Old Hong Kong-2 — Page 143

Old Hong Kong 昔日香港 All AI Reviewed

984

STAR FERRY

When the subject of typhoons crops up, as it has done this week, we are apt to think in terms of wharves and ferry boats. Ships leave the wharves for typhoon buoys, and the ferries, we are glad to know, maintain their service even under exceptionally difficult conditions. The history of the Colony's principal ferry and wharf companies is, therefore, topical. An old photograph is reproduced to-day which shows what the big typhoon of 1908 did to the Kowloon wharf of the "Star" Ferry Company. This wharf was on the site, then, of what is known to-day as the Kowloon public pier, near the Godown Company's entrance. But let us examine briefly how the cross-harbour ferry service developed,

In the early years of Hongkong, of course, there was practically no communication with the mainland, which was Chinese territory right up to the water's edge. We know from old prints and records that the military established batteries on the seashore at the outset for the protection of the harbour, but there was no regular communication with Kowloon. This continued for a considerable time, and it was only after the cession of British Kowloon in the early Sixties that regular ferry services began to develop. For a long time, however, the people who crossed to and fro used sampans. References to the inauguration of a regular ferry launch service were made in the article on the development of Kowloon (see 5-9-33) showing that in 1873 a steam launch ran to and from Yaumati on a fixed schedule, though it has been noted that many residents still used boats to get across, owing, no doubt, to the rather long intervals at which the launches ran, and the restricted hours of operation. In 1874 we find newspaper comment referring to ferries across the harbour being by then "an established fact."

This service developed within the following decade, and by the beginning of the Eighties an enterprising resident, Mr. Dorabjee Nowrojee (one of the early lessees of the Hongkong Hotel), inaugurated a cross-harbour ferry service of launches each of which was named after a Star—hence the "Star" boats which have persisted until to-day, being incorporated in the name of the present ferry company. In 1880 what was perhaps the pioneer of these launches is mentioned in operation: it was named the "Morning Star". There is also a reference in the Hongkong Telegraph of April 14, 1882, to the "well-known Kowloon ferry launch Morning Star" running into a sampan close to the Recreation Club's (V.R.C.) bath house.

Mr. Nowrojee continued to add to his Stars, and by the Nineties had four in operation. His vessels were then bought over by the concern, in which Mr. (afterwards Sir) Paul Chater had a prominent part, which was founded in 1898, as the "Star" Ferry Company, Ltd. The four launches purchased by the company were the Morning Star, Evening Star, Rising Star and Guiding Star.

Of the four launches, two had accommodation for 135 passengers and two a capacity for 90 passengers. These vessels made 147 crossings a day between Hongkong and Kowloon, and carried an average of 3,000 passengers a day.

To-day the six modern ferries each has accommodation for over 500 passengers; and approximately 28,000 people are carried during the 278 trips of the ferries across the harbour daily.

An interesting paragraph appeared in the Prospectus issued when the Company was formed, which read, "The Directors propose in allotting shares, to give preference to applications from Kowloon Residents to the extent of 1,000 shares.

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984 STAR FERRY When the subject of typhoons crops up, as it has done this week, we are apt to think in terms of wharves and ferry boats. Ships leave the wharves for typhoon buoys, and the ferries, we are glad to know, maintain their service even under exceptionally difficult conditions. The history of the Colony's principal ferry and wharf companies is, therefore, topical. An old photograph is reproduced to-day which shows what the big typhoon of 1908 did to the Kowloon wharf of the "Star" Ferry Company. This wharf was on the site, then, of what is known to-day as the Kowloon public pier, near the Godown Company's entrance. But let us examine briefly how the cross-harbour ferry service developed, In the early years of Hongkong, of course, there was practically no communication with the mainland, which was Chinese territory right up to the water's edge. We know from old prints and records that the military established batteries on the seashore at the outset for the protection of the harbour, but there was no regular communication with Kowloon. This continued for a considerable time, and it was only after the cession of British Kowloon in the early Sixties that regular ferry services began to develop. For a long time, however, the people who crossed to and fro used sampans. References to the inauguration of a regular ferry launch service were made in the article on the development of Kowloon (see 5-9-33) showing that in 1873 a steam launch ran to and from Yaumati on a fixed schedule, though it has been noted that many residents still used boats to get across, owing, no doubt, to the rather long intervals at which the launches ran, and the restricted hours of operation. In 1874 we find newspaper comment referring to ferries across the harbour being by then "an established fact." This service developed within the following decade, and by the beginning of the Eighties an enterprising resident, Mr. Dorabjee Nowrojee (one of the early lessees of the Hongkong Hotel), inaugurated a cross-harbour ferry service of launches each of which was named after a Star—hence the "Star" boats which have persisted until to-day, being incorporated in the name of the present ferry company. In 1880 what was perhaps the pioneer of these launches is mentioned in operation: it was named the "Morning Star". There is also a reference in the Hongkong Telegraph of April 14, 1882, to the "well-known Kowloon ferry launch Morning Star" running into a sampan close to the Recreation Club's (V.R.C.) bath house. Mr. Nowrojee continued to add to his Stars, and by the Nineties had four in operation. His vessels were then bought over by the concern, in which Mr. (afterwards Sir) Paul Chater had a prominent part, which was founded in 1898, as the "Star" Ferry Company, Ltd. The four launches purchased by the company were the Morning Star, Evening Star, Rising Star and Guiding Star. Of the four launches, two had accommodation for 135 passengers and two a capacity for 90 passengers. These vessels made 147 crossings a day between Hongkong and Kowloon, and carried an average of 3,000 passengers a day. To-day the six modern ferries each has accommodation for over 500 passengers; and approximately 28,000 people are carried during the 278 trips of the ferries across the harbour daily. An interesting paragraph appeared in the Prospectus issued when the Company was formed, which read, "The Directors propose in allotting shares, to give preference to applications from Kowloon Residents to the extent of 1,000 shares.

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984 STAR FERRY When the subject of typhoons crops up, as it has done this week, we are apt to think in terms of wharves and ferry boats. Ships leeve the wharves for typhoon buoys, and the ferries, we are glad to know, maintain their service even under exceptionally difficult conditions. The history of the Colony's principal ferry and wharf companies is, therefore, topical. An old photo- graph is reproduced to-day which shows what the big typhoon of 1908 did to the Kowloon wharf of the "Star" Ferry Company. This wharf was on the site, then, of what is known to-day as the Kowloon public pier, near the Godown Company's entrance. But let us examine briefly how the cross-harbour ferry service de- veloped, In the early years of Hongkong, of course, there was practically no communication with the mainland, which was Chinese territory right up to the waters edge. We know from old prints and records that the military established batteries on the seashore et the outset for the protection of the herbour, but there was no regular communi- * cation with Kowloon. This continued for a considerable time, and it was only after the cession of British Kowloon in the early Sixties that regular ferry services began to develop. For a long time, however, the people who crossed to and fro used sampans. References to the inauguration of a regular ferry launch service wer made in the article on the development of Kowloon (see 5-9-33) showing that in 1873 a steam launch ran to and from Yaumati on a fixed schedule, though it has been noted that many residente still used borts to get across, owing, no doubt, to the rather long inter- vals at which the launches ren, and the restricted hours of operation In 1874 we find newspaper comment referring to ferries across the harbour being by then "an established fact." This service developed within the following decade, and by the beginning of the Eighties an enterprising resident, Mr.Dorabjee Nowrojee (one of the early lessees of the Hongkong Hotel), inaugurated a cross-harbour ferry service of launches each or which was named after a Star-hence the "Star" boats which have persisted until to-day, being incorporated in the name of the present ferry company. In 1880 what was perhaps the pioneer of these launches is mentioned in operation: it was named the "Morning Star". There is also a reference in the Hongkong Telegraph of April 14, 1882, to the "well-known Kowloon ferry launch Morning Star" running into a sempan close to the Recreation Club's (V.R.C.) bath house. Mr. Nowrojee continued to add to his Stars, and by the Nineties had four in operation. His vessels were then bought over by the concern, in which Mr. (afterwards Sir) Paul Chater had a prominent part, which was founded in 1898, as the "Star" Ferry Company,Ltd. The four launches purchased by the company were the Morning Star, Evening Star, Rising Star and Guiding Star. Of the four launches, two had accommodation for 135 passen- sers end two a capacity for 90 passengers. These vessels made 147 crossings a day between Hongkong and Kowloon, and carried an average of 3,000 passengers a day. To-day the six modern ferries each has accommodation for 'over 500 passengers; and approximately 28,000 people are carried during the 278 trips of the ferries across the harbour daily. An interesting peragraph appeared in the Frospectus issued nen the Company wes formed, which read, "The Directors propose in llotting shares, to give preference to applications from Kowloon Residents to the extent of 1,000 shares. #

2026-05-02 11:06:28 · Baseline

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984

STAR FERRY

When the subject of typhoons crops up, as it has done this week, we are apt to think in terms of wharves and ferry boats. Ships leeve the wharves for typhoon buoys, and the ferries, we are glad to know, maintain their service even under exceptionally difficult conditions. The history of the Colony's principal ferry and wharf companies is, therefore, topical. An old photo- graph is reproduced to-day which shows what the big typhoon of 1908 did to the Kowloon wharf of the "Star" Ferry Company. This wharf was on the site, then, of what is known to-day as the Kowloon public pier, near the Godown Company's entrance. But let us examine briefly how the cross-harbour ferry service de- veloped,

In the early years of Hongkong, of course, there was practically no communication with the mainland, which was Chinese territory right up to the waters edge. We know from old prints and records that the military established batteries on the seashore et the outset for the protection of the herbour, but there was no regular communi- * cation with Kowloon. This continued for a considerable time, and it was only after the cession of British Kowloon in the early Sixties that regular ferry services began to develop. For a long time, however, the people who crossed to and fro used sampans. References to the inauguration of a regular ferry launch service wer made in the article on the development of Kowloon (see 5-9-33) showing that in 1873 a steam launch ran to and from Yaumati on a fixed schedule, though it has been noted that many residente still used borts to get across, owing, no doubt, to the rather long inter- vals at which the launches ren, and the restricted hours of operation In 1874 we find newspaper comment referring to ferries across the harbour being by then "an established fact."

This service developed within the following decade, and by the beginning of the Eighties an enterprising resident, Mr.Dorabjee Nowrojee (one of the early lessees of the Hongkong Hotel), inaugurated a cross-harbour ferry service of launches each or which was named after a Star-hence the "Star" boats which have persisted until to-day, being incorporated in the name of the present ferry company. In 1880 what was perhaps the pioneer of these launches is mentioned in operation: it was named the "Morning Star". There is also a reference in the Hongkong Telegraph of April 14, 1882, to the "well-known Kowloon ferry launch Morning Star" running into a sempan close to the Recreation Club's (V.R.C.) bath house.

Mr. Nowrojee continued to add to his Stars, and by the Nineties had four in operation. His vessels were then bought over by the concern, in which Mr. (afterwards Sir) Paul Chater had a prominent part, which was founded in 1898, as the "Star" Ferry Company,Ltd. The four launches purchased by the company were the Morning Star, Evening Star, Rising Star and Guiding Star.

Of the four launches, two had accommodation for 135 passen- sers end two a capacity for 90 passengers. These vessels made 147 crossings a day between Hongkong and Kowloon, and carried an average of 3,000 passengers a day.

To-day the six modern ferries each has accommodation for 'over 500 passengers; and approximately 28,000 people are carried during the 278 trips of the ferries across the harbour daily.

An interesting peragraph appeared in the Frospectus issued nen the Company wes formed, which read, "The Directors propose in llotting shares, to give preference to applications from Kowloon Residents to the extent of 1,000 shares.

Old Hong Kong-2 — Page 143

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