Papers compiled by F.A. Pollock, Matheson & Co. Ltd, regarding shipping, particularly the Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, including a little correspondence. The documents are divided into the following sections:

1. Hong Kong

Miscellaneous papers, including the following documents:

a) A statement of the value of steamers of the Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd on 1 January 1936 and 1 January 1937, dated Hong Kong, 17 February 1937.

b) A table of the insured value of Indo-China steamers in 1937, dated Hong Kong, 17 February 1937.

c) A table of the depreciation of the value of Indo-China steamers, 1936.

d) Nett results of the Calcutta Line for the 16 years ending 31 December 1935.

e) Particulars of Calcutta ships, Hong Kong, 20 February 1937.

f) A report by Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong, entitled 'Subsidized Japanese Competition in Shipping Trade between Calcutta and the Far East', 25 February 1937.

g) Notes on the Calcutta/Japan Conference Pool, Hong Kong, 18 February 1937.

h) Four pieces of correspondence of Mackinnon, Mackenzie & Co. (General Agents, British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd and P. & O. Steam Navigation Co. Ltd) and Jardine, Skinner & Co. Ltd (Agents, Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, Calcutta) with the Secretary, Commerce Department, Government of India, 11 July-5 November 1936, regarding the shipping trade between India and the Far East.

i) Minutes of the meeting of the Calcutta/Japan Conference held on 4 September 1936.

j) A list of Indo-China steamers on 31 December 1936.

2. Calcutta: a memorandum regarding the shipping Pool, including eleven statements of shipments by different lines, undated, and a little correspondence of Jardine, Skinner & Co. Ltd, Calcutta, 1935-1937.

3. Singapore: a letter from W.T. Crossley, Boustead & Co. Ltd, Singapore, to F.A. Pollock, c/o Boustead & Co. Ltd, Penang, 6 March 1937, enclosing notes on Japanese competition in the Straits/Calcutta Lines and a sweep ticket for the Spring Race Meeting of the Singapore Turf Club.

4. Bangkok: an edition of the 'Bangkok Times', 6 March 1937, including adverts for shipping lines.

5. Kobe

Miscellaneous papers, including the following documents:

a) Cuttings from the 'Japan Advertiser', 'Japan Chronicle' and 'Osaka Mainichi' on shipping, 10 December 1936-29 May 1937, with some covering letters from Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong, Agents, Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, to F.A. Pollock, London and Shanghai.

b) A table of crew wages in high class merchant vessels, with remarks, c. 1936.

c) A table of the standard minimum monthly wages of wireless operators, with remarks, c. 1936.

d) A memorandum on the agreement regarding standard minimum wages for general crew by Kaiji Kyodo Kai, Marine Experts Association, 1936.

e) A memorandum on Japanese seamen's wages, 20 April 1937.

f) A letter from Jardine Matheson, Kobe, to F.A. Pollock, Matheson & Co. Ltd, London, 14 April 1937, enclosing a report on the threat to British shipping from Japanese competition.

g) A letter from A. McDonald, Jardine Matheson, Kobe, to F.A. Pollock, Shanghai, 5 October 1936, on Japanese shipping.

h) A translation of an article on the 'Unprecedented boom seen in Kobe Shipping World', 13 November 1936.

i) A translation of the business report of Nippon Yusen Kaisha for 1 April-30 September 1936, dated 27 November 1936.

At the front of the file are a second copy of the report on 'Subsidized Japanese Competition in Shipping Trade between Calcutta and the Far East', 25 February 1937; notes on the report; and a memorandum entitled 'British Shipping in Chinese Waters. Discrimination against British vessels by The Chinese Government', March 1937.

The file also includes a set of loose notes and memoranda, including the following documents:

1. A memorandum entitled 'The Problems of Foreign Shipping Companies operating in Chinese Waters', November 1936.

2. A report on the shipping situation in Japan by Jardine Matheson, Kobe, April 1937, 15 pages.

3. A set of undated tables of the scales of pay of staff, deck and engine room officers, the scale of wages for crews of Japanese tramp vessels, rates of pay for masters, engineers and officers of the Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, and comparative rates of pay of the crew of a Japanese tramp steamer, Indo-China coaster and Calcutta steamer.

The ring-binder is labelled 'F.A. Pollock - Shipping 1936 to 1937. (Hongkong: Calcutta: Singapore: Bangkok: Kobe.)'.