No_5_1956 — Page 31

ROYAL INTEROCEAN LINES

NEW

HEAD OFFICE BUILDING

the

Architects- Palmer & Turner

Royal Interocean Lines was formed in War 1, the J.C.J.L. fleet had grown to ten When the second World War spread to 1947 by the amalgamation of the two vessels, all bearing the names of rivers in the Pacific all ships which managed to Netherlands shipping lines "Java-China- Java, (the prefix "Tji" means "river" in escape the Japanese invasion took part in war effort. All the Japan Lijn (J.C J.L.) and ocean- Javanese). With the outbreak of the 1914- the general allied going services of the "Koninklijke Paket- 1918 war, J.C.J.L. initiated a new service Company's offices in Asia were closed and Curacao, vaart Maatschappij" (K.P.M.), both of across the Pacific Ocean, the Java Pacific their Netherlands staff interned. which Companies had long records of sea- Line.

about the only remaining free Netherlands faring service. The J.C.J.L. was establish-

territory in the world, became the base for the Company while one of the managing directors with a small staff managed the Company affairs from New York.

ed in 1902 and the K.P.M. in 1888, so

After the depression of the early twen- that although the Royal Interocean Lines ties the J.C.J.L. continued to prosper and as such is only ten years old, it has behind the Tji- vessels became a familiar sight in it the experience and tradition of over half all Far Eastern ports. a century. The history of R.I.L., there- fore, really begins with the history of the J.C.J.L. and K.P.M.

When

peace came J.C.J.L.'s fleet was reduced to only five vessels, and 171 Company ser- vants had lost their lives in action or in

internment.

Towards the end of the nineteen twen- ties J.C.J.L. found the time had come to further tourism in their services. They The J.C.J.L. was incorporated under the therefore entered the m.s. "Tjisadane" In the meantime, the K.P.M. which was name of "Java China Lijn", and a Far and m.s. "Tjinegara" in the China service established in 1888 to provide inter-island Eastern head office was opened in Hong in 1931/32 and followed these in 1939 services in the East Indies, in the Kong at No. 3 Duddell Street in 1903. with the m.s. "Tjitjalengka" carrying course of time widened its sphere of In spite of troubled times the Company some sixty first class passengers in activities, a service to Australia in 1908, prospered and, at the outbreak of World spacious comfortable accommodation. another service in 1914 from Belawan Deli,

Two views of the new building, photographed from the model,

are shown on this page.

50

KOWLOON

100

SCALE SEA WALL

GOVT.

BAND DEPOT.

JAVA

BAY

SOFT

GODOWN +

ROAD

PIER

OFFICE

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29

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