There were three further increases in the Company's capital, in 1886, again in 1901, and more recently in 1915, when the capital was raised to $3,000,000. This is coming near current history.
But
To return to the older period, a notable occasion was the retirement in 1901, after twenty-six years of splendid service, of Mr. David Gillies, the man who had seen the concern pass through some of its most notable history. At a farewell gathering in honour of Mr. Gillies, the departing official commented interestingly on the history of the Company and his experience in watching the changes that had come over the Colony in that time. In the course of a speech he said:
When in Dumbarton I met with Captain White, at that time the senior Commander in the employ of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co., who told me that he had been asked to send out a young engineer to take charge of the docking and engineering establishment of the Aberdeen Docks. I came out as chief of the s.s. Glengyla on the understanding that I should be allowed to leave the vessel in Hongkong in the event of coming to terms with Mr. Lamont. On arrival here in October, 1864, I found that negotiations were going on for the sale of the dock, and when finally sold to the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company, I was taken over by them and placed in charge of the Whampoa establishment.
"Ever since my arrival in the East the changes have been most pronounced and remarkable, for at that time the only steam vessels frequenting the port of Hongkong were the mail steamers of the P. and O. Company and a coast line to Swatow, Amoy, and Shanghai, the mail steamers of the Messageries Maritimes, the coast line of Douglas Lapraik and Co., the Calcutta lines of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co. and Messrs. A. Adam & Co., and the daily boats to Canton and Macao. Besides these we had a number of sailing vessels trading to the rice ports, to Europe via the Cape of Good Hope, to New York and to the Pacific coast; and an approximate estimate of the vast increase of our trade and commerce can easily be arrived at by comparing the aggregate tonnage of the small vessels of 1864 with the immense number and capacity of the present day. Then the only docks available in this part of the world for repairing, cleaning and painting the bottoms of vessels were the mud docks and Coupar's granite dock at Whampoa acquired by the Dock Company in 1882, and the Lamont Dock at Aberdeen in 1864; the Luksun Dock at Whampoa and the Hope Dock at Aberdeen (named after Admiral Hope) being then in course of construction.
"After a very keen and bitter competition the Kowloon Docks were acquired on 1st March, 1870, MacDonald's and Sands' slips in 1879, and the Cosmopolitan Dock in 1880. Following the acquisition of the Kowloon Docks it became apparent that those at Whampoa were no longer of the same value to the business of the Company, because the loss of time on the voyage
There were three further increases in the Company's capital, in 1886, again in 1901, and more recently in 1915, when the capitel was raised to $3,000,000. this is coming near current history.
But
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To return to the older period, a notable occasion was the retirment in 1901, after twenty-six years of splendid service, of Mr. David Gillies, the men who had seen the concern pass through some of its most notéble history. At a farewell gathering in honour of Mr. Gillies, the depart- ing official commented interestingly on the history of the Company end his experience in watching the changes that had come over the Colony in that time, In the course of a speech he said:
*
When in Dumbarton I met with Captain White, st that time the senior Commander in the employ of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co., who told me that he had been asked to send out a young engine er to take charge of the docking and engineering establishment of the Aberdeen Dooks. I came out as chief of the s.s. Glengyla on the understanding that I should be allowed to leave the vessel in Hongkong in the event of coming to terms with Mr. Lamont, On arrival here in October, 1864, I found that negotiations were going on for the sale of the dook, and when finally sold to the Hongkong and Whampoa Dook Company, I was taken over by them and placed. in charge of the Whampoa establishment.
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3. "Ever since my arrival in the East the changes have been most pronounced and remarkable, for at that time the only com steam vessels frequent ing the part of Hongkong were the mail steamers of the P. and 0. Company and a coast line to Swatow: Amoy, and Shanghai, the mail steamers of the Messageries Maritimes, the coast line of Douglas Lapraik and Co., the Calcutta lines of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co. and Messrs. A. Apoar & Co., and the daily boats to Canton and Macao. Besides these we had a number of sailing vessels trading to the rice ports, to Europe vis the Cape of Good Hope, to New York and to the Pacific coast:~ and an approximate estimate of the vast increase of our trade and commerce can easily be arrived at by comparing the aggregate tonnage of the small vessels of 1864 with the immense number and capaolty of the present day. Then the only dooks available in this part of the world for repairing, cleaning and painting the bottoms of vessels were the mud docks and Coupar's granite dook at Whampoa acquired by the Dook Company in 1882, and the Lamont Dock at Aberdeen in 1864; the Luksun Dock at Whampoa and the Hope Dook at Aberdeen (named after Admiral Hope being then in course of construction.
"After a very keen and bitter competition the Kowloon Dooks were acquired on 1st. March, 1870, MacDonald's and Sands' slips in 1879, and the Cosmopolitan Dock in 1880. Following the acquisition of the Kowloon Docks it became apparent that those at Whampoa were no longer of the same value to the business of the Company, because the loss of time on the voyage
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