Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T02:46:18.917Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The P&O and the Asian Specie Network, 1850–1920

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Andrew Pope
Affiliation:
Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia

Extract

This paper investigages the role of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O) in the maritime organization of the Asian specie network between 1850 and 1920. In this period the specie network comprised several strands and layers but this paper will concentrate on those involving the flow of gold from Australia to India.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Barrett, W., ‘World bullion flows, 1450–1800’, in Tracey, James (ed.), The Rise of Merchant Empires. Long Distance Trade in the Early Modern World, 1350–1750 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990).Google Scholar

2 Report from the Managing Directors to the P&O Board, dated 28 May, 1869 and read to the Board on 1 June, 1869. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, (NMM) PO/3/8, folio 89, Reports from the Managing Directors to the Board. See also Annual report of the Freight Dept, P&O, 1910, p. 6. NMM PO/4/7, Departmental Reports.Google Scholar

3 P&O S.N. Co., Eighty First Half-Yearly Report, ended 31st March, 1881, p. 6. Guildhall Library, London, Stock Exchange Listed Company Annual Reports, 18811885.Google Scholar

4 Harcourt, F., ‘The P&O Company: flagships of imperialism’, in Palmer, S., and Williams, G. (eds), Charted and Uncharted Waters. Proceedings of a conference on the study of British maritime history, 8–11 09, 1981 Queen Mary College, London. London: National Maritime Museum and Queen Mary College, 1982, p. 18.Google Scholar

5 Ibid., p. 10.

6 Annual report of the P&O Freight Department for year ending 30 September 1897, p. 18. NMM PO/4/7, Departmental Reports.Google Scholar

7 Annual Reports of P&O Australian Agencies, various years, NMM PO/4 series.

8 Report by the Postmaster General for the Year 1896, for Western Australia. Perth, 1897, pp. 15–18.Google Scholar

9 Annual Report of the P&O Freight Department for year ending September 1911. NMM Po/4/18, Departmental Reports.Google Scholar

10 Extract of letter from Comptroller General, Calcutta, to Accountant-General, Bombay, 2 May 1904, No. IX, Finance Dept files, L/F/5/9, India Office Library and Records (IOLR).Google Scholar

11 Annual Report of the P&O Freight Department for year ending 1899, p. 14. NMM PO/4/9, Departmental Reports.Google Scholar

12 Reported in The Statesman and Friend of India (Calcutta), 11 02 1878, Col. 3, ‘The Recent Robbery of Specie form a P&O Steamer.’Google Scholar

13 Extract of letter form Mr Howell for the Managing Directors to Captain Downs, H., SS Lorns, August 1854. Letterbook of General Correspondence re the Australian Line, p. 83. NMM PO/14/1.Google Scholar

14 Minutes of Managing Directors meeting, 27 March 1873. NMM PO/2/3.Google Scholar

15 Harcourt, , ‘The P&O Company: flagships of imperialism’.Google Scholar

16 Harcourt, F., ‘British oceanic mail contracts in the age of steam, 18381914’,Google ScholarThe Journal of Transport History, third series, Vol. 9, no. 1 (03 1988), p. 11.Google Scholar

17 Harcourt, F., ‘The P&O Company: flagships of imperialism’, p. 7.Google Scholar

18 Ibid., p. 21.

19 Harcourt, F., ‘British oceanic mail contracts’, p. 12.Google Scholar

20 Porter, Andrew, Victorian Shipping, Business and Imperial Policy. Royal Historical Society Studies in History 49 (Boydell Press: Suffolk, 1986), p. 283.Google Scholar

21 Ibid., p. 140.

22 Harcourt, ‘P&O Company: flagships of imperialism’, pp. 1819.Google Scholar

23 Report form Managing Directors to the Board, 28 May 1869, read June 1 1869. NMM PO/3/8 folio 89.Google Scholar

24 Ibid.

25 Ibid.

26 See draft of confidential letter from P&O to Chartered Mercantile Bank, 3 June 1869. NMM PO/3/8, folio 88½.Google Scholar

