Arrival: August 31st 1913 “The Maiden Voyage”
The EMPRESS OF ASIA under the command of Samuel Robinson began her maiden voyage upon sailing from Liverpool on June 14th, destined for Vancouver British Columbia. Victoria was reached on August 30th, 1913 and Vancouver the following day.
The EMPRESS OF ASIA sailed to Vancouver via South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. About 70 passengers boarded at Liverpool and others joined at Capetown, Hong Kong and Yokohama. When Victoria was reached passengers numbered 140 in Saloon Class, 80 in Second Class and 629 in Steerage.
The EMPRESS OF ASIA carried 4223 tons of cargo. Three thousand bales of silk that filled 17 railcars were transferred to a waiting silk train for an expeditious trip across the continent to New York. The silk shipment was valued at $3,000,000.
The ship also carried 262 cases of silk goods, 81 cases of linen goods, 60 cases of cotton goods, 80 cases of curios and 18,000 pieces of sawn oak from Yokohama.
Mail, tea, rice, matting and bulbs were also carried.
H. Maitland-Kersey, Managing Superintendent of Canadian Pacific Steamships, traveled to British Columbia to greet the ship and boarded at Victoria to make the trip to Vancouver.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on August 30th / 31st 1913.
| Henry Agnew | Belfast, Ireland |
| J. Allen | Montreal |
| E. W. Burnie | Liverpool |
| R. H. Clark | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| E. F. Clipson | Chicago |
| J. M. Coombs | Winnipeg |
| L. Moore Cosgrove | Toronto |
| L. C. Dood | Bloomfield, New Jersey |
| Rev. F. C. H. Dreyer | London, England |
| Mrs. Dreyer | London, England |
| J. F. Dreyer | London, England |
| E. G. Dreyer | London, England |
| Harriet A. Eckhardt | Chicago |
| Dr. H. B. Faissell | Hampton, Virginia |
| Mrs. Faissell | Hampton, Virginia |
| V. Frey | London, England |
| J. A. Graham | Bradentown, Florida |
| Mrs. Graham | Bradentown, Florida |
| James Gray | Liverpool |
| Francis Gregory | Bolton, Lancashire |
| A. Hawley | Kansas City, Missouri |
| M. Hutter | London, England |
| William Johnston | Winnipeg |
| B. Kelly | Peoria, Illinois |
| E. A. Floyd | London, England |
| H. B. Montgomery | Moose Jaw |
| J. R. Paradise | London, England |
| Mrs. Paradise | London, England |
| Robert J. Parkes | Liverpool |
| Charles Parsons | Vancouver |
| Hon. N. Perodeau | Montreal |
| Horace Perodeau | Montreal |
| T. A. Pitman | Dallas, Texas |
| Henri Rainville | Montreal |
| Mrs. E. M. Roby | Chicago |
| Stephen Roby | Chicago |
| F. Salisbury | Liverpool, Member of the Imperial Service Order and Postmaster of Liverpool |
| Baroness Schilling | London |
| Albert J. Spinks | Harrogate, Yorkshire |
| M. C. Spinks | Harrogate, Yorkshire |
| J. Stark | Vancouver |
| Mrs. Stark | Vancouver |
| Mrs. St. John | London |
| E. W. Templeton | Vancouver |
| J. W. Treat | Hannibal, Missouri |
| Mrs. Treat | Hannibal, Missouri |
| Barlow Treat | Hannibal, Missouri |
| Frank Tutschek | New York |
| Rev. E. B. Vincent | London, England |
| Boyd Wallis | Victoria |
| Mrs. Wallis | Victoria |
| W. J. Watson | Vancouver |
| Mrs. Watson | Vancouver |
| L. S. Wilson | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Mrs. Jeannie Wilson | Rothesay, Scotland |
| Dorothy Wilson | Rothesay, Scotland |
| John B. Woodcock | Toronto |
| Mrs. Woodcock | Toronto |
| H. W. Woodcock | Toronto |
| A. H. Woodcock | Toronto |
| Dr. F. Albertyn | Cape Town |
| P. Albertyn | Cape Town |
| Mrs. Albertyn | Cape Town |
| Professor C. S. Edgar | Cape Town |
| Mrs. Edgar | Cape Town |
| Mrs. L. Gilder & child | Cape Town |
| Mr. Levey | Cape Town |
| Mrs. Levey | Cape Town |
| Gother Mann | Cape Town |
| A. Perry | Cape Town |
| Hon. William Ross | Cape Town, Member of Provincial Council of Cape Colony. |
| Hon. A. Wilmot | Cape Town |
| Mrs. Wilmot | Cape Town |
| Miss Wilmot | Cape Town |
| R. M. Elwin | Durban, South Africa |
| Miss Sinclair | Durban, South Africa |
| H. A. Oliver | Mayor of Johannesburg |
| Major Bawden | South African farmer |
| William T. Payne | Manager of the CPR steamers in the Orient, boarded at Yokohama. |
Departure: September 10th 1913
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by Samuel Robinson, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on September 10th, 1913. This sailing was the first westward voyage for the EMPRESS OF ASA. To mark the occasion, George C. Bury, CPR Vice-President made an inspection of the ship. The ship reported a good passenger list with 120 Saloon passengers and many in other classes and a cargo for various ports in the Far East.
