On the 1st July, 1863, the present designation of the Company was assumed. Under a Deed of Settlement, Mr. (later Sir) Thomas Sutherland, then agent for the P. & O. Co. in Hong Kong, was appointed Chairman, and Mr. Douglas Lapraik of the Douglas Steamship Co., Secretary. They took over the Couper Dock and the Lockson Dock at Whampoa from Mr. J.C. Couper on behalf of the Company for the sum of $140,000, and the stock of these establishments for about $35,000.
In 1865, the Company concluded negotiations with Captain John Lamont (see 21-7-33) for the purchase of his property at Aberdeen, comprising the Lamont Dock then in working order, and the Hope Dock then in course of construction, together with the workshops, machines, and so forth. The first docks at Aberdeen had been established by Mr. Douglas Lapreik and Capt. Lamont in June, 1857.
On October 11, 1866, the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co. Ltd., was registered under the Companies Ordinance, to take over the affairs of the original Company with a share capital of $750,000, and Mr. James Whittall of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co., became the first Chairman.
The Hope Dock was opened in June, 1867, by the then Governor of Hongkong, Sir R.G. Macdonnell, and for a number of years was largely used for docking ships of Her Majesty's Navy and other large vessels.
In March, 1870, an amalgamation was made with the Union Dock Co. (started at Hunghom in November, 1864) which possessed the property at Kowloon on which the present Nos. 2 and 3 Docks are situated, and the capital of the Company was increased to $1,000,000. Mr. David Gillies was appointed Secretary and Manager in November, 1875.
In January, 1877, the properties at Whampoa, not being found to be remunerative, were sold to the Chinese Government on the condition that no vessel of any other nationality than Chinese should be docked there. The two patent slips belonging to Captain Sands were purchased in August, 1877, for $150,000, and were subsequently removed to Kowloon Docks where they are still doing good work. Captain Sands had his slips at West Point (see also 21-7-33) and had carried out several launchings there.
In December, 1880, the Company carried out a further amalgamation, when it purchased from the Cosmopolitan Dock Co. (started in February that same year at Shemshuipo) the whole of that concern's property and plant, for the sum of $400,000, and the capital of the Company was raised to one and a quarter million dollars. In the same year a difficulty arose owing to low tides in placing H.M.S. Audacious in the Hope Dock (at Aberdeen) and as the British Admiralty were contemplating the necessity of sending out a larger class of vessel to the China Station, the then Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Willes, was instructed to see what could be done to provide increased facilities for docking the largest vessels of the Navy, out here. As a result, construction of the present No.1 Dock at Kowloon was commenced in 1882, and was completed in 1888. It cost over a million dollars, towards which the British Government granted £25,000, in return for a priority of entrance over a period of twenty years. At that time this dock was considered second to none in any part of the world, both for design as well as equipment and facilities.
1
On the 1st July, 1863, the present designation of the Com- pany was assumed. Under a Deed of Settlement, Mr. (later Sir) Thomas Sutherland, then agent for the P. end O. Co. in Hong Kong, was appointed Chairman, and Mr. Douglas Lapraik of the Douglas Steamship Co., Secretary. They took over the Couper Dock and the Lockson Dock at Whampoa from Mr. J.C.Couper on behalf of the Company for the sum of $140,000, and the stock of these establishments for about $35,000.
In 1865, the Company concluded negotiations with Captain John Lamont (see 21-7-33) for the purchase of his property at · Aberdeen, comprising the Lamont Dock then in working order, and the Hope Dock then in course of construction, together with the workshops, machines, and so forth. The first docks at Aberdeen had been established by Mr. Douglas Lapreik and Capt. Lamont in June, 1857.
:
On October 11, 1866, the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co. Ltd., was registered under the Companies Ordinance, to take over the affairs of the original Company with a share capital of $750,000, and Mr. James Whittall of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co., became the first Chairman.
The Hope Dook was opened in June, 1867, by the then Governor of Hongkong, Sir R.G. Macdonnell, and for a number of years was largely used for docking ships of Her Majesty's Navy and other large vessels.
In Maroh, 1870, an amalgamation was made with the Union Dook Co. (started at Hunghom in November, 1884) which possessed the property at Kowloon on which the present Nos. 2 and 3 Dooks are situated, and the capital of the Company was increased to $1,000,000. Mr. David Gillies was appointed Secretary and Manager in November, 1875.
C
In January, 1877, the properties at Whampoa, not being found to be remunerative, were sold to the Chinese Government on the condition that novessel of any other nationality than Chinese should be docked there. The two patent slips belonging to Captain Sands were purchased in August, 1877, for $150,000, and were subsequently removed to Kowloon Dooks where they are still doing good work. Captain Sands had his slips at West Point (see also 21-7-33) and had carried out several launchings there.
•
In December, 1880, the Company carried out a further amalgamation, when it purchased from the Cosmopolitan Dock Co. (started in February that same year at Shemshuipo) the whole of that concern's property and plant, for the sum of $400,000, and the capital of the Company was raised to one and a quarter million dollars. In the same year a diffiqulty arose owing to low tides in placing H.M.S. Audacious in the Hope Dock (at Aberdesa) and as the British Admiralty were con- templating the necessity of sending out a larger class of vessel to the China Station, the then Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Willes, was instructed to see what could be done to provide increased facilities for docking the largest vessels of the Navy, out here. As a result, construction of the present No.1 Dock et Kowloon was commenced in 1882, and was completed in 1888. It cost over a million dollars, towards which the British Government granted £25,000, in return for a priority of entrance over a period of twenty years. At that time this dock wes con- sidered second to none in any part of the world, both for design as well as equipment and facilities.
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