27 Confidential letter to Paterson, J., P&O Calcutta Agent, from Managing Directors, 10 June 1869. NMM PO/12/1.Google Scholar

28 Minutes of Managing Directors meeting 15 August, 1871, p. 60. NMM PO/2/3.Google Scholar

29 Haws, D., Merchant Fleets in Profile Vol. 1. The Ships of the P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines (Cambridge: Patrick Stephens, 1978), p. 18.Google Scholar

30 Annual Report of P&O Freight Department for year ended September 1910, p. 6. NMM PO/4/17, Departmental Records.Google Scholar

31 Letter from the Board of Directors to the P&O Yokohama Agent, 17 November 1893. NMM PO/18/1.Google Scholar

32 Annual Report of P&O Freight Department, 1917. NMM PO/4/23.Google Scholar

33 Report of Thomas Sutherland to 87th half yearly meeting of P&O shareholders, 1884. Reported in Fairplay, 20 June 1884, p. 129.Google Scholar

34 Confidential letter from P&O Directors to Calcutta Agent, dated 11 February 1867. NMM PO/12/1.Google Scholar

35 Correspondence form Mayne, F. G. of Agra Bank in Calcutta to the Bank's General Manager in London, 11 June 1895. NMM PO/12/2. Also letter from P&O Board to Calcutta Agent, 10 January 1896. NMM PO/12/2.Google Scholar

36 Report/Memo from Management to the Board of Directors re Freight on outward specie, dated 13 March 1868. NMM PO/3/8, folio 35.Google Scholar

37 Letter form James Allan, Managing Director P&O to Luke Thomas, P&O representative in Adelatide, dated 8 July 1853. NMM PO/14/1, Letterbook of general correspondence re Australia Line. Similar letters were also sent to the P&O representatives at Sydney and Port Phillip. This alteration possibly refers to the option of proceeding directly to Galle from King George Sound instead of to Singapore under the terms of the general contract of 1 January 1853.Google Scholar See Kirk, R., British Maritime Postal History Volum 1 (Brighton: Proud Bailey, 1981), p. 102.Google Scholar

38 Extract of letter from P&O management to P&O representative at Melbourne, dated 4 July 1854. NMM PO/14/1, Letterbook of General Correspondence re Australian Line, pp. 8889.Google Scholar

39 Broeze, F., ‘Distance tamed: steam navigation to Australia and New Zealand from its beginnings to the outbreak of the Great War’, The Journal of Transport History, 3rd series, Vol. 10, No. 1 (03 1989), pp. 121, see especially p. 7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

40 Bach, J., A Maritime History of Australia (Melbourne: Nelson, 1976), p. 148.Google Scholar See also Robinson, H., A History of the Post Office in New Zealand (Wellington: Government Printer, 1964), p. 133.Google Scholar

41 Report/Memo from the Managing Directors to the Board. re steamer for Sydney to Melbourne, dated 9 September 1873. NMM PO/3/10. Folio 281.Google Scholar

42 Report/Memo from the Managing Directors to the Board. re Australian Gold Freight, dated 25 September 1877. NMM PO/3/11. Folio 394.Google Scholar

43 Letter form Sutherland to Rickell, J., P&O Agent at Yokohama, 17 November 1893. NMM PO/18/1, p. 98 General Correspondence Letterbook.Google Scholar

44 Annual Report of P&O Freight Department for 1910, NMM P/4/17.Google Scholar

45 Annual Report of P&O Freight Department for 1908 and 1909, NMM P/4/15 and PO/4/16, respectively.Google Scholar

46 Minutes of management meeting 10 June 1872, NMM PO/2/3.Google Scholar

47 Letter from Tait, A., P&O to the Secretary of the London Committee of the ten Victorian Associated Banks, 16 September 1892, NMM PO/11/18.Google Scholar

48 Letter from P&O Management to Acting Agent in Melbourne, 27 October 1893. NMM PO/18/1, General Correspondence letterbook, pp. 1213.Google Scholar

49 Ibid.

50 Letter from Management to Roy, G., P/18/1, General Correspondence letterbook, p. 4.Google Scholar

51 Letter from Management to acting P&O Melbourne Agent, 27 October, 1893. NMM PO/18/1 General Correspondence letterbook, pp. 1213.Google Scholar

52 Confidential letter to Manager of The Hong Kong & Shanghi Banking Corporation (London) form P&O Management, dated 19 January, 1912. (Copies were also sent to the Indian Specie Bank; The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China; The Mercantile Bank of India; and The Ntional Bank of India.) NMM PO/12/4. Confidential letterbook.Google Scholar

53 Annual Report of the P&O's Freight Department, 1911/1912, p. 14. NMM P&O/4/19, Departmental Reports.Google Scholar

54 Confidential letter to Manager of The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation (London) from P&O Management, dated 19 January 1912, with copies to The Indian Specie Bank; The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China; Mercantile Bank of India; and The National Bank of India. NMM PO/12/4. Confidential letterbook.Google Scholar

55 Extract from letter from P&O General Managers to Sydney P&O Agent, dated 8 March 1912. Letter No. 58 NMM PO/20/2. General Correspondence.Google Scholar

56 Report from the Managing Directors to the Board, dated 28 May 1869 and read to the Board 1 June 1869. NMM PO3/8, folio 89.Google Scholar

57 Memo from Managing Directors to the Board of Directors re arrangements for the China Steam Trade Conference, 29 August 1879. NMM PO/3/8, folio 440.Google Scholar

58 Annual Report of the P&O Freight Department 1893. NMM PO/4/3 Departmental Reports, pp. 23.Google Scholar

59 Annual Report of the P&O Freight Department 1896. NMM PO/4/6.Google Scholar

60 Annual Report of the P&O Freight Department for 1897. NMM PO/4/7 pp. 1–2. The value of specie, £14,482,812, shipped from London to Asia in 1897 was apparently the largest since 1876/7 when shipments totalled £17,5762,225.Google Scholar

61 Annual Report of the P&O Perth Agency 19071908 NMM PO/4/32, Agency Reports, p. 1.Google Scholar

62 Annual Report of the P&O Freight Department for 1908. NMM PO/4/15, p. 8 and for 1909 NMM PO/4/16, p. 5.Google Scholar

63 Letter from Sutherland to Michie, G. D., P&O Agent Sydney, 8 December, 1893 NMM PO/18/1 General Correspondence Letterbook, pp. 154–5.Google Scholar

64 Extract of general letter from Managing Directors of P&O, dated 8 July, 1898. NMM PO 12/2, Confidential Letter File.Google Scholar

65 Ibid.

66 Munro, J. Forbes, ‘Suez and the Shipowner’, in Fischer, L. and Nordvik, H. (eds), Shipping and Trade 1750–1950 (Pontefract, 1990), p. 113.Google Scholar

67 Annual report of the P&O Freight Department 1888/9. NMM PO/4/9, Departmental Reports, p. 14.Google Scholar

68 Annual Reports of the P&O Melbourne Agency for 1904/5 1905/6 and 1906/1907, NMM PO/4/29, p. 12; PO/4/30, p. 14 and PO/4/31, p. 14.Google Scholar

69 Annual Reports of the P&O Perth Agency, 1904/1905 and 1905/6 NMM PO/4/29, p. 12; PO/4/30, pp. 3–4; PO/4/30, pp. 2–3.Google Scholar

70 Letter from Sutherland to Withers, P&O Melbourne Agent, 21 March 1894, PO/18/1.Google Scholar

71 Letter from Sutherland, Thomas to Bayley, F. P&O Agent Colombo, 2 November 1894. NMM PO/18/1 General Correspondence Letterbook, p. 243.Google Scholar