Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/844

836 Sfsoslrio. he saw a good deal of fighting in the Burmese War, of 1852 53. and was awarded the silver medal. Now he carries on the business of a nvirine surveyor, living a quiet and retired life. He is a vegetarian, and to this fact, coupled with his simple habits, he attributes his longevity. He is married, and has one son and one daughter.

MR. S. J. DEEKES.

Mr. S. J. Deekes, the agent in Swatow- for the China Mutual Life Insurance Company, is a traveller of wide experience, and an enthusiastic sportsman. Born in Warwick- shire in 1876, he has, during the thirty-two years of his life, visited many countries, and followed a variety of occupations. He conducted a private trading enterprise in I'ganda for some time ; he served throughout the war in South Africa ; and he knows Australia thoroughly. While in South Africa he was a prominent member of the Wanderers C.C., but in whatever country he may happen to be, his ability to score runs on the cricket field never seems to desert him.

HE. LIU PAHG K£T.

Mr. Lim Pang Ket holds the responsible position of compradore to Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, in Swatow. He was born at Chow Yang, in 1861, and, after receiving a thoroughly sound education, went to Canton and Shanghai, and opened businesses in both places. He had some little experience, also, of trade in Singapore, and is interested now in several commercial ventures, in various districts. He is a director of the Taikoo Tsng Bank, and manager of the Yen F"ung Bank. In his position as compradore he is greatly assisted by Mr. Ah Pow Lee, who joined Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, in 1883, at Shanghai, was transferred to Hankow, and later to Swatow, where he has been Mr. Lim Pang Ket's right-hand man since 1902.

MESSES. BEADLET & CO,

The firm of Bradley & Co. was established in Swatow, in i860. Since that time branches have been opened at Hongkong and Shanghai. Swatow, however, has always remained the headquarters of the Company, and from here the general policy of the business is directed. Bradley & Co. are imjiorters of and dealers in general merchandise, managers and pro- prietors of the Swatow Ice Factory ; managing owners of the Shan Steamship Company, which, however, is now reduced to only two steamers ; while amongst their chief agencies are those of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank- ing Cfirporation, the Peninsular and Oriental and other steamship lines, including the Japanese : and Lloyd's and various other prominent insurance offices. Their corre- sponding London house is Richardson's, of Billiter Square Buildings. The original partners in the firm were Messrs. C. W. Bradley and T. W. Richardson. Mr. C. W. Bradley retired in i868 and has since died, and the present proprietors, iK'side Mr. T. W. Richardson, are Messrs. A. MacGowan (Swatow), A. F"orbes (Hongkong), and George A. Richardson (Shanghai). Mr. Thos. Wm. Richardson was born at Edinburgh, in 1834, and was educated at the Sc(.>ttish N'aval and Military Academy, and at Edinburgh I'niversity, He arrived in Hongkong in 1855. went to Canton in the same year, and in 1856, proceeded to Takao (South Formosa). He joined Messrs. Tait it Co., of .moy, in 1857, but three years later commenced business at Swatow, in conjunction with Mr, C. W. Bradley, under the style of Bradley & Co. He is .nilso liead of the tirni of Richardson's, in Billiter Square Buildings, but, though he has a house in London, he prefers the climate of Swatow, and has his residence there for the present. Mr. A. Macgowan was born in Aniov, in 1868. He was educated at Blackheath, London, but returned to China in 1884, and, joining Messrs. Tait & Co., represented them in South Formosa for three years. In 1897 he became connected with Messrs. Bradlev & Co.. at Hongkong, and a year later came to Swatow. He is secretarv of the Swatow Club.

MESSES. GALLON & CO.

The business of Messrs. Gallon & Co. has been very much restricted in certain par- ticulars owing to various regulations passed by the Chinese authorities, as to the value or necessity of which there is a considerable difference of opinion. But, in spite of these obstacles, the volume of the firm's trade has increased rapidly, and as merchants and commission agents they now hold a recog- nised place in the commercial life of the town. They commenced operations at Swatow in October, 1905, and supplied the machinery, &c., for the Swatow Electric Iwight Company. This enterprise is capable of great expansion, but, at present, the Com- pany is entirely managed by Chinese, and the introduction of improvements is slow. Messrs. Gallon & Co. also inaugurated the cattle trade between Swatow and Manila. They made several shipments, and there were bright prospects of largely increased orders when the Chinese authorities pro- hibited any further exportations. The regulation, which was supposed to be of a temporary nature, came into force on May 13, 1906, and, at the time of writing, in spite of repeated endeavours to get it repealed, it still remains law. As the reason for this the authorities say that the exportation ot cattle left an insuflicient number i'or ;igri- cultural purposes. But, as bullocks only were shipped and all agricultural work is done by the female and water buffaloes, it appears probable that if the restrictions were removed no inconvenience would be experienced, whilst a good source of revenue would be obtained by the Customs and a considerable amount of money would be brought into the port. Gallon & C<j. are agents for the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, and the Vacuum Oil Company. They are also endeavouring to secure the contract for the erection of machinery in a big waterworks scheme, recently floated.

Mr. William Gallon was born in June, 1878, at Wallsend-on-Tyne, Northumberland. He entered the British Navy when he was sixteen and a half years of age, and came to China first in H.M.S. Dulo. He purchased his discharge at Hongkong in August, 1901, and started business in Swatow four years later.

WELL-KNOWN CHINESE AT THE COAST-PORTS.

Chokv Chkx Poxii (Koochow). 2, I.im Ni;k Kah (Anioy). 3. I.im I. a Saxo (Swatow). . H. TIKXSIXKIK) (Koochow). . H. Manxchow (FoochowJ. I.IM I'AXG KKT (Swatow).