Arrival: February 9th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. J. Hailey, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on February 9th, 1920. A passenger list of 462 was reported with 157 disembarking at Victoria.
Passengers included a party of Officers who had accompanied the Chinese Labour Battalions who had returned to Tsingtau on the previous voyage of the EMPRESS OF ASIA.
A number of Chinese and Japanese businessmen were also on board.
Passengers also included the crew of the American ship Lake Framingdale who were returning to North America after having delivered their ship to Singapore.
Judge Peter Hing was also a passenger travelling from China to North America to negotiate the purchase of tramway equipment for the city of Canton. Judge Hing was educated in Victoria and graduated from McGill University. After graduation he returned to China and became involved in business, the newspaper industry and Government.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on February 9th, 1920.
| J. Widburn | President of the New York Street Railway Advertising Bureau, returning from the Far East. |
| Mr. and Mrs. J. Fyfe-Smith | En route from the Far East. |
| Dr. R. Haich | An Economist from China en route to a conference at New York. |
| D. McColl | General manager of the Shanghai Street Railway. |
| Judge Peter Hing | A Chinese political and business leader en route to North America to negotiate the purchase of tramway equipment. |
| Y. M. Chu | An Electrical Engineer from China who was accompanying Judge Pete Hing. |
Departure: February 19th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on February 19th, 1920.
Twenty-three hundred members of the Chinese Labour Battalions were on board as passengers. These individuals were returning to Tsingtau, China from wartime service in France via the Pacific Ocean. The ship also carried a full passenger list and a full cargo.
Included as passengers was a party of American bankers led by T. W. Lamont, on an economic mission to the Far East.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on February 19th, 1920 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Thomas W. Lamont | Of J. P. Morgan. |
| Martin Egan | Of J. P. Morgan and formerly associated with the newspaper industry of British Columbia. A member of T. W. Lamont’s economic mission. |
| Jesse Lynch Williams | A member of T. W. Lamont’s economic mission. |
| Jeremiah Smith | A member of T. W. Lamont’s economic mission. |
| Dr. McCreery | A member of T. W. Lamont’s economic mission. |
| R. W. Randolph | A member of T. W. Lamont’s economic mission. |
Arrival: April 26th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. J. Hailey, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on April 26th, 1920. The ship reached Victoria and Vancouver the same day as the Canadian-Australasian steamer MAKURA.
The EMPRESS OF ASIA carried 942 passengers and 2600 tons of cargo.
On April 26th, 1920 four large ships were in Vancouver harbour, the EMPRESS OF ASIA, the EMPRESS OF JAPAN, the MONTEAGLE, and the MAKURA.
Local hotels were pressed to provide accommodation to the large number of passengers that had arrived on the two ships.
The Hotel Vancouver’s main dining room was filled to overflowing at dinner and it was necessary to set tables in the rotunda.
No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Departure: May 7th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on May 7th, 1920.
A large passenger list was reported.
Included was a party of nine returning to China from an economic mission to the United Sates.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on May 7th, 1920 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| H. L. Yung | Associated with the Asia Development Company, en route from the United States. |
| Dr. T. T. Chang | Associated with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of Hong Kong, en route from the United States. |
| Merle Walker | Associated with the Guaranty Trust Company. |
| Captain J. C. F. Hyndman | On a tour of the far East. |
Arrival: June 21st 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. J. Hailey, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on June 21st, 1920. The ship reported a fine voyage completing in nine days from Yokohama. The EMPRESS OF ASIA carried a large passenger list. In Hong Kong modifications were undertaken to allow the ship to carry an additional 180 passengers. The ship carried 450 First Class passengers, 200 Second Class, and 650 Steerage.
Some passengers were students from the Philippines, en route to college in the United States. The students disembarked at Victoria and took the CPR afternoon boat to Seattle.
No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Departure: July 1st 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on July 1st, 1920.
No mail was carried on this voyage due to a dispute between the Canadian Post Office and Canadian Pacific Steamships regarding the compensation for carrying mail.
Mail that was intended for the EMPRESS OF ASIA was diverted to Seattle and sent to the Far East aboard the TOYOHASHI MARU.
