CHINA MAIL, PAGE 34
HONG KONG CENTENARY NUMBER
1841
1941
The Romance Of H.K. Shipping
SINCE Hong Kong became
il
British Colony, it has develop- ed into #1 thriving centre of industrial and commercial activity. Even to the most casual observer, however, it
obvious that its shipping is the greatest single contributory to its successful con- tinued existence.
Huge sums of British capital have been invested in the shipping industry. Hong Kong's Harbour is world famous for its spectaculur interest and beauty, its unique facilities for accommodation of vessels of all types and sizes, and its wonderful display all the year ound of mercantile shipping re- presentative of the leading nations of the world.
The relative position occupied by the Red Ensign is gratifying to our national pride. All types of craft fly the British flag, from the large liners that come into the Harbour from overseas down to small steam and sailing craft ply- ing on the coast and inland water- Ways of China.
No primary products are pro- duced on the Island. Factories
mail, passenger and cargo services since then, to nearly all parts of the world.
The Blue Funnel Line was founded in 1852, and ever since, has specialised in the construction of cargo steamers suitable for the Far Eastern carrying trade. lts interests out here are looked after by the great shipping firm of Butterfield & Swire, known fami- liarly as "Taikoo." The Blue Funnel Line was the first to start schedule services with cargo car- · riers other than mail steamers and
Via Pangma
they are in operation between Hong Kong and the United King- dom, Europe, Trans-Pacific, New York (via both the Panama and Suez Canals). The Company has established its own modern whar- ves, godowns and a fleet of tugs and lighters for the accommoda- tion of its steamers and their cargoes. The Line enjoys an un- rivalled repulation for efficient management in the handling of cargo, and it has played a very
The P. and O. s... Mooltan, 1980, · from ›a #lithograph "by 'T. VG.
Dutton.
and prosperous business estab- lishments yes, but practically all the cargo brought to and carried away from the port is destined for and originates from China and ber neighbours.
In short, Hong Kong is almost entirely-u-shipping- and triding entrepot, whose aggregate annual tonnage statistics have in normal times rivalled: those of any ship- -ping part in the world. This is largely, if not wholly, due to the
· policy of keeping 'the Colony: free of Customs restrictions and tariffs, "except in the case of alcohol,-to- bacco, opium and other prohibited drugs.
(Photo:"King's Studio).
important part in the development
of this port. The "Glen" Line has been trading to the Far East for a great number of years and oper- ates a splendid fleet of steam and ambtor › vessels. The "Empress" liners are the most luxurious, and the fastest steamers: coming to ;port and are entitled to premier -honours in the development of the Trans-Pacific trade — no small compliment. The above are the principal: "British; Lines coming to the Colony" from overseas; but an › examination of the traffic: returns demonstrates the fact that: there are many other important British Lines and also that 'the relative position of steamers flying the
+
The progress of merchant ship-flags of all foreign maritime coun- ping has been very remarkable.
It is not within the scope of this article to give a long :description of the rise and development of the great shipping companies engaged in the Far: Eastern · trade. The -steaply increase in the carrying capacity,both. as regards cargo and passengers, of all classes of vessels culling regularly cat dong Kong under peace time conditions,
COutstanding Feature
is an outstanding feature and ap- peals to one's imagination. - The well-known P. & O. and its asso- ciated cumpanies; The Blue-Fun✩. nel Line; the C.P.R.; the “Glens" have probably shown the greatest enterprise and business acumen so far as British overseas shipping Is concerned, The story of their steady development is intensely interesting.
The P. & O Co. began their connection with Hong Kong about 1845-four years after the island became. British territory — and' have maintained uninterrupted
tries is an important one.
In fact the character of Hong Kong's shipping is distinctly in- tornational. Every day, large and Emall ships flying the flags of many lands, are to be seen load- ing or discharging in the harbour. The China Homeward Freight Conference with its sworn men- sumer's and 'deferred: rebate -sys- temş is in existence in the trade with the United Kingdom and
· European “ports,” and~ ensures regular and adequate supply of tonnage, uniform rates of freight and fair trading conditions for all.. The Trans-Pacifle, New York, In- dian and Australian- trudes have their respective freight Bureaux.
