Arrival: February 22nd 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by L. D. Douglas, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on February 22nd, 1932. On the voyage the ship reported small passenger list of 132, with 24 First Class, 61 Tourist Class and 47 Steerage.
Passengers included Officials and members of the All-Canadian Rugby team who were returning from a tour of Japan.
Cargo amounted to 2300 tons with 80 tons being discharged at Victoria. Mail consisted of 365 bags with 217 for the United States, 38 for Victoria, and 110 for the Canadian mainland.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on February 22nd, 1932.
| F. C. Hesler | Catering Superintendent of the Canadian Pacific Steamships returning from Yokohama. |
| Captain A. W. Davison | Former master of the EMPRESS OF ASIA and retired Marine Superintendent of Canadian Pacific Steamships at Hong Kong proceeding to Vancouver. |
| L. F. Dreyfus | Of the Dreyfus Grain Company of Paris, London, and Vancouver proceeding to France after a business trip to the Orient. |
| L. B. Britton | Motion picture producer returning from Shanghai with pictures of the Sino-Japanese conflict. |
| Mr. Leboucq | Of the Bank of Indo-China at Hong Kong en route to Paris. |
| Mr. Fyfe-Smith | President of the Rugby Union of Canada, returning to Vancouver with the All-Canadian Rugby team after tour of Japan. |
| Harry Lord | Manager of the All-Canadian Rugby team |
| T. Keck | Returning to Coronado, California after a world cruise. |
| G. Chiteman | Fur dealer from Harbin, proceeding to New York. |
Departure: February 27th 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by L. D. Douglas, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on February 27th, 1932.
The voyage marked an unusually quick turn around, the ship having only arrived in British Columbia on the 22nd of February. The quick turn around was necessary to achieve schedules disrupted through the dry-docking of the Canadian Pacific ships at Hong Kong for annual overhaul.
The ship was held at Victoria until February 28th to allow passengers who had missed the departure at Vancouver to take the ferry to Victoria and board there. The missed connection was the result of slides along the mountainous sections of the transcontinental rail line that caused a delay in the arrival at Vancouver of the train from eastern Canada.
In the Orient, Captain Douglas would relinquish command of the EMPRESS OF ASIA to Captain A. V. R. Lovegrove. Captain Douglas would become Master of the EMPRESS OF JAPAN.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on February 27th, 1932 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| J. A. D. McCurdy | President of the Curtis Reid Aircraft Company. |
| Louis Beale | Commercial Attache to the British Legation at Peiping. |
| B. Powell | Of Movietone and Metrophone News, en route to Shanghai for the Hearst Corporation. |
| Mary Bush Williams | Of the International News Service en route to Shanghai to join celebrated war correspondent Floyd Gibbons. |
| Luang Chara | Secretary of the Siamese Legation, Washington. |
| H. B. R. Clarke | Managing Director of British Britannic Textiles Limited, London. |
| Professor G. H. Blakeslee | Of the United States Government Service. |
| Margaret Green | Embarked at Victoria en route to China to accept a position in nursing at a hospital. |
Arrival: April 11th 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on April 11th, 1932. On the voyage the ship reported a pleasant passage although dense fog was encountered in the Strait of Juan de Fuca while approaching Victoria. The fog resulted in the arrival at Victoria being delayed nearly three hours. A cargo of 2,000 tons was carried that included gold and a consignment of seven carloads of silk that was valued at $1,500,000.00 and was carried eastward by a Canadian Pacific Railway train. A light passenger list of 181 was reported with 15 First Class, 37 Tourist Class and 129 Steerage passengers. Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on April 11th, 1932.
| Captain and Mrs. E. F. Aucott | Of Hong Kong and travelling to England. Associated with Jardine Matheson and Company. |
| Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Farmer | Of Canton travelling to England. Associated with the Victoria Hotel in Canton. |
| L. C. Williams | Of Tientsin, travelling to England for the summer. Associated with McKinnon & McKenzie. |
| Captain E. C. Paget | Of Tokyo, travelling to England. Associated with Hadfields Ltd. |
| T. R. McCreath and family | Of Shanghai travelling to England. Associated with the Indo-Chinese Navigation Company. |
| Mr. and Mrs. Holzmueller | Of Hamburg travelling home on an around the world trip. |
| Frederick Vaatz | Of Hamburg returning home after a business trip to the Orient. Associated with Krupps & Company. |
| H. T. Kelland | Of Calcutta travelling to Eastern Canada. Associated with the Indian Government Railway. |
| Mr. and Mrs. J. Metzger | Associated with the Richman Company of New York. Returning from a business trip to the Far East. |
| F. S. Wright | Of the Standard Oil Company returning to the USA from Japan. |
| Colonel and Mrs. G. E. Reid | Of London, Ontario returning from a tour of China and Japan. |
| Wang Scheng-ting | Associated with the Chinese Railways travelling to the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. |
Departure: April 23rd 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on April 23rd, 1932. The ship reported a small passenger list, good cargo and a heavy consignment of mail.
No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Arrival: June 10th 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on June 10th, 1932. An uneventful voyage with fair weather was reported. The total passenger list numbered 415, with 104 First Class, 103 Tourist Class and 208 Third class. The ship reached Victoria and Vancouver from Honolulu where a number of tourists were embarked. Many of the tourists had sailed to Hawaii on an excursion on May 25th, 1932 aboard the Canadian-Australasian vessel AORAGNI. The presence of the vacationers produced continual social activity with deck games, swimming parties and dancing. The majority of Americans passengers disembarked and Victoria and then traveled to Seattle. Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver and Victoria on June 10th, 1932.
| M. Littlewood | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| M. Corbett | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| F. J. Irwin | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| Charles Conley | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| M. H. English | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| M. S. Morrison | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| L. McKenzie | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| J. Swanson | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| E. Bull | Of Vancouver, returning from Hawaii. |
| W. Kreuger | Of Seattle, returning from Hawaii. |
| R. Howard | Of Seattle, returning from Hawaii. |
| M. Livesley | Of Salem, Oregon, returning from Hawaii. |
| E. Livesley | Of Salem, Oregon, returning from Hawaii. |
| Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm | Governor of the British North Borneo Company en route to England after a visit to the Orient. |
| E. Cockrill | Member of a textile manufacturing firm in England, en route to the U.K. |
| W. McLeod | Of Smith, Hall & Company, manila en route to England. |
| E. Blackburn | Chief travelling Auditor of the Canadian pacific Railway returning from an audit visit to the Orient. |
| H. W. Haskamp | En route to vancouver after a visit to the Far East. |
| Dr. Mohr | Of Norway, Doctor of Philosophy, returning home on a world tour. |
| W. R. Buckberrough | Canadian Pacific Steamships representative in Tokyo en route to Ontario. |
| Rev. E. G. Bucknill | Vicar of the Church Of England at Yokohama, proceeding to England. |
| Professor Daniel H. Davis | Of Minnesota University, proceeding home after a visit to Japan. |
| R. T. Humphreys | Manager of Wise & Company, Manila, en route to England. |
| G. C. Dear | Of the Tokyo branch of the vacuum Oil Company, en route to London. |
| J. F. MacGregor | Director of Caldbeck, MacGregor & Company, returning from the Far East. |
| C. H. Reich | Director of the Ocean Oil Company returning to England. |
| Mrs. Grace Laugharne | Former Victoria High School teacher travelling from Kobe to Europe. |
| J. M. Walker | Accountant of Chartered bank of India, Australia and China, en route to England. |
Departure: June 18th 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on June 18th, 1932. A good passenger list in all classes was reported. Some 400 bags of mail and considerable airmail were loaded at Victoria. No passenger information is available for this crossing.
Arrival: August 1st 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on August 1st, 1932. On the voyage the ship experienced smooth seas and plenty of fog that made it necessary to sound the horn continuously for 6 days.
The ship carried a cargo that included 3,118 bales of silk of which 450 were discharged at Victoria to the H. F. ALEXANDER for delivery to San Francisco. From San Francisco this silk would be sent to New York via the Panama Canal. The remainder of the silk aboard the EMPRESS OF ASIA would be discharged at Vancouver for transport by fast train to the East.
On August 2nd, the ship would sail for the Dominion Government dry-dock for overhaul.
