Y
50 YEARS ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN;
From the "Paradise of the Pacific," March 1918,
2
As fascinating as the stories of the buccaneen who preyed upon the Spanish galleons in the Pacific and South Atlantic waters in the six teenth century; as romantic as the talo of Columbus, Drake and Magellan, reads the history of the Panie Mail Steamship Company, which as early as 1849 was engaged to coast trade, carrying passengers and freight from Panama to Califor. nis in the early gold-rush day.
The golden jubilee of the trans. Pache traffic occurred in January 1917, but the event was allowed to pass unnoticed in the stress of events connected with the great world war.
►
The Pacific Mail Steamship Com pany was incorporated in New York -on April 12th, 1818, with a' capital of $500,000, Congress had passed an net authorizing the opening of a new mail route between New York and Fortland, Oregon, with San Fran- cisco as port of call. By the act a subsidy of 200,000 per annum was to be paid with the intention of per petuating the American Flag on the waters of the Pacific..
Incidently that policy was abandoned many years ago and the American merchant marine had
declined with this peculiar policy until in the year 1015 there were but six vessels in foreign service flying
the American Flag
The vessels used in the early days wedside-wheelers, hardly larger than the ferryboats of San Francisco bay today. They carried beam en
The "Constitution" was consider ed a remarkable vessel in her day. She was one of the first steamers #built with two funnels.
service so far as applied to sailing shipe and was not without steamship experience, sa he had served on some of the company's steamers en the Panama run
The "Colorado" had a fair freight including 1,000 barrels of flour, 8500,000 in specie for Hongkong and
31,700 for. Japan That cargo of flour seems rather insignificant now as compared with consignments of 10,000 to 18,000 barrels subsequently of the same carried by steamers line. She also had a fair passenger List.
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1918
the Chima Japan coast.” In 1874, the Alaska was blown up high and dry at Aberdeen on the Island of Hong korg An American named Williams finally got her afkat after engineers from Europe had failed. One year later she was burned off Amoy on the coast of China
→
That year was a disastrous one for the Pacific Mail as two other sieamers were burned, the America
in Yokohama and the Japan on the
China coast.
DAIRY FARM NEWS.
SAUSAGES.
SAUSAGES.
A Variety to
#}
The next year other screw stea A détour was made to Honolulu, mers were added to the feet, includ-
ing the Rio de Janeiro, Para OXFORD SAUBACES. as the Captain deemed it wiser to Columbia and Peru. The Rio de replenish his bunkers rather than to Janeir struck a rock at the estranes CAMBRIDGE. essay the long voyage to Yokohama
in 101 when under, Captain Ward's PORK At any rate the call at Honolulu had to the Golden Gate, San Francisco not been planned when the ship left orders, Pilot Low Jordan was at
BEEF San Francisco. Thus were the first tempting to guide her through a would never leave their memory-The ressel sank, taking with it tourists regaled with a sight that dense fog that overhung the harbour, the sight of these sun-kissed, palm- girt isles subsequently described by Mark Twain as the "loveliest feet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean"
several hundred passengers and
members of the crew, and its bull,
containing thousands of dollars of valuable property,
located.
was nevar
Naturally the arrival of this stea-
The China of 10,000 tons displace- mer created much excitement in mest was built in 1890 and became Honolulu and she was the object of the most popular steamer in the much curiosity on the part of the service and then foliowed the Kores natives. The arrival of the first and Siberia of 15,000 tons displace- Päckc Mail liner in Yokohama andment. The Korea left San Francisco Hongkong stirred up the commercial circles of those ports due to the fact that she carried European de spatches of fully twelve days, later dated than those received by the English and French lines.
The "Colorado" arrived at San Frandseo on March 20th having made the round trip in seventy- eight days, including all detections.
The "Colorado" was followed on February 1st by the "Great Re- public" and each month thereafter by the old "China," "Japan," and "America."
on August 30th, 1902, and on De- cember 27th of the same year the Siberia was sent across on the long. run.
Two years later came the Mongolia and Manchuria, sach 97,000 tons displacement, the former sailing on Toyago from San her initial Francisco on Saturday, May 7th, 1904, and the latter on Tuesday, August
23th 1904.
It is regrettable that in 1913 the thea management of the Pacific Mail deliberately threw away the best prospects of the company since its incorporation by disposing of all the trans-Pacião feet and in consequent abandonment to a foreign fagot the cream of the trans-Pacific business. The alleged reason for this act was the restrictions plased on American shipping by the La Foliette Seaman's Act.
gines and were built entirely ot
It was in 1965 that what is know wood The first steamers were the as the "branch line" was started "Goldon City," "Montana," from Tokohama to Shanghai via the "Colorado" and "Constitution." Inland Sea of Japan. Some of fus The last-named figured prominently ships on the Atlantic were sent in the Civil War, having been char-around the Cape of Good Hope. tered by the government as Together with some new steamers. transport, and having on occasions the Costa Rica, Ariel, Oregonian
The American-built steamers carried as many as 5,000 troops and and Golden Age, comprised this their necessary equipment.
