The San Francisco call., 1904-08-15
From Prentice TO President.
Special Correspondence.


d. GARDEN, LONDON, Aug. 1.-As head
OF the. great Peninsular and Oriental
Steamship Company. Sir Thomas Suth-
criand is an extremely important person
age IN these days, when sober English
statesmen are seriously discussing the
possibility Of war resulting from Rus
Eia's seizure Of several liners Of his big
feet In accordance with English Gus
tom. Sir Thomas has carefully refrained
from expressing any public opinion on
the controversy, but it is known that he
IS in constant communication with the
Government and strenuously insists
that Russia should be compelledNto pay
and apologize for her transgressions of
the neutrality laws and to stop the sort
OF game she is now playing against
Britain's mercantile marine.
Sir Thomas Sutherland is one Of the
most interesting and remarkable Of
England's captains of industry. He is
e product Of that combination which
has given so many distinguished men
70 the world-poverty and Scotch birth
and ancestry. He was born in Aber-
deen in 1884. His father, a reduced gen
tleman. had gone TO the colonies in the
hope Of making a fortune. but lost
Soon after young Thomas was adopted
b. his maternal grandfather, a retired
fish curer. This worthy man, like many
of the middle class Scotch, found the
chief solace Of his old age in theNstern
creed of Calvin. He sent his grandson
TO the Aberdeen grammar school and
subsequently entered him at the uni
versity there that he might be trained
for the ministry. But Thomas, after
much youthful wrestling with theolog-
tcal problems, discovered that he lacked
the religious enthusiasm essential to a
successful pulpit career, and, what is
more 10 the point, succeeded in con-
Yincing his grandfather that he was
- untitled 10 uphold a harsh and narrow
creed by precept and example in
skeptical world. He was therefore
withdrawn from the university and put
into a merchants Office in Aberdeen.
While here he CHANGED to hear some
talk Of a Mr. Allan, an old friend Of
his grandparents, who had become the
manager Of a steamship company. That
e fred him with an ambition TO follow his
example. He asked his grandfather to
write to Mr.. Allan TO inquire If he could
ind an opening for an energetic youth
At Is years Of age Thomas Sutherland
was installed as a junior clerk in the
office Of the great Peninsular and ORR
entail Company. It soon became no.
ticed in the Office that any work in
trusted 70 Thomas Sutherland was sure
TO be done well, and that he didn't
mind working overtime to do #. His
advancement was rapid, but he kept
oil hn NH 1a fpr 1or ~
opportunities.
At 20 years Of age he seized a chance
70 so to Hongzong in the service of the
company. Here he found q field in
which he could display his rare powers
Of organization, and soon rose to be
superintendent OF. the affairs OF the
company in the Far East, with prac-
ticslly q free hand-a fact Of which he
took full advantage. He mapped out
new routes, new coasting services and
started the dock company, whose huge
works at Hongkong add so much to the
value OF that port as naval base. The
6ongkong and Shanghai Banking Com
psuy, one OF the most important of
Far Eastern financial concerns, was
also started by him, and at 90 years Of
age he was appointed one of the three
unofficial members Of the Colonial Leg
islative Council. All these signal proofs
of his ability convinced the directors
that he was the sort Of man whose
talents could best be employed at head
quarters. and IN 1863 he was recalled
home to take a prominent position in
the management Of the company's af-
fairs.
Up to that time the business Of the
company had been practically a mo-
nopoiy, but the opening OF the Suez
canal and the consequent change in
the usual route to India and the Far
East so changed the situation that the
company was threatened with ruin It's
revenues declined at an alarming rate
In this emergency it was felt that
Thomas Sutherland was the one man
connected with the company Who might
stem the tide Of adversely that had set
80 strongly against Il. He was made
manager and given a free hand.
1T was what the Yankees called a
hard road TO hoe" he said when speak
ing Of this crