Samuel Robinson - The first Captain
Samuel Robinson was the first commander of the EMPRESS OF
ASIA. In 1913 he travelled to Great
Britain to bring the ship home to Vancouver on the Maiden Voyage. Departing Liverpool on June 14th
1913, a course was sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian
and Pacific Oceans. Vancouver was
reached on August 13th 1913.
Following
the arrival at Vancouver, the EMPRESS OF ASIA entered the mercantile
trans-Pacific trade. Captain Robinson
soon made a record breaking run across the Pacific. The crossing that concluded at Victoria on
May 3rd 1914 covered the distance from Yokohama in 9 days, 2 hours, and 44 minutes at an average
speed: 19.19 knots.
The EMPRESS OF ASIA was requisitioned by the Royal Navy on
August 3rd 1914, and the ship was quickly converted into an
Auxiliary Cruiser. A complement of Royal
Navy Officers assumed command, and only Officers with Royal Naval Reserve
status were retained. C. Walcott of the
Royal Navy became Commander, and Samuel Robinson, a member of the Royal Naval
Reserve, remained on board as Navigational Officer.
In 1914 the EMPRESS OF ASIA was engaged in the pursuit of
the German raider EMBDEN in the Indian Ocean and in 1915 the ship was sent to
the Middle East and the Red Sea.
On October 22nd 1915, upon completion of
Middle East assignments, the ship was released from war duties and returned to
her owners, Canadian Pacific Ocean Services.
When the EMPRESS OF ASIA ended her career as an Auxiliary Cruiser and
re-entered the Pacific mercantile trade, Captain Robinson ended his association
with the EMPRESS OF ASIA and assumed the command of the sister ship EMPRESS OF
RUSSIA.
Samuel Robinson had a long and illustrious career at
sea. He was born in Hull, England, and
went to sea at the age of fourteen on the IMBROS. He joined Canadian Pacific in 1895 and
retired in 1932. In the course of a
distinguished career with the company, he became commander of the ATHENIAN,
MONTEAGLE, EMPRESS OF JAPAN (1), EMPRESS OF ASIA, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA, EMPRESS OF FRANCE, EMPRESS OF CANADA and the EMPRESS OF JAPAN (2).
Captain Robinson was in command of the EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA when the catastrophic earthquake of September 1st 1923
occurred. The earthquake struck just as
the EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA was preparing to depart Yokohama.
The earthquake destroyed much of Yokohama and for a while
the ship was threatened by fires and burning oil that engulfed the waterfront. The EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA had some difficulty
in escaping this danger. No tugboats were
available to assist the liner, and while attempting to pull away unassisted a
propeller became fouled with the anchor chain of the STEEL NAVIGATOR that was
moored close by. As well, damage was
sustained from a collision with the LISBON MARU, which was carried into the side
of the EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA by strong winds that arose after the
earthquake. Fortunately, after much
delicate manoeuvring, safe anchorage was eventually secured.
The EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA remained in Japan until
September 12th 1923, providing assistance to the victims of the
earthquake. Over 2,000 injured or
homeless were brought to the ship for medical treatment and support. The EMPRESS OF CANADA arrived in Yokohama on
September 3rd 1923, and many of the victims being cared for on the
EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA were transferred to the EMPRESS OF CANADA, and then
carried to relief camps at Kobe. Prior to leaving Japan the EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA also sailed to Kobe with refugees from the earthquake, arriving on
September 11th 1923. Grateful
passengers on the EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA presented Captain Robinson and the ship
with a bronze plaque acknowledging the aid and assistance provided during the
aftermath of the earthquake. The plaque
was attached to the structure of the ship.
When the EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA was being scrapped in 1952, the plaque was
removed from the ship and presented to Captain Robinson at a ceremony in
Vancouver.
In 1924 Captain Robinson was transferred to the EMPRESS
OF CANADA to command the ship during a world cruise. Upon completion of the world cruise the
EMPRESS OF CANADA returned to the Pacific and the mercantile trade between British
Columbia and the Orient. In 1928
Canadian Pacific Steamships decided to send the EMPRESS OF CANADA to Great
Britain to have the engine machinery refitted.
To fill the vacancy left by the departure of the EMPRESS OF CANADA, the
EMPRESS OF FRANCE was transferred from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The ships rendezvoused in Hong Kong and the Captains
and crews of the two were exchanged.
Captain Robinson became commander of the EMPRESS OF FRANCE and remained
so until late 1929 when he once again resumed command of the EMPRESS OF CANADA.
In 1930 the EMPRESS OF JAPAN (2) was launched on the
River Clyde in Scotland and Captain Robinson travelled to Great Britain and brought
the new liner home to Vancouver. The new
ship arrived in Victoria on August 22nd 1930 and had made the run
from Yokohama to British Columbia in a record breaking time of.8 days 6 hours
and 27 minutes at an average
speed: 21.04 knots.
This quick time was soon surpassed; on April 17th, 1931
the EMPRESS OF JAPAN (2) reached Victoria having made the crossing from Yokohama
in a record setting time of 7 day 20 hours and 16 minutes. The King and Queen of Siam were passengers on
this voyage and the King of Siam recognized this achievement by inducting
Captain Robinson into The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant.
Samuel Robinson retired when the EMPRESS OF
JAPAN (2) reached Vancouver on April 2nd 1932. This last voyage concluded 37 years of
service with Canadian Pacific Steamship and a distinguished career that was
filled with many accomplishments and achievements.
Captain Robinson won many honours, orders and
awards that recognized his accomplishments and sacrifices. Some of these are listed below:
Commander of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire - awarded
December 28th 1923
Cross
of the Second Class of the Order of Naval Merit (with white badge) - awarded by His Majesty the
King of Spain, in recognition of valuable services provided to the Spanish
delegation following the Yokohama earthquake
The Imperial Japanese Medal of Merit with Red
Ribbon - awarded
by the Emperor of Japan and presented by the Hon. Teruo Hachiya, Japanese
Consul in Vancouver
Lloyd’s Silver Medal for Meritorious Service
at Sea
Life-Saving Order of St. John of Jerusalem
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant - appointed by King Prajadhipok of Siam who was a passenger on the EMPRESS OF JAPAN (2) on the record setting voyage of April 1931.
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