Africa, Europe, America, Honolulu, and New Zealand. He came to Hongkong in 1902, and joined the staff of the late Mr. W. Danby, architect and engineer. In the following year he proceeded to Canton to take charge of Mr. W. Danby's Shameen office, and in 1904 commenced practice on his own account.
DEACON & CO.
One of the historic hongs at Canton is that of Messrs. Deacon & Co., which for over half a century has taken an important part in the trade of the city. The business was founded by Mr. James B. Deacon in the great tea days, and for many years, with headquarters in Canton and a branch at Macao, traded very largely and almost exclusively in that product. At the present time, the tea business having dwindled into comparative insignificance, the firm acts as merchants, commission, shipping, and insurance agents, representing, among others, the Peninsular and Oriental Company, the Union Assurance Society, Ltd., the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, and the Hongkong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Company, Ltd., who operate a regular service of fast river boats carrying His Majesty's mails to and from Hongkong. Messrs. Deacon & Co. deal largely, also, in waste and raw silk, matting, and other Chinese products for export, and in paper, glass, ribbons, &c., which they import. The firm occupy a fine new building, their own property, on the British Concession, Shameen, and Mr. E. A. Stanton, one of the partners, personally conducts the business with a staff of European and Chinese assistants.
SIEMSSEN & CO.
This firm, which, as will be seen from a sketch appearing in the Hongkong section, was established at Canton some fifty-two years ago, is one of the most important of the large houses carrying on business on the Shameen. The headquarters of the Company were removed to the British Colony some time ago, but, nevertheless, the branch at Canton still carries on an extensive trade with the native city and the countries of Europe. Raw silk and almost every kind of Chinese produce are exported, while goods are imported from Europe, America, and Australia. The firm also acts as agents, in Canton, for the Hamburg-Amerika line of steamers (which have large and splendidly constructed new godowns on the back reach of the river below Canton), and represents a number of insurance and shipping companies. Mr. R. Leissing is the manager of the branch.
HOWARTH ERSKINE.
This well-known firm of engineers and contractors, of Singapore, have, within the last two years, opened a branch office on the British Concession, Shameen, under the charge of Mr. W. H. Hill. They have already carried out several local contracts, including a boat-house for the Canton Municipal Council, built on reinforced steel piers. They have received the contract also for the whole of the steelwork in connection with the large new premises that are being erected for the Imperial Customs, and a very large contract, from the Chinese Government, for the South China Cement Works now being built outside the city. The building will cover an area of some 400 square feet, and some parts will be four storeys high. The firm are constructing the principal foundations for the chimney stack, the silo, and the kilns. In the case of the kilns the foundations are 145 feet long, and 28 feet wide, and will have to support a dead weight load of 10,000 tons. The silo foundations are 105 feet by 45 feet with a depth of 6 feet of concrete. The total weight of the building will be 900 tons, and the firm have undertaken to complete the construction within six months. The firm undertake all kinds of engineering work, and, being well and favourably known to the Chinese community, are securing a full share of local contracts.
BRITISH-AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY.
This well-known firm have for many years been at the head of the tobacco trade in Canton and South China. Their different brands of cigarettes are sold in immense
