retained the management until his death in November, 1886. In the meantime Mr. Woldemar Nissen had joined the firm (1855) and various branches had been established in China under the control of other partners, whom Mr. Siemssen had taken into the business. Mr. Nissen became senior partner after Mr. Siemssen's death, and superintended the affairs of the Company at the head office until he also passed away in 1896. Mr. Albert Gueltzow who was admitted to partnership in 1864, next became head of the firm and is at present directing operations from Hamburg. The senior partner in the East is Mr. N. A. Siebs, who joined the house as a shipping clerk in 1865 and became a partner in 1881. To the energy of these gentlemen Hongkong owes the existence of one of its leading houses.
As the firm's business expanded fresh fields were exploited from time to time and new partners were taken into the house. The year 1886 saw Mr. Arnold Fuchs, who was admitted to partnership in 1899, first become connected with the Company. In 1907, when Mr. Siebs was absent on leave, the Hongkong branch was under the control of Mr. Fuchs, while Mr. Charles Brodersen, who entered the firm in 1883. and became a partner in 1899. and Mr. Otto Struckmeyer, who joined in 1889 and was made a partner in 1903, were managing the Shanghai branch with control over the northern offices. The Company have fine premises at No. 2, Praya Central, Hongkong, and branches at Canton, Shanghai, Hankow, Tientsin, and Tsingtau, with agencies in London, Lyons, and New York. They are well known as bankers, general merchants, importers and exporters, shipping and insurance agents, engineers and contractors for the complete equipment of railways and factories, &c., and the name of "Seem-Sun" is familiar to probably every Chinese merchant of any importance doing business with foreigners in North and South China. The members of the firm have been prominently connected with numerous commercial enterprises for the development of the Colony and the East generally, and the resident senior partner in Hongkong holds a seat on the board of directors of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation; the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company; the Hongkong Land Investment and Agency Company; the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company; the China Fire Insurance Company; the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company, &c.
BARRETTO & CO.
The boycott of American flour by the Chinese in 1905–6 gave a big fillip to the trade in Australian flour, and prominent amongst the firms to benefit by this were Messrs. Barretto & Co., whose business was established, in 1895, by Messrs. A. A. H. Botelho and F. D. Barretto. The headquarters are in Queen's Buildings, and as merchants, commission and shipping agents, and wholesale importers and exporters their operations cover an extensive field and are increasing year by year. Probably more flour from the Australian Commonwealth has passed through their hands latterly than through those of any other firm in the Colony. They are well represented all over the world, and are the agents in South China and Hongkong for the Compagnie Française des Indes et de l'Extreme-Orient; Compañia Trasatlantica Royal Spanish Mail Line (passengers' department); the Gresham Life Assurance Company; Lloyd Platino (Fire and Marine); Victoria General Insurance Company; La Nacional (Marine Insurance); and the Wine Growers' Supply Company. They have recently started the Imperial Brewing Company, Ltd., in the Colony, and have succeeded in placing the French service of night steamers to Canton on a paying basis.
DODWELL & CO.
Messrs. Dodwell & Co., Ltd., were established in Hongkong on January 1, 1899, the firm, until that date, being known as Dodwell, Carlill & Co. They are general merchants, importers, exporters, and general and shipping agents, and undertake commission business of every description. Their headquarters are in London, and they have branches also at Shanghai, Hankow, and Foochow in China; Yokohama and Kobe, in Japan; Colombo, Ceylon; San Francisco, Tacoma, and Seattle, U.S.A.; and Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. The directors are Messrs. George B. Dodwell, chairman, A. J. H. Carlill, T. M. Dermer, F. D'Iffanger, F. Dodwell, H. A. J. Macray, G. H. Medhurst, G. J. Melhuish, G. S. Thomson, and E. S. Whealler. Mr. G. H. Medhurst, who is a member of the committee of the Chamber of Commerce, is the manager, and Mr. E. G. Barrett, sub-manager, of the Hongkong branch.
F. BLACKHEAD & CO.
In the early days, before the establishment of Hongkong as a British Colony, Whampoa was the farthest point to which the Chinese permitted foreign ships to proceed up the West River. Many difficulties were experienced at this port by vessels in obtaining stores, and it was this fact which led to the establishment of the firm of F. Blackhead & Co. by Mr. B. Schwarzkopf. Purchasing a dismantled Chinese junk of suitable proportions, Mr. Schwarzkopf commenced business on the waters of the harbour in 1855. There was a good opening for the new venture, but many restrictions were placed upon foreign traders by Chinese officials, and there was little guarantee of protection against the pirates who infested the Chinese waters. In spite of all obstacles, however, Mr, Schwarzkopf built up a thriving trade. But when the troubles at Canton culminated in war between England and China the business was removed to Hongkong, and here it has remained, progressing with the Colony year after year. At about the time when the headquarters were removed from Whampoa to Hongkong a branch was established in the Portuguese city of Macao, where there was great activity in shipping circles on account of the coolie trade. This branch, however, was not destined to meet with overmuch success, for in 1874 the many abuses of the coolie traffic had become so glaring that the traffic was abolished, and the firm, by withdrawing, anticipated the steady decline in Macao's importance as a shipping port.
During Mr. B. Schwarzkopf's life Messrs. Smith, Schoenemann, Hoehnke, and F. Schwarzkopf were admitted as partners, and the business was conducted by them until 1903, when Mr. Smith and, later on, Mr. Schoenemann left for Europe. They did not, however, live long after their return to the homeland. The firm's offices are now in that magnificent pile on the water front known as St. George's Buildings. Here they stock everything that comes under the heading of ship's stores, for they are contractors to the German, Austrian, and Russian Navies. They are also interested in the coal trade of the Colony. Some years ago they acquired a large parcel of land, known as Blackhead's Point, at Kowloon, having an extensive deep-water frontage, and here they built godowns and a pier constructed on Differdingen piles capable of accommodating quite large vessels. For many years a conspicuous feature of the
