Arrival: March 5th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. W. Davison, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on March 5th, 1917. The ship had been dry-docked at Hong Kong for overhaul. The EMPRESS OF ASIA carried 114 saloon, 69 second cabin class, and 345 steerage passengers. Most passengers were bound for the United States. At Victoria 47 saloon passengers and 45 steerage passengers disembarked. The ship carried a capacity cargo and mail. Included in the cargo was a valuable shipment of silk valued at over $2,000,000.00.
Dr. D. B. Boyd and W. A. Hosking, members of the circus firm of Boyd, Ogle and Hosking were aboard with a collection of animals that included elephants, tigers, leopards, panthers, bears, hyenas, monkeys, snakes and birds.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on March 5th, 1917.
| Dr. D. B. Boyd | Of Sacramento, circus firm of Boyd, Ogle and Hosking. |
| W. A. Hosking | Of Sacramento, circus firm of Boyd, Ogle and Hosking. |
| A. Albert | Of Prince Rupert. |
| Samuel Blythe | Noted writer of New York returning from a trip to the Orient |
| Mrs. Howard Gould | Of New York. |
| W. F. Carey | Of the Siems-Carey Railway Company, New York, engaged in railroad construction in China. |
Departure: March 16th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. W. Davison, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on March 16th, 1917. The ship reported a good passenger list with some 300 passengers in all classes and a capacity cargo for various ports in the Far East. About 50 steerage passengers joined the ship at Vancouver. The majority of passengers were American, travelling from New York to the Philippines. A party of influential Japanese travelers was also on board.
A party of 8 members of the Salvation Army, under the command of Brigadier Salter, sailed on the EMPRESS OF ASIA for missionary service in China.
No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Arrival: April 30th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. W. Davison, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on April 30th, 1917. The ship carried 280 saloon and 59 second cabin class passengers. Some 50 saloon passengers disembarked at Victoria including those bound for Seattle by ferry. At Victoria 500 sacks of mail were unloaded. The ship carried a capacity cargo including a valuable shipment of silk that was rushed to New York on a special train that was awaiting the ship’s arrival at Vancouver.
Note of Interest:
On April 6th, 1917, while the EMPRESS OF ASIA was in the Orient, the United States entered World War 1. In response to the new military situation the United States began to transfer military personnel from the Philippines to other assignments.
On this voyage the ship carried several American Army and Naval personnel who were returning to the United States from the Philippines.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on April 30th, 1917.
| Admiral A. G. Winterhalter | American Admiral en route to the United States from the Philippines. |
| Commander J. H. Sypher | American Naval officer. |
| Colonel C. Collins | American Army officer. |
| Colonel S. C. Gurney | Military surgeon. |
| Judge G. T. Trent | Returning to the United States from the Philippines. |
| Sir Duncan Carmichael | En route to Scotland. |
| Captain B. S. Braithwaite | Former Master of the Blue Funnel ship PROTESILAUS en route to Great Britain. |
Departure: May 14th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on May 14th, 1917.
A capacity cargo was reported.
The ship carried a large passenger list with most First Class and Second Class accommodation fully booked. A large number of Steerage passengers were also reported.
Passengers included the crew of the Blue Funnel liner PROTESILAUS who were returning to the Far East.
Passengers also included a party of 150 returning to Russia from the United States.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on May 14th, 1917 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Count Ilya Tolstoy | Returning to Russia from a lecture tour in the United States. |
| H. E. Burbidge | Manager of the Hudson’s Bay stores en route to the Far East. |
| J. M. Gibson | En route to the Far East. |
Arrival: June 25th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. W. Davison, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on June 25th, 1917. A fast crossing from Yokohama of 9 days and 4 hours was reported.
The ship carried 310 First class and many Steerage passengers. Cargo included a large shipment of silk and tea, and several of the passengers were tea merchants returning to North America and Europe.
During the crossing of the Pacific concerts were held on board that raised $1650.00 for charitable purposes.
A death occurred on this voyage; W. G. Humphreys of Hong Kong passed away from heart failure.
Departure: July 6th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on July 6th, 1917.
A full passenger list and heavy cargo was reported. The passenger list included 350 passengers in the Saloon and Cabin Classes.
One party of 6 individuals was travelling from the Netherlands to the Netherlands East Indies.
Another group consisted of approximately 200 individuals returning to Russia.
A third group consisted of 29 prestigious medical and health personnel who were travelling to Russia as a component of the United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. The party was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Billings, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on July 6th, 1917 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Billings | A leader of a group bound for Russia as part of the United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major M. Grow | Of Washington, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major D. J. McCarthy | Of Phipps Institute, Philadelphia, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Lieutenant-Colonel W. B. Thompson | A Director of the Federal Reserve Bank, New York, member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major H. Thatcher | Of New York, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Captain J. W. Andrews | Of St. Louis, Missouri, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major W. S. Thayer | Professor of Clinical Medicine at John Hopkins University. a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major H. C. Sherman | Professor of Food Chemistry, Columbia University, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major H. H. Swift | Of the Swift Company, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major G. C. Whipple | Professor of Sanitary Engineering at Harvard University, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major C. E. A. Winslow | Professor of Bacteriology and Hygiene at Yale Medical College, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major W. Post | Assistant Professor of Medicine at Rush College, Chicago, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Major S, Wrightman | Professor of Clinical Medicine at Polyclinic hospital, New York, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Captain H. Brown | A member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Captain R. I. Barr | Associated with the Chase Securities Company. New York, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Captain W. Cochran | A member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Captain A. Wardwell | Of New York, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Captain Pirnie | Of New York, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Lieutenant C. Kelleher | A member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Lieutenant H. R. Redfield | Of Brooklyn, a member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Lieutenant W. C. Nicholson | Associated with the Swift Company, Chicago |
| Lieutenant D. H. Hardy | A member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Lieutenant H. M. Wyckoff | A member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| Lieutenant N. C. Travis | A member of United States Red Cross Mission to Russia. |
| S. Schusowitch | Of Detroit. |
| S. I. Szto | Of Itaca. |
| P. Musmewslo | Of Detroit. |
| C. M. F. van Fraeijenhover | Of Amsterdam. |
| Baron and Baroness van Hogendorp | Of the Netherlands. |
| E. A Ward | Associated with the McGraw Tire and rubber Company, of East Palestine, Ohio, en route to Manila. |
Arrival: August 20th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. W. Davison, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on August 20th, 1917. Arrival at Victoria was delayed several hours as dense fog forced the ship to anchor outside the Victoria breakwater until conditions improved.
A large passenger list and capacity cargo was reported. Cargo included a valuable shipment of silk.
Bessie Abbott, an opera entertainer from New York, was a passenger returning from the Far East. On the voyage to British Columbia she organized a concert that raised $600.00 for the Red Cross.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on August 20th, 1917.
| Bessie Mae Abbott | A New York opera entertainer returning from the Far East. |
| Baron D. Hangourrart | En route from Indo-China. |
| Judge and Mrs. W. L. Goldsborough | Of Greensboro, Maryland, en route from Hong Kong. |
| Donald McColl | Of Shanghai. |
| Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Burbank | Of the US Army, en route to the United States from Hong Kong. |
| Colonel H. B. McCoy | Of the US Army, en route to the United States from Hong Kong. |
| Captain (Dr.) W. W. Vaughan | Of the US Army, en route to the United States from Hong Kong. |
| John E. Sharpe | Associated with the Standard Oil Company, Hong Kong. |
| A. E. Adair | Associated with the Standard Oil Company, en route to New York. |
| E. S. Moffat | Associated with the Standard Oil Company, en route to New York. |
| G. H. Lynott | Associated with the Standard Oil Company, en route to New York. |
| Captain and Mrs. Robert Dollar | Associated with the Dollar Steamship Company, returning from Shanghai. |
Departure: August 30th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. W. Davison, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on August 30th, 1917.
The ship carried a very large passenger list that included 297 Saloon Class and 47 Cabin Class passengers.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on August 30th, 1917 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Honorable Manuel Quezon | A Philippine Senator returning from a visit to Washington D.C. |
| L. Hansen | Of Bangkok, Siam. |
Arrival: October 15th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on October 15th, 1917.
Due to wartime censorship, very little news source information for this crossing is available.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on October 15th, 1917.
| Lieutenant-Colonel (Dr.) Frank Billings | Chairman of the United States Red Cross Mission to Russia returning from Russia. |
| Sir Prabashanker D. Pattania | Member of the Executive Council of Bombay en route to England. |
| Lieutenant-Commander W. R. Clark | A Unites States Navy Officer en route from Manila. |
| Lieutenant R. Dudley | A Unites States Navy Officer en route from Manila. |
| Lieutenant J. R. Kyle | A Unites States Navy Officer en route from Manila. |
| Lieutenant Slingluss | A Unites States Navy Officer en route from Manila. |
Departure: October 25th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on October 25th 1917.
Due to wartime censorship, no additional news source information for this crossing is available.
The only noted passenger is Captain Allan who was travelling to Japan.
Arrival: December 10th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. W. Davison, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on December 10th, 1917.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on December 10th, 1917.
| Lingho Wang | Chinese Consul at Vancouver. |
| Dr. Sun | En route from China to the Chinese Consular Office at Vancouver. |
| A. Meyerovitch | Of Moscow, en route to the United States. |
| Z. Kliorin | Editor of the Harbin, Manchuria newspaper, The Novoste Zhisme. |
| Engineer-Commander O. A. Morris | Of the Royal Navy, China Station. |
| Assistant Paymaster E. Brightman | Of the Royal Navy, China Station. |
| Lieutenant E. J. Sykes | Of the Royal Navy, China Station. |
| Lieutenant F. Norris | Of the Royal Navy, China Station. |
| Lieutenant B. N. Tiswell | Of the Royal Navy, China Station. |
| Lieutenant-Colonel F. F. Hunter | En route to England from the Middle East. |
| Major W. S. Wrightman | Associated with the United States Red Cross Mission to Russia, en route to Washington D.C. |
| Lieutenant-Colonel O. R. Sigerfoos | Commander of the American troops at Tientsin, China, en route to Washington D.C. |
Departure: December 20th 1917
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on December 20th, 1917.
The passenger list included 150 Saloon Class passengers.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on December 20th, 1917 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Colonel Lord Montague | En route to India. |
| Major Allan Burgoyne M.P. | En route to India. |
| Almeira Brandao | The Brazil Minister at Peking. |
| Mrs. Wellington Koo | Associated with the Chinese Embassy at Washington. |
| L. A. Rostein | En route to Yokohama and Kobe. |