This shows the launching ceremony for the Pearl River steam ferry S.S. “Taishan” on 10 June 1925 at the Taikoo Dockyard.
The ship was built for the Hongkong Canton & Macao Steamboat Co. Ltd. and was intended for the Hong Kong - Canton service
The vessel was a twin-screw steamer of length 300 ft. with a maximum beam of 56ft. Passenger accommodation consisted of 23 single and 10 double cabins ,plus 2 family cabins for 1st Class passengers. Accommodation for 24 “Intermediate passengers “ was provided in a saloon on the saloon deck with 3rd Class passengers on the main deck
The ship was powered by 2 four-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines developing together 3,500 H.P. designed to give the ship a cruising speed of 15 knots. The steam was generated in four coal-burning boilers which could be converted readily to oil-fired .
For a number of years the ship was captained by Captain Thomas Pritchard whose memoirs are mentioned (with extracts) on other Gwulo posts. There is also a photo of a watercolour of "Taishan" posted by his relatives (here)
