By its recent purchase (1903) from Messrs. Elder, Dempster and Co., of fifteen large and full-powered ocean steamships, the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. has placed itself in the front rank of steamship owners. Prior to this deal, it owned the steamers Alberta, Athabaska, Manitoba, Michigan, and Ontario, all of which plied on the great inland lakes of Canada as adjuncts to its train services. These steamers ranged from 498 tons net register to 2,768 tons.
In 1891, the Naval Construction and Armaments Co., at Barrow, built three magnificent mail and passenger steamers for the Canadian Pacific Railway. These steamers, the Empress of China, Empress of India, and Empress of Japan, are almost identical in measurement, capacity and speed. They are each 455 feet 6 inches in length; 51 feet 2 inches beam; and 33 feet 1 inch depth of hold. They are propelled by twin screws driven by a pair of triple expansion engines of 1,167 horse power. These three steamers have maintained since 1891, a regular mail service between Vancouver, B.C., the Pacific terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and Japan and China.
The steamers Tartar and Athenian, two smaller and less powerful boats are despatched, as intermediate steamers, at regular intervals.
From Liverpool to Hong Kong—over sea and over land—the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. stretches a long unbroken line nearly 12,000 miles in length.
In 1870 Messrs. Flinn, Main & Montgomery despatched the St. Louis from Liverpool to New Orleans. She was the pioneer steamer of a Company promoted by the firm named for the purpose of trading between Liverpool and New Orleans, and called the Liverpool and Mississippi Steamship Co. The views of the promoters becoming enlarged, they changed the name of the Company in 1872 to the Mississippi and Dominion Steamship Co., and entered into the Canadian trade. For many years the steamers of the Line sailed only between Liverpool and Quebec and Montreal, but about 1891 a second service was established, with sailings to and from Bristol and the ports on the St. Lawrence.
In 1894 Messrs. Flinn, Main & Montgomery retired, and the two sections of the business were taken over—the Liverpool service by Messrs. Richards, Mills & Co., and the Bristol service by Messrs. Elder, Dempster & Co.; the former continued to be known as the “Dominion Line,” but the latter service was merged into the Beaver Line, and as such formed part of the fleet purchased by the Canadian Pacific Railway Co., referred to in a preceding paragraph.
In 1902 the Dominion Line was acquired by the American Shipping Combine, and in October, 1903, a further change was made by the transference of the latest and best steamers of the fleet to the White Star flag.
Chapter XXIV.
Railway Companies as Steamship Owners.—South Eastern and Chatham.—London, Brighton and South Coast.—London and South Western.—Great Western.—London and North Western.—Lancashire and Yorkshire.—Stranraer and Larne.—Caledonian.—Glasgow and South Western.—North British.—Great Central.—Great Eastern.