A passenger list of 164 was reported with 32 First Class, 42 Tourist Class and 90 Steerage.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on August 1st, 1932.
| Commander F. R. Davey | Of London, a Director of Sasoon’s Finance Board en route home after a visit to the Orient. |
| John Davey | |
| J. W. Norton | Of Linotype Company Limited, London, proceeding home after a tour of the Orient. |
| A. W. L. Robertson | Of London, en route home after a business tour of Japan and China. |
| T. Mayeda | Making a brief trip to points of interest in the Canadian Rockies. |
| Professor T. Yamada | Making a brief trip to points of interest in the Canadian Rockies. |
| En Shui Tai | Secretary to the Chinese Legation at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, en route to Great Britain. |
| Dr. J. Morrison | Hong Kong practitioner en route to Great Britain |
| R. G. Henderson | Of London, an electrical merchant returning from a tour of the Orient. |
| R. H. Gregory | Of Shanghai, the British-American Tobacco Company. |
| Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman | Of London, returning home after a business trip to Japan and China. |
| Mrs. A. J. Allan | Proceeding from Hong Kong to Great Britain. |
| Mrs. Hsiki Chow and family | Returning to Vancouver after a visit to Canton. |
Departure: August 13th 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on August 13th, 1932. The ship carried 400 passengers with a considerable number embarking at Victoria, having arrived from the United States.
Note of Interest:
Reverend Eric H. Liddell was a passenger on this voyage travelling to Tientsin.
Eric H. Liddell was born in Tientsin in northern China in 1902, a child of Scottish missionaries. He was educated at Eltham College and Edinburgh University. While at Edinburgh University he excelled at athletics and participated in the 1924 Olympic Games at Paris winning a bronze medal in the 200 meters and a gold medal in the 400 meters.
Following the completion of his education he returned to north China in 1925 as a missionary of the London Mission Society.
Eric Liddell returned to Great Britain 1930 and was ordained as a Congregational minister on June 22nd 1932. He returned to northern China by travelling across the Atlantic on the DUCHESS OF YORK and across Canada by rail, embarking upon the EMPRESS OF ASIA on August 13th, 1932.
During World War Two, Eric Liddell was interned as a Prisoner of War at Weishien Camp where he died on February 21st, 1945
The Olympic achievements of Eric Liddell were portrayed in the movie Chariots of Fire.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on August 13th, 1932 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Reverend Eric H. Liddell | A missionary with the London missionary Society returning to Tientsin. Eric Liddell won a gold and bronze medal in track events at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. |
| T. Mayeda | |
| Professor Yamada | Of the Peer’s School, Tokyo. |
| D. M. Hastins | Of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. |
| S. B. Berkow | Buyer for the T. Eaton Company of Winnipeg proceeding to the Orient on a buying trip. |
| Reverend T. S. McDermott | Of the Dominican Fathers |
| Reverend J. J. Owens | |
| J. J. Russel | Of Cincinnati, on a world tour. |
| W. H. P. Anderson | Secretary to the Mission of Lepers, en route to the Philippines. |
| Mrs. L. Moore Cosgrave | En route to Shanghai. |
| Mr. and Mrs. C. Gilbert Davies | Returning to Shanghai after a visit to America. |
| A. G. Dewing | Returning to Shanghai. |
| Allan Stewart | Of Victoria en route to China. |
Arrival: September 26th 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on September 26th, 1932. Typhoon weather was encountered after leaving Yokohama, and fog off the encountered off the coast of British Columbia. Subsequently, arrival at Victoria was delayed several hours. A small passenger list was reported being less then 200 in all classes.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on September 26th, 1932.