Days Of Sail
a
It is fascinating to muse on the way in which the character of the carrying trade, has changed since. the British first came to Hong Kong. Oplum inwards and ten homewards were the principal commodities carried in the "early
days," by gail of course. The romantic history of the clipper ships is outside the scope of this article but the following · famous names are associated with the Colony: Stornoway, Flying Spur, Thermopylac, Cutty Sark.
10
Brigs and Schooners used trade along the Coast with opium, and many an exciting story has been told of their adventurous voyages and fights with Chinese pirates and officials. The foreign opium trade has dwindled to ne- gligible proportions principally
owing to sentimental and political reasons, and the lea trade has de- clined into insignificance, owing to competition from Ceylon. India and Java combined with th: neglect of the Chinese farmers and Government to adopt and encour- age modern scientific methods of cultivation. Silk is another of the old "valuable" trades which has suffered from the lack of scientiile development, but in the North scientific experiments are being conducted in the interest of Im- proving, and expanding sericul- ture.
Trade in cereals, ta low, veget- able oils, ginger, matting, rattan- wares, cassia, split bamboo, groundnuts &c. &c. has developed and prospers under European in- centive. But as has already been said, primary products do not originate in Hong Kong but in the Canton Della, and are brought down river by small steam craft and huge native junks. The car- go is collected here by both steel lighters and smaller native craft, and loaded into the ocean steam- ers in the stream.
Commodious Wharves
Commodious modern wharves and godowns have been erected on both sides of the harbour for the accommodation of ships and their cargoes. - Opium has been replaced by piece goods, manufae- tured articles, machinery, steel
· plates and all other 'shipbuilding, railway and bridge materials. Not only "Ocean" steamers but wharves, lighters and coast vessels are nowadays fully equipped for the safe and rapid handling of heavy weights. Concurrently, a change has been quietly taking place in the method of discharging ocean aand coast steamers and
and
Islands, Indo-China,* Slam the Straits) are of material importance. In conditions other than one-when-Sino-Japanese hos- tilities and a blockade prevail, a flourishing trade, exists
on the coast in which the British Flag is predominant. British shipowners. have successfully adapted them- conditions selves to the peculiar existing on the coast and inland waterways of China, and the posi- tion they have won through fore- sight and enterprise is an eloquent testimony to Britain's unsurpassed genius for exploiting the seas to the benefit of humanity in every quarter of the globe. The steam- ers are manned by European deck officers and Engineers and Chinese sailors and firemen They have won the confidence and good will of the Chinese merchants, which goes to show that efficiency is ap- preciated just as much in this part of the world as in any other.
*China Skippers
The cargoes normally carried in and out of, Hong Kong by the steamers' trading on the coast are decidedly "mixed" ', varying from valuable treasure, silks, satins. spices and medicines to machin- ery, cereals of all kinds in bags and bulk, sharkfins, dried fish, live fish, fruits, nuts and all other kinds of Chinese delectable food- stuffs not to mention live goals. sheep and ponks.
What of the China skippers themselves? They have a strong sense of discipline, મ marvel- lous loyalty to their owners, and a humour which even long residence in the Far East cannot damp. They manage to entertain passengers with comments on politics, ethics, sport, or even religion at a pinch. They have decided views. If press- ed they will aver that skippering & coastal steamer is preferable to command of the Queen Mary. They have an abundant.admira- tion for their Chinese .seamen- but they do not let it be too un- guardedly shown." They, zealously serve the commercial communities of the ports on their list, but-pro- bably they cannot understand where lies the attraction in mak- ing money ashore. Give them the river or the sea, and they have the world they desire. The dilly- dullying: in, ports is a necessary
where davasprint-by! JyWJeffrezuan,jningstha¤Chater Colleation,
•">Dougina”Gompany's” (IDouglas”: 4865,
landing their cargoes into go downs, hand labour slowly but surely giving way to mechanical appliances, or perhaps speaking mare conrectly, a closen co-ordin- ation of the two methods, on ac- count of economic pressure due to the greater value of time.
Although the existence of the Colony as a trade centre is very largely depondent on its oversens shipping, its coastwise services (i.e. to China, the Philippine
(Photo by King's Studio).
com-
but tiresome interruption-of-a-life- devoted to philosophy and stern thinking: As for the perils of keeping the channels of merce open under shell fire or - aerial bombing, that, they would say, should they be persuaded to speak of it is alt in the day'e work.
(Continued
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