Beet and was the first line of stea Korea and Siberia were sold to a mers to navigate the Inland Sea Japanese, company and now fy the At that time there were no light-Japanese fag. The China was sold husss, buoys or other signals to to a company newly formed with mark the danger points and it in- Chinese capital and operated by Drawing about twenty feet of deed goes to the credit of those old Chinese, while the Mongolia and water she could attain a speed of rea-masters that the feat was äc-
Manchuria were sold to the Atlantic | fifteen knots per hour. She ended complished with such regularity and her days in San Francisco in 1864 by with so, few accidents. burning. The remainder of these vessel were bought by the Nippon Yuses Kaisha, forming the nucleus of its present feet of 102 vessels, of 480,000 tons groas. It is interesting to surmise what might have been the position of the American mer cantile marine at the outbreak of
In the meantime an extension was
taking place on the San Francisco- Радата rvin and the steamers
Transport Co., of New-York and
were transferred to the Atlantic "Ocean
Were it not for the far-sightedness of a San Francisco man, John H. Acapulco, Colon, Guatemala, City have disappeared from the foreign Rosseter, the American flag would of Panama, Colins and Grannda trade of the Pacife completely. Out replaced the older ships while the of the wreck of the old Pacific Mail. alaska and Arizons came from the Steamship Company he organized "the war if our government had aid./Atlantic and enhanced the number the present company, and by the ed shipping by subsidies and subven of vessels on the Pacific. The for purchase of three ships built in
mer went on
tions as did the Japanese 80ern Hongkong run, and the latter on the
In the year 1881 the Pacific Mail Company bought the so-called Vanderbilt Line" operating from New York to Aspinwall on the
Panams run.
When the run to the Orient was first started, the ships made many precarious voyages by reason of the
the San Francisco Holland, re-commenced the service of the Pacific Mail across the Pacific in 1916 with the steamers Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela of. 34,000 tons displacement each. In the year 1917 was inaugurated the Sag fact that owing to storms, they Francisco-Calcutta service with the Isthmus of Panama. The steamers would run out of fuel and fresh steamers Santa Cruz, 12,000 tons, on this run were the North Star, water On occasions they were and Colusa, 15,000 tons, and the Northern Light, Ariel, Ocean Queen, known to burn their cargoes for Quaker City, Champion and two new ships, the New York and Costa Rice
ffiel
writer hopes to live to see the day when the American dag will be seen constantly in every port on the great Pacific ocean
A few words as to the personnel | of the company: This includes the names of many famous men. The
suit all tastes.
&c.,
&c,
THE
LIVER SAUSAGES. BOLOGNE, HEAD CHEESE. BLACK PUDDING.
WHITE
AERTEX
THE ORIGINAL
CELLULAR
We have now a full range of garments made of this cloth which is by far the most suitable and healthy to wear in hot weather, being cool, non-Irritant and
extremely durable.
SHIRTS
PYJAMAS
UNSWEAR.
Call and see them
deciding what to wear."
MACKINTOSH
&c.
· ··
SOCIETY
OF
ST. GEORGE
HONGKONG.
TOMBOLA.
EIN AID OF WAR CHARITIES))
GIFTS WANTED FOR PRIZES. LAST DAY FOR RECEIVING:
THURSDAY, 11th APRIL; 1918. HAVE YOU SENT YOURS?
IF NOT PLEASE SEND IMMEDIATELY TO
RECEIVING DEPOT :---
Messrs. LANE, CRAWFORD & CO.. (Office, 1st floor.)`
10 am, to Noon and 3 to 5
p.m.
p.m.
Bulky articles WILL BE SENT FOR on appücajian to
NO GIFT TOO LARGE.
NO GIFT TOO SMALL.
