Notable Passengers

The EMPRESS OF ASIA, commanded by L. D. Douglas concluded a Pacific crossing upon reaching Vancouver on January 29^th, 1926.

A light passenger list was reported with 17 First Class, 29 Second Class, and 100 steerage. A very light cargo was reported, however there was considerable mail. More than 1,000 bags were left at Victoria to be transshipped to Seattle.

On January 11^th, 1926 of this voyage, while outbound from Shanghai, the EMPRESS OF ASIA collided with the 1,900-ton steamer TUNGSHING. The collision occurred near Blackpoint on the Yangtse River. The TUNGSHING was owned by the Indo-China Steam Navigation Company and was bound from Hong Kong to Shanghai. She was struck on the port side abaft the funnel, bow on by the EMPRESS OF ASIA.

The TUNGSHING sank in the Astrea Channel while unsuccessfully attempting to make shore and ten lives were reported lost.

The EMPRESS OF ASIA assisted in the rescue of survivors and then returned to Shanghai briefly for repairs to the stem section of the hull that had been damaged in the collision.

On this voyage the EMPRESS OF ASIA encountered a violent and massive storm that raged over 3,000 square miles of the North pacific and battered the ship from Yokohama to Vancouver Island. The barometer dipped to 28.26, a reading associated with hurricanes, and wind velocities of 70 miles an hour were reported. Large waves washed over the lower portions of the ship and it was at times necessary to reduce speed to 12 and 14 knots respectively.

The Philadelphia Bobbies, a girls baseball team, had played a series of games against university and college teams in the Orient during 1925. Three members of the team boarded the EMPRESS OF ASIA in Japan to travel home to the United States.

Two team members, Leona Kearns and Nelly Shanks, ventured onto the Second Class deck during the storm. The two were caught by a huge wave that covered the deck. Leona Kearns lost her life when swept overboard. Nelly Shanks, although bruised, was saved by a railing. The EMPRESS OF ASIA turned around in the storm and circled the location of the mishap, but found no one.

Notable passengers aboard EMPRESS OF ASIA arriving at Vancouver on January 29^th, 1926.

Nelly Shanks	Member of Philadelphia Bobbies girls baseball team.
E. Ruth	Member of Philadelphia Bobbies girls baseball team.
Leona Kearns	Member of Philadelphia Bobbies girls baseball team who lost her life when swept overboard by an enormous wave.
A. Oguchi	Of Dourille & Company, raw silk shippers of Yokohama.
T. Saskawa	Of Dourille & Company, raw silk shippers of Yokohama.
K. Ikeda	Tea Shipper of Kanazawa, Japan.
R. Clancy	Of New York, representative of the Eastern Trading Company, returning from a business trip to the Orient.
T. M. Stuart	Of Montreal, returning from a trip to Honolulu, Japan and North China.
J. Sperling	General Manager of Pollock Brothers, importers of general Japanese merchandise.
D. McKenzie	Of Pattan, McKenzie & Company, en route to New York.
Mrs. Pih Yung Hua	Wife of the Chinese Minister at Washington D.C.
Ping Dow	Legation Chancellor of China at Washington D.C.

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