow,.. Amoy and Foochow shares hon- our with the bigger British Com- panies for tenacity and enter- prise. This Company (now link- ed with Williamson and Com- pany) owns fast up-to-date, steamers which are greatly favoured.
respect has been done already but more land is to be reclaimed, new channels dredged, additional berthing and storage accommoda- tion provided.
Facilities of communication by railway with the prosperous cen- tral provinces of China will be afforded on restoration of the shortlived facilities of the Kow- loon-Hankow line which will en- hance the value and importance, of Hong Kong as a shipping cen- tre.
The P. And O. Company
One of the main connecting links between Hong Kong and the home country was, until the pre- sent war, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com- pany, whose local offices, under the management of Messrs. Mac- kinnon Mackenzio, are situated in their own building in Des Voeux Road.
The Peninsular Company was founded in 1837," although ̈ ̈ ̈the steamers it owned had actually
The China Provident
When The China Provident Loan & Mortgage Co., Ltd. first opened its doors in the year 1898 its major business was advancing money against real estate, securl- ties and produce, specialising in Tontine Loans", the vernacular for House Purchase Loans to en- able local residents to purchase their homes on the instalment purchase plan over 10, 15 and 20 more years at a cost very little than the rent they were paying. Due to the increasing value of property in Hong Kong, however, this type of business has fallen away, and the Company has con- centrated on warehousing, lighter- age and land transport, but the "Tontine ' fac'ities still remain to those who may be interested in purchasing their own homes in the Colony,
The business in loans on cargo grew to such an extent that it was essential that the Company had its own godowns in which to store goods under lien to them, and in 1908 the Company purchased Nos 171/8 Connaught Road West, where its Head Office is situated to-day. The Company has since acquired other properties and now operates in the West Point dis- trict, which is the Chinese busi. ness centre of the Colony, no fewer than 41 large godowns, cap- able of accommodating over 250,- 000 tons of cargo.
In conjunction with its ware-
house business the Company oper- ates Lighterage, Motor Transport and Forwarding Service with cor- respondents in all the principal ports of the Far East, America, Europe and Australia, and also undertakes Fire and Marine In- surance business, being Agents for The Yorkshire Insurance Co., Ltd, of London.
The Company, under license from the local Government, oper- ates bonded warehouses for tobac- co, liquors, beer, petroleum and spirits of wine at West Point.
One of the more recent addi- tions to the Company's activities, which is possibly better known the among local residents, is efficient Baggage Transfer and Household Removals Service, in- cluding packing for shipment to all parts of the world, which is widely used by the large floating foreign population of the Colony, Although this type of service has been duplicated by many other Arms in Hong Kong, its service has not been surpassed.
Through these diverse activities the Company can offer focal mer- chants and residents a. "unique "All-in" service.
The Company's name in Chi-. nese, “Kwan Yick Fo Chong", hás a very happy meaning in the local dialect, ie. "mutual benefit to all" thus satisfying the important re- quirement of "fung, shui”—the good luck of the earth.
1941