C H
P
N E
DÍLSSCOZ
As originally supplied to NAPOLEON The Great,
The fine quality
of the
WIEM DATE
commend it to the most critical „SOLE”). AGENTS FOR CHINA ---
first President was Captain Allan H. RUTTONJEE & SON, 16 OUERS
In order to provide against auch The Pacific Mail Company in their calamity, a brig a despatched in service between New York and San 1869 from Pennsylvania with a lead Frandsco enjoyed many years of of Pocahontas coal for Midway Is great prosperity but with the comland. At that time the island was pletion of the first trans-continental uninhabited, though now it is need railway it was presumed that the as a cable relay station. Some of McLean. He was succeded in 1872 balk of the passenger traffic would that same coal was used by the by W. B. Stockwell of sewing naturally imove over the abortes Pacific Mail steamers when chased machine fame, followed in about a overland route. So in 1868 there out of their courses by the Russian year by Rufus Haich, during whose arose the incentive which engaged Vladivostock feet during the Eusso-administration the screw ateamers the thought of all transportation Japanese war. Up to that time it of the "City" class were built and ment concerning the carrying of had been forgotten, for better boats commissioned. Jay Gould succeed- passengers and freight from Chinsoon replaced those vessels, and ed Estch and it was he who and Japan across the Pacific and better time was made.
egotiated the building of the China, thencs överland to New York Again Though tea and silk have always He was succeeded by W.P. Clyde Congress was appealed to and as to been two of the most important and then followed R.P. Schwerin, bear, its share of establishing s items of freight, in the very early who was vice-president and general new transoceanie route covered by days, before the Chinese Exclusion manter of the company from 1883 ships carrying the Stars and Stripes Act was passed, when the old to the disruption of the company in Congress responded with a subsidy paddle wheels plowed the great sea 1915. of $500,000 awarded to the Pacific troughs, Chinese coolies made ip The man
of large vision who Mail Company for carrying the mails the chief "cargo." As many as organised the new Pacific Meal Com From Ban Francisco to Hongtong,500 were brought to this country pany was John H. Rosseter; he was And thus was inaugurated the on & trip, and fortunes were made elected vice-president and genera service that gave the Port of Hono: for the Company in this trafic manager of the company, In. 1896,
lalu its first impetus as a shipping
sentra
The steamer "Colorado," a side- wheeler of 3,000 tons one of the facket, and finest of the Pacific
TO-DAY'S ADVERTISEMENTS.
THIRD LIBERTY LOAN THE Subscription List for the
THIRD LIBERTY LOAN of US-$3,000,000,500- carrying] interest st 4 1/4 per cent, per annum closes in America on dik May. 1913 1912 1
THE INTERNATIÓFÁL BANKING CORPORATION is prepared to receive applications up to 29th April, on the following terms
5% on application. 20% on 21st May 35% on 11th July. 40% on 8th August,
service was inaugurated and in 1874 American supremacy on the Pacific this security.
In the year 1871 the fortnightly and we trast that his dreams of and will also grant loans against the screw-propelled steamers City of wil be realised Peking and City of Tokie were placed on the China rum. These
Wail foot at that time, was acted were followed by the thrée "Cities"
of this new enterprizó
her momentadi Arst Toyage
be frst steamer to make the route to be taken and the
-San Francisco, Sydney and
1875, when they established to Aust
Australia ed another era in transcife fre and gradually the old wood side-wheelers were displa
Even the new
ditions that possibly tight be large mongh to
mountered were thoroughly rods showing against the gre
✨ Captain - Bradley wanawaker, which rery
its familiar with the trana Packa
foundations
Disabled
not
"to shelter
HONGKONG SCHOOL'S'
SPORTS
BOAD
TO-DAY'S ADVERTISELIENTS.
PUBLIC AUCTION.
THE Undersigned has received Instructions to sell by Public Auction on
MONDAY, the 15th April, 1918, commencing at ll am.
at the Taikoo Sugar Refinery (For acrount of the concerned)
·133-Bales Gunny Bags
DO. LTD
MEN'S WEAR SPECIALISTS,
19, DES YŒUX ROAD.
TELEPHONE NO. 29.
Power
TELEMONE"S46'
A NEW CONSIGNMENT OF
GENTLEMEN'S
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BLACK and BROWN
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BRITISH MADE.
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5081 Kerry Mills
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Gayotte
THE ANDERSON MUSIC CO., LTD.
T6, DES VŒUX RQAD
JUST
IMET. 3322.
ARRIVED.
A Fresh Consignment
of
BURGOYNE'S SPECIALLY
SELECTED BURGUNDY RESERVE
(slightly damaged by fire and RECOMMENDED BY THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY.
·water.j
543 Bales Cunny Bags
(slightly damaged by water).
N.B. Intending purchasers must obtain a pass to view the goods from the undersigned. Terms-Cash on delivery.
GEO. P. LAMMERT
Burgundy Reserve per case. 12 qts. duty paid 24.00
·Reservo;
24 pts.
SOLE AGENTS-
26.00
be the dual zácl
namely Two-
Cunta Race (Handicap) and
ours them longs Flat Eace (Handi
employment, whilst money: is entrance fee for theis two gian
ing the froeipt of '18 30 omis, and the name
be given in on the Balik
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ENGLISHMAN
many genre "Kasturi Busines Kigerianos Write Box 1381 elo
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