The EMPRESS OF ASIA’s departed Vancouver early, as there was an 11-foot tide to work against. Several passengers missed their passage and were left on the wharf. The stranded passengers however, were able to board the Princess Adelaide and sail to Victoria and meet the EMPRESS OF ASIA there.No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Arrival: October 25th 1913
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by S. Robinson, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on October 25th, 1913. On this voyage a typhoon was encountered shortly after leaving Yokohama. Severe weather conditions were experienced and large waves swept the ship. Water washed over the Promenade deck, part of the bridge forward was smashed, the pilothouse doors were stove in and the Purser’s cabin was flooded.
The ship was slowed by the bad weather and reached Victoria after nightfall, anchoring off the Outer Docks. The tender OTTER took off passengers, mail and baggage bound for Victoria.
Dr. Nelson in the Quarantine steamer met the ship at Beechey Head. Pilot Whitely brought the liner to Victoria from Race Rocks; Pilot Robarts sailed her on to Vancouver.
The EMPRESS OF ASIA carried a light passenger list, 44 Saloon, 57 Intermediates Classes, and 447 Steerage passengers.
The ship carried a large cargo. Included in the cargo was a shipment of 3,007 bales of raw silk valued at over $1,500,000.00 and 122 cases of silk goods valued at $70,000.00.
Carried also were 200 cases of linens, 100 cases of cottons, 250 cases of curios, 220 bales of braid straw, 580 bales of wild silk, 111 bales of waste silk, lily bulbs, tea and Chinese crackers.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on October 25th, 1913.
| A. Forbes |
| William Mathews |
| W. P. White |
| M. Ijjima |
| Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Kydd |
| J. B. Lawler |
| W. A. Mentzer |
| Elizabeth S. Moore |
| S. Morton |
| Mrs. J. Raby and family |
| J. Reifsnider |
| Captain G. A. Scales |
| Miss Simpson |
| L. C. Thomas |
| Mrs. H. L. Wigmore |
| Mrs. J. Williamson |
| Mr. and Mrs. C. Yada |
| F. Yada |
| K. Yada |
| Dr. N. Bradley |
| M. Bradley |
| Captain and Mrs. R. E. Coontz |
| Miss Coontz |
| S. R. Courtice |
| F. J. C. von Dusseldorf |
| H. A. von Dusseldorf |
| Mrs. Henry. von Dusseldorf |
| A. E. Eastes |
| Elsie M. Eastes |
| Dr. J. C. Ferguson |
| F. Finnell |
| E. Finnell |
| James Gray |
| E. Harrison |
| I. M. Hargrave |
| N. H. Heft |
| K. Iljima |
Departure: November 5th 1913
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by Samuel Robinson, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on November 5th, 1913. The ship reported a large passenger list with about 100 Saloon and approximately 1,000 Steerage. Most of the Steerage passengers were Chinese returning to the Far East for New Years.
Cargo amounted to some 3,000 tons consisting of wheat, flour, salmon, cigarettes and tobacco.
The refrigeration unit held 373 bags of thigh bones.
No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Arrival: December 21st 1913
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by Samuel Robinson, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on December 21st, 1913. A very fast crossing from Yokohama was achieved; requiring only 9 days and 7 hours.
The Passenger list comprised 40 Saloon Class and 200 Steerage passengers.
A valuable cargo was carried including 3,000 bales of silk valued at $1,500,00.00.
Forty-one Chinese sailors arrived as passengers and remained with the ship as part of the crew on the next voyage.
Two Japanese boys, who had been loading the ship at Yokohama, fell asleep in the hold and awoke when the ship had cleared harbour. The two were classified as stowaways and taken into custody by Customs Official in Vancouver.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on December 21st, 1913.
| Manuel L. Quezon | Of Manila, en route to the United States Congressional Conference at Washington. |
| W. A. Aldridge | |
| Mrs. Bard | |
| N. M. Barrett | |
| G. S. Beebe | |
| M. S. Bishop | |
| A. J. Carson | |
| J. A. Cavanagh | |
| H. A. Cobb | |
| C. Chu | |
| E. Dimmitt | |
| J. H. Douglas | |
| M. H. Elliott | |
| Mrs. M. J. Graves | |
| Lieutenant F. T. Hare | |
| A. Hashim | |
| G. R. Hooper | |
| T. J. Jamieson | |
| Mrs. Hooper | |
| Mrs. Jamieson | |
| R. T. Rowen | |
| Mrs. E. Judd | |
| M. Kubaugh | |
| H. Kuwajima | |
| Mrs. Luen | |
| E. H. Monk | |
| B. F. Moy | |
| Mrs. Moy | |
| J. H. Parks | |
| Mrs. Parks | |
| C. R. Parks | |
| T. G. R. Pierson | |
| M. Purcell | |
| Fernand Sauuvage | |
| M. Strauss | |
| Mr. and Mrs. Strong | |
| H. J. Tompkins | |
| B. Moaroff | |
| J. Mangas |