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pomeloes, sweet dates, melon seeds, Chinese wine, cuttle fish, dried shrimp, Chinese vegetables, preserved ducks, herbs and medicines, incense sticks, and, of course, rice.
One Hongkong shipment was signed by A-chick's brother, Tong A-ku, who at the time was interpreter in the magistracy but was doing business on the side. Another manifest was signed by a relative, Tong A-yuk. Later, when Tong A-chick had returned to Hongkong from California, he was in business with Tong A-yuk.
Their store was the Kwong Cheong on Queen's Road Central near the Central Market. It dealt in imported foreign goods, particularly from the United States.
Tong A-chick's brother had an interest in the establishment of Hongkong's first industrial plant, a sugar refinery. Tong A-chick, or Tong Mow-chee as he was now calling himself, managed his brother's interests as well as putting some of his own money into the venture.
The plant was installed in 1869 in a building at East Point formerly used as a Government mint. The machinery had been purchased in England by William MacGregor Smith, one of the partners in the sugar company.
The Tong brothers soon sold out their interests. Perhaps they had intimations that the project would have difficulty in making a profit. Three years after they withdrew, the company went into receivership, being taken over by Jardine, Matheson and Company. It was later incorporated as the China Sugar Refinery Co. Ltd.
Tong A-chick left Hongkong in 1871 and became compradore for Jardine at Tientsin.
During the 1870s the financial position of the Tong brothers was strong and their interests had broadened. They began to play an important part in the financing and management of projects to modernise China,
201
pomeloes, sweet dates, melon seeds, Chinese wine, cuttle fish, dried shrimp, Chinese vegetables, preserved ducks, herbs and medicines, incense sticks, and, of course, rice.
One Hongkong shipment was signed by A-chick's brother, Tong A-ku, who at the time was interpreter in the magistracy but was doing business on the side. Another manifest was signed by a relative, Tong A-yuk. Later, when Tong A-chick had returned to Hongkong from California, he was in business with Tong A-yuk.
Their store was the Kwong Cheong on Queen's Road Central near the Central Market. It dealt in imported foreign goods, partic- ularly from the United States.
Tong A-chick's brother had an interest in the establishment of Hongkong's first industrial plant, a sugar refinery. Tong A-chick, or Tong Mow-chee as he was now calling himself, managed his brother's interests as well as putting some of his own money into the venture.
The plant was installed in 1869 in a building at East Point formerly used as a Government mint. the machinery had been purchased in England by William MacGregor Smith, one of the partners in the sugar company.
The Tong brothers soon sold out their interests. Perhaps they had intimations that the project would have difficulty in making a profit. Three years after they withdrew, the company went into receivership, being taken over by Jardine, Matheson and Com- pany. It was later incorporated as the China Sugar Refinery Co. Ltd.
Tong A-chick left Hongkong in 1871 and became compadore for Jardine at Tientsin.
During the 1870s the financial position of the Tong brothers was strong and their interests had broadened. They began to play an important part in the financing and management of projects to modernise China,
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