No other information is available for this voyage.
Arrival: August 16th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. J. Hailey, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on August 16th, 1920.
On the trip from Yokohama excellent weather was reported.
A fast crossing of approximately 9 days and 7 hours from Yokohama to Victoria was achieved and an average speed of over 19 knots was maintained.
A large passenger list was reported with 420 in Saloon and Second Class, 70 in Third Class and 520 in Steerage class.
Passengers included Lieutenant Raoul Alevra. Lieutenant Alevra was leading a Romanian Government initiative to arrange the repatriation of Romanian Prisoners of War from Siberia.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on August 16th, 1920.
| Lieutenant Raoul Alevra | Associated with the Romanian Government initiative to repatriate Romanian Prisoners of War from Siberia. |
| Right Honourable R. G. Glendinning | Of Belfast. |
| M. M. Sherower | Associated with The Japan Advertiser |
Departure: August 26th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, under the command of A. J. Hailey, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on August 26th, 1920.
A large passenger list estimated to be nearly 1,000 was reported. Most hotels in Vancouver were booked to capacity by the influx of travelers.
The ship carried 440 First Class, 50 Second Class, 50 Third Class and about 450 Steerage passengers.
Included as passengers were many missionaries traveling to the Far East and India.
No other passenger information is available for this crossing.
Arrival: October 11th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. J. Hailey, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on October 11th, 1920.
The crossing was described as fine with little wind.
Passengers included three individuals from Serbia who had been associated with the removal of Serbian forces from Siberia.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Victoria and Vancouver on October 11th, 1920.
| D. Siffert | Belgium representative at Shanghai. |
| Y. H. Chu | Vice-President of the China-American Bank en route to the United States. |
| F. A. Fanning | Of Montreal, associated with the Canadian Medical Corps and the American Red Cross in Siberia and Vladivostok. |
| S. Esteill | Of San Francisco, |
| J. Walker | Associated with the Foundation Company and the Pacific Steamship Company, travelling to Seattle from the Far East. |
Departure: October 21st 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, under the command of A. J. Hailey, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on October 21st, 1920.
A large passenger list of 1,097 was reported. The ship carried 395 First Class, 40 Second Class, 22 Third Class and about 580 Steerage passengers.
A 3,000-ton cargo was reported that included a large shipment of Okanagan apples.
The ship was met at Victoria by the airplane from Seattle with 12 bags of mail destined for the Far East.
No other passenger information is available for this crossing.
Arrival: December 6th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. J. Hailey, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on December 6th, 1920.
Hurricane conditions were encountered on the North Pacific with the barometer dipping to 28:30 inches. Conditions were so stormy that at Victoria that the ship declined to berth and instead anchored at Esquimalt. Passengers and baggage destined for Victoria were transferred onto the tugboat DOLA and then onto the PRINCESS ADELAIDE and taken to the Inner Harbour.
Seattle bound mail was normally discharged at Victoria but the stormy weather made it necessary to carry this mail, totaling 1,500 bags, to Vancouver.
Passengers included 270 saloon, 150 Second and Third Class and about 800 Steerage.
W. H. Bird, a Canadian photographer returned to Canada on this voyage after a six-month filming tour of China, Korea and Japan.
Cargo included a considerable shipment of Japanese oranges.
No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Departure: December 16th 1920
The EMPRESS OF ASIA began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on December 16th, 1920.
The ship carried 300 First Class, 45 Second Class, 92 Third Class and 703 Steerage passengers. Approximately 40 passengers boarded at Victoria.
Edward Hubbard regularly delivered mail from Seattle to the EMPRESS OF ASIA at Victoria. On December 16th 1920, Hubbard is reported to have made an unsuccessful attempt to become airborne with 12 sacks of mail. He returned to his hanger, unloaded a single bag and successfully resumed his flight to meet the ship.
On this voyage the Christmas would be spent at sea. The ship’s Baker, Alexander Stewart, prepared a large cake model of the EMPRESS OF ASIA. The cake, over 3 feet long and weighing 50 pounds, took Stewart four days to complete and was displayed at the buffet in the Dining Saloon.
No passenger information is available for this crossing.