SIEMSSEN & CO.
The Offices.In the Skin Godown.
rooms. Adjoining it there will be tennis courts. The Club already have their own open-air bathing place on the Extra-French Concession. When first formed, under the presidency of Mr. E. Binder, the Club had a membership of 18, which has since increased to about 120, and includes representatives of other nationalities. The committee consists of Messrs. J. O. Neill (president), A. Gallusser (secretary), M. Battegay (treasurer), A. Bilger, and Sandrié de Jouy.
COMMERCIAL.
THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK.
The Tientsin branch of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank was established in 1881, and now occupies handsome premises, built on ground owned by the bank, on the British Bund. It is interesting to recall that when these premises were opened the late Li Hung Chang, then Viceroy of China, was present at the inaugural banquet, and referring to the general status of the bank in China, and more particularly to that of the Tientsin branch, His Excellency said, "Ever since it has been established at this port the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank has justified my expectation that it would facilitate the financial business of my Government and promote trade, and the agents representing the Bank have uniformly inspired me with confidence."
The manager of the branch, Mr. D. H. Mackintosh, was born at Daunt House, Inverness, in 1860, and was educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond. He joined the Caledonian Bank at Inverness in 1877, but three years later entered the service of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. Coming to the Far East, he was stationed successively in Singapore, Hongkong, Hankow, Kobe, Saigon, and Amoy. His present appointment dates from 1895. Mr. Mackintosh acted as the bank's representative in making the initial advances of money and carrying on the preliminary negotiations with the Director-General of the Imperial Railways which led to the first British loan to the Chinese Imperial Government against Railways, that of £2,300,000, of 1899, the contract for which was signed in October, 1898, in Peking by the bank's representative there, Mr. E. G. Hillier, C.M.G., and His Excellency Hu Yun Mei, who had been transferred to Peking as Governor of the Capital.
THE RUSSO-CHINESE BANK.
The Tientsin branch of the Russo-Chinese Bank was established in 1896, and, while carrying on the usual banking business, afforded special facilities for Russian exchange. The present manager, Count Jezierski, a member of a very old Polish family, took charge at the end of 1907. Born in Poland in 1876, Count Jezierski was educated in Russia, Belgium, and England. He entered the head office of the Russo-Chinese Bank in St. Petersburg in 1902, and, after a short transfer to the London office went to Shanghai as sub-manager until he was appointed to Tientsin. He is co-manager of the whole of the Russo-Chinese Bank's branches in China and Japan.
YOKOHAMA SPECIE BANK.
The Tientsin branch of this large banking Corporation was established in 1899, and an important share of the business of the neighbourhood is transacted through its agency. A sub-office has been opened in the native city. An account of the resources and a general description of the activities of the bank in various parts of the world will be found in other sections of this volume.
THE DEUTSCH-ASIATISCHE BANK.
The Tientsin branch of the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank was established in 1889, at the same time that the head office in Shanghai was opened. At present, the bank's business is carried on in temporary premises, but a handsome building is in course of construction in Victoria Road, and will be ready for occupation before the end of 1908. The usual banking business is undertaken at the branch.
The local manager is Mr. E. Schulze. Born at Kolberg in 1864, and educated in Berlin, he began commercial life as an employé in a manufacturing business, and eventually joined
