Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/798

790 TWENTIETH CENTURY IMPRESSIONS OF HONGKONG, SHANGHAI, ETC. to the Chinese in the south, and which will prove interesting also to European callers.

Mr. Jacob Arnhold, one of the founders of the firm, died in 1903, but Mr. Karberg is still alive and resides in Copenhagen. He left the firm late in the seventies. The firm is now composed of Mr. Phil. Arnhold, a brother of the original founder, who lives in London; Mr. Ernst Goetz, in Hongkong; Mr. Rud. Lemke and Mr. Harry Arnhold, in Shanghai, the latter a son of the founder; Mr. Max Niclassen, in Berlin; and Mr. A. E. Dowler, in New York. 

 BUTTESFIELD & SWIRE. is but natural to find Messrs. Butterfield & Swire—undoubtedly one of the leading houses in the Far East—holding a very prominent place in Can'on [sic], the great trade centre of Southern China. They control what is probably the must important business of any Britsh firm having an office on the Shameen, and their steamers do a great deal of the carrying trade to Canton, and keep the British flag well in evidence there. The branch was established in 1897, and holds the agency for the China Navigation Company, Ltd., the Ocean Steamship Company, Ltd., the China Mutual Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., the Taikoo Sugar Refining Company, Ltd., the Union Insurance Society of Canton, and several important fire insurance companies.

BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE'S OFFICES, CANTON.

BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE'S GODOWNS, CANTON.

In order to accommodate their numerous ocean-going steamers that call at the port, the firm, during the last few years, have acquired a splendid site, with a deep-water frontage of some one thousand eight hundred feet, at Pak Hin Hok, on the back reach of the river, a little below the city. Here they have constructed three steel wharves, and six splendid godowns—three of iron, and three of brick, with an immense amount of storage capacity. With these facilities the firm are able to deal very expeditiously with cargo, and, instead of it being necessary for the steamers sometimes to remain at Canton for upwards of a week, they are now generally ready to continue their journey a few hours after arrival. The godowns and wharves are under one roof, are excellently ventilated, and, as nearly as possible, fireproof. They are a great boon to shippers, and the Chinese are not slow to realise the advantages which the firm offer. These premises, however, cover but a portion of the area held by the Company, and there is, consequently, room for subsequent extension. The manager at Canton is Mr. James McIsaac, who has a considerable European and Chinese staff under his control. In addition to their shipping and godown business the firm do a large trade in sugar manufactured at their refinery in Hongkong, and also specialise in fire insurance, which is transacted by them not only in Canton itself, but also in the up-country towns throughout the two Kwang Provinces. 

 THE BANQUE DE L'INDO-CHINE. important French bank, which, for a number of years, has had a branch at Hongkong, opened a new agency in Canton in 1902. It was the first bank established on the Concession, and is still the only one there owning the ground on which it stands. It transacts ordinary banking business, and represents the financial interests of the French community and the French Government generally. Mr. G. Garnier is the manager, and Mr. H. Mazot the assistant manager. 

 SHEWAN, TOMES & CO. firm, which took over the old-established business of Russell & Co., has had a branch at Canton for a considerable number of years. Besides dealing extensively in silk and other Chinese products, this branch carries on local agencies and general shipping business for the head office in Hongkong. One of their most important agencies is that of the China Light and Power Company, which has a large power-station situated a little below the city, from which current is obtained for lighting all the Government yamens and offices, a great many private houses, and some of the most important streets. In Canton the firm has a very wide field, and, with characteristic enterprise, has made every arrangement to cope with the