The "Kiangteen" and Others To the Editor of the "Noxme-Ciaxa Dany News"
Suy—I notice that in your article In to-day's paper on the subject of shipping tonnage within Shanghai Barbe made to that veteran of the China Merchants' fleet the paddle steamer ang teen." I desire to correct one point at least, ind that is in regard fo the old vessel's place of origin. At is said that she was "brought out from "America 70 years ago." This not correct. The "Kinngteer built, and engined by A.
J. Inglis of Glasgow, Scotland, year 1670.1 am' not certain, but rather think she was shipped out to Shang-hal in sections frst owners were the long-defunct firm of Russell & Company. She ran for many decades in the Shanghai-Ningpo service, in friendly competition with the old "Pekin", another product of Messrs. Inglis's famous yard. If my memory is correct, this latter vessel was built two. years the earlier, than the teen" and I think she found her way out to China under her own power. The "Pekin" was owned by Messrs. Butterfield Swire, and when her active years of service came to an end she was converted into a very excellent hulk for the firm's use at Wuhu, somewhere over twenty years ago. I think it moot point as to whether the: "Kiangteen" is actually the oldest steam vessel in China, as your article states, any rate, this case as the honour was held by a fine old yesso! called the "Tungus", built in a yard in Russia as far back as the year 1840 She traded regularly between Shang: hal and Viadivostock during the frst two decades of this century, under the Russian flag, being then, owned in Viadivostock. Eventually the was sold to Chinese shipowners at Tien sin, and until quite recent times was 8 familiar visitor to Shanghai. For! sil T know, she may still be traging fon the China coast, and it would be interesting to hear if this is the case.
I don't like your description of the "Kiangicen" as being an illustration of the "overhead traction system." 1 always understood the words "traction system" applied to systems such, as railroads and tramways, but not to ships, I think T am right in saying that the erection between the paddle-boxes of the "Kiangteen" constitutes the "beam" of the vessel's beam engine, as her machinery is termed.
The last point I would like to make that, so far as I am aware, the "Kiangieen" has not yet gone per~ mantly out of active service. Since being withdrawn from the Shanghai-Ningpo run eighteen or twenty years ago, she has been constantly at work, the Yangtze and only came into port from her latest trip about a month ago. During the last weeks she has been berthed at Pootung Point. the customary place to overhaul of many of the smaller vessels: of the China Merchants' fleet, and imagine that she is now being overhauled for further service on. the! river. In making this assertion, 1 am open to correction, and would.be glad of enlightenment' as to the owners' future intentions the. fine old boat which has sailed in these waters for 65 years.
[Shanghai, Mar. 12, of condition. Not only" did "he keep himself ft, but he had very tle use for oihers who did not keep ft, and he had a terse, blunt way of! telling them so, Were be in modern Shanghai and able to note [ils boasted night life and the effects of it, almost certainly he would peat'a story he told of himeelf on the occasion of the opening of the pres ent Ewo Building on The Bund, and which, at the time, set all Shanghai taughing—and thinking, some of ther seriously. When he was a young man, th to China, and with the fed love of horseflesh, he promptly collected a formidable "string of racing, polo, and hunting ponies. After a while, his taipan, a somewhat staid and careful gentleman, took him aside for a little well-meant advie warning the young man that possibly he was going too fast, "Well, sir," replied the young Johnstone, "when T came here I looked around to see what people did in their spare time, In turn, I tried drinking, social Ike amongst the ladies, and ponies, have found ponies the cheapest!
Shanghai, Mar. 16.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.