Collection: William Denny & Brothers Ltd (GUAS Ref: UGD 3)

Letter of acceptance from Matheson & Co, London (on behalf of Jardine Matheson & Co of China) to William Denny to build a steam vessel [Glengyle] for the company.

Jardine Matheson & Co, merchants in China and the Far East, was formed in 1832 by William Jardine and James Matheson.  Initially involved in shipping tea, the firm diversified into importing a wide range of goods, including opium, into China, and by the 1860s had opened offices in other ports in China and Japan.  Later, the company extended its interests to railways in China, cotton mills, sugar-refining, mining, engineering, banking and insurance.  The company promoted the founding of Hong Kong in the 1830s and transferred its main office there from Macao in 1844.

The company ordered two ships from the Dumbarton shipbuilding firm of William Denny & Brothers in 1861 and 1863 for the China coastal and river service to carry cargo and passengers.   

A paddle steamer, Rona, Yard No 81, was launched on 13 February 1862 and remained in service till 1872 when she sunk after a collision.  Glengyle, Yard No 96, was a passenger and cargo steamer and could carry 475 passengers.

The contract envelope for Glengyle (GUAS Ref: UGD 3/5/24) contains a specification and correspondence about the contract, including a letter from T B White, writing from Hong Kong in 1863, asking Mr Denny ‘to rough out, plan, specification and estimate for a new Boat like Rona, only larger and a little finer lines on the bow’.

Collection: Glasgow University Students Representative Council - Student Handbooks (GUAS Ref: DC 157)

The first student from China to study at the University of Glasgow was Hok Tang Chain, from Foo-Chow, who studied Natural Philosophy and Chemistry in session 1886-1887.  For the next 30 years most Chinese students studied science or engineering (including naval architecture) with a smaller number studying medicine.  In 1913 the Sino–Scottish Student Society was formed “to promote interest and friendship between Chinese undergraduates and their Scots fellow-students”.

This image is of the front cover of the Glasgow University Students' Handbook for 1920-1921, in which the details of the Sino-Scottish Society and its office bearers are listed.

(GUAS Ref: DC 157/18/30. Copyright reserved.)

This image from the Glasgow University Students' Handbook for 1920-1921 list the details of Sino_Scottish Society and its office-bearers for that session.

(GUAS Ref: DC 157/18/30 p120. Copyright reserved.)