Early era (1881–1915)
In the early 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) negotiated with the Government of the United Kingdom to establish trans-Pacific steamship routes between Vancouver, British Columbia and the Far East.[1] The trans-Pacific services of Canadian Pacific were begun by Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, the Canadian-American builder of the railroad network in 1887. In that year, Sir William chartered three vessels from Cunard Line; SS Abyssinia, SS Parthia (1870), and SS Batavia—as a beginning of the CP fleet.[2] The agency for chartering and managing the ships was secured by Adamson, Bell and Company for the first three years.[3] When the new shipping line had shown to be profitable, Canadian Pacific decided not to renew the contract with Adamson, Bell and Company and to run the line itself.[4]
In 1891, CPR adopted a new name — the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company (CPSC).[5] The CPSC became one of the many shipping companies operating in and out of Liverpool. The company expanded as people emigrating from Europe to North America provided a larger number of passengers and the company also started holiday cruises. As with other shipping companies, CPSC had larger ships built to cope with the demand.[6]
In the late 19th century, CPR initiated an ocean-going service between the port of Vancouver and Hong Kong, with calls at Japan and China, and later at Manila, Philippine Islands and Honolulu, Hawaii. This service provided a link for CPR's transcontinental railroad passenger and freight services. Passengers could travel from England to Eastern Canada, travel across the railway to Vancouver, and on to Asian destinations. During 1887, temporary steamship service was initiated on a Vancouver-Yokohama-Hong Kong route.[7] From 1887 through 1941, the Canadian Pacific Railway provided steamship service between Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and Hong Kong with calls at Japan and China, and later at Manila, Philippine Islands and Honolulu, Hawaii. Three ships were built at Barrow-in-Furness in England, and the three sailed together towards Vancouver in 1890, with initial voyages projected for January 15, February 15, and March 15 of the new year. An 11 ft scale model of the ship was put on display in Canadian Pacific's New York offices. In an effort to lure American-Chinese passengers to sail with CPR from North America to Shanghai and Hong Kong, prominent members of the Chinese community in New York were invited to examine the scale model and its amenities.[8]
In 1915, CP changed the name of its shipping business to Canadian Pacific Steamships Ocean Services Ltd.[9][10]
In 1891, CPR and the British government reached agreement on a contract for subsidised mail service between Britain and Hong Kong via Canada.[11] The route began to be serviced by three specially designed Empress liners—RMS Empress of China (1891), RMS Empress of India (1890) and RMS Empress of Japan (1891). Each of these "Empress" steamships sailed regularly in the period from 1891 through 1912. In that year, Empress of China struck a reef near Tokyo, and she was subsequently towed to Yokohama where she was scrapped. Empress of India would continue in service through 1914. RMS Empress of Japan sailed regularly from 1891 through 1922. These three ships and the others which comprised the "Empress fleet" carried mail, passengers, and freight speedily across the Pacific for over half a century.[12]
In 1903, the company took over the ships and services of the Beaver Line and began operating ships on the Atlantic between Halifax, Nova Scotia and the United Kingdom. In 1906, two vessels were built in Scotland: RMS Empress of Britain (1905) and RMS Empress of Ireland. These two vessels had a full capacity of 1,530 passengers. There were accommodations for 310 first class, 470 second class passengers, 500 third class and 250 steerage passengers. The CP transported many immigrants from Europe to Canada, primarily from Great Britain and Scandinavia.
CP acquired the successful Allan Line, and expanded to become a major international cargo carrier and operators of luxury passenger liners such as RMS Empress of Britain (1931) and RMS Empress of Canada (1928).
Sinking of Empress of Ireland
In 1914, Empress of Ireland collided with the Norwegian collier SS Storstad in the Saint Lawrence River. Empress of Ireland sank in 14 minutes and 1,012 perished. Her death toll makes it the deadliest maritime disaster in Canadian history.[13][14] Empress of Ireland was heading down the channel near Pointe-au-Père, Quebec in heavy fog. At 02:00 Storstad crashed into the side of the CP liner. Storstad, though damaged, did not sink. Empress of Ireland took severe damage to her starboard side and began to list and take on water. Some passengers managed to get into lifeboats quickly. The ship began to list too far, and additional life rafts were not able to be launched. The ship rolled to her side ten minutes after the collision. Four minutes later the ship had sunk. Only 465 survivors were rescued. A board of inquiry found Storstad responsible for the sinking.