| Edward C. Gardiner | Of Philadelphia, returning home after a tour of the Orient. |
| Arthur H. Lea | Of Philadelphia, returning home after a tour of the Orient. |
| S. Abraham | Import manager of Dy Buncio & Company, Manila, en route to the United States. |
| Mrs. C. P. White | Of Manila, proceeding to the United States. |
| de Coin | Of Goldenburg & Company, Manila, enroute to New York. |
| N. Leslie | General manager of the Asiatic Petroleum Company, Shanghai, en route to London. |
| J. C. Muss | Of the British Cigarette Company, Shanghai, en route to the United States. |
| Lieutenant F. G. C. Langley | Royal Navy, attached to HMS MANTIA, of the Yangtze flotilla, proceeding to England. |
| Upton Close | Author and organizer of Upton Close Tours, proceeding to New York. |
| L. Mayer | A partner in the firm of Witkowiski & Company, Kobe, proceeding to Paris. |
| R. E. Sassoon | Of Sassoon Company, Shanghai, travelling to London. |
| G. S. Sale | Director of Sale & Company, Tokyo, en route to England after a visit to Japan. |
| M. Tsurumi | Japanese Delegate to the League of Nations, proceeding to Geneva. |
Departure: October 8th 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on October 8th, 1932.
A passenger list of 450 was reported. Included were several groups of Canadian and British Priests and Nuns and Franciscan Friars who were travelling to Japan.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on October 8th, 1932 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Honourable H. M. Marler | Canadian Minister to Japan en route to Tokyo. |
| Honourable W. J. M. Watson-Armstrong. | Canadian Consul General for Siam en route to Bangkok. |
| Mrs. Sterling | Of London. |
| H. E. Stirling | |
| M. Fraser | |
| L. B. Stiles | Of Toronto, associated with the T. Eaton Company. |
| Carlos F. Roby | Of Cincinnati. |
| Mr. And Mrs. D’Arcy Stephens | |
| Mr. And Mrs. F. Fowler | Of London |
| Captain R. M J. Martin | Assistant Police Commissioner, Shanghai. |
| F. H. Elliot | Associated with the A. L. Tucker Company, New York. |
| Lucy Chung | Of Minneapolis, en route to the University of Peking. |
Arrival: November 21st 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on November 21st, 1932. A succession of storms was encountered after leaving Yokohama, causing arrival at Victoria to be 8 hours late. A small passenger list was reported. The afternoon sailing of the Victoria to Seattle ship was held over to accommodate passengers from the EMPRESS OF ASIA who wished to travel south.
Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on November 21st, 1932.
| John Siegfried | Representative of Siegfried, Schmidt, & Company, Chicago, returning home from Japan. |
| Mrs. L. T. Beddow | Peiping, Managing Agent of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, proceeding on a visit to the United States. |
| H. Owen | Official of the Chinese Maritime Customs at Yunnanfu, en route to Great Britain. |
| Mr. & Mrs. J. M. Simms | Of Palo Alto, California, returning home after a world tour. |
| Mrs. L. F. Miller | Prominent mission worker of Central China, on her way to New York. A member of the Faculty of the Central China College at Wuchang. |
| P. M. Anderson | Of Shanghai, partner in firm of Anderson & Ferroggiaro, automobile dealers, en route to Iowa. |
| Johann Jansenn | Of Berlin, returning home after a tour to the Orient. |
| Nils V. Hartog | Of Stockholm, en route home after a business trips to China and Japan. |
| Tsao-Tsin Lee | Of Shanghai en route to Paris. |
| Dr. A. Heinzelmann | Of Berlin, en route from a business visit to Japan. |
| W. W. Phelps | Travelling from the Federated Malay States to his home in Evanston, Illinois. |
| A. L. Biggs | Superintendent of the Shanghai Power Company en route to England. |
| S. S. Jenkins | Of Shanghai, Dodge Motor Corporation of Detroit, proceeding to Company headquarters |
Departure: December 3rd 1932
The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by A. V. R. Lovegrove, began a Pacific crossing upon sailing from Vancouver on December 3rd, 1932.
A light passenger list, considerable cargo and heavy mail consignment were reported. The unusually heavy mail, originating from Canada, the United States, Great Britain and Europe, was attributed to the Christmas Season and the fact that the EMPRESS OF ASIA would be the last Canadian Pacific liner to reach the Far East before Christmas Day.
Notable passengers embarking aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA on December 3rd, 1932 at Vancouver and Victoria.
| Mrs. T. H. Gwynne | Of Shanghai, returning from the United States. |
| Mrs. Henry Keswick | Of Hong Kong. |
| Dr. and Mrs. Paul F. Russell | Of Manila, associated with the Rockefeller Foundation. |
| Katarine Goetz | Of Germany, a journalist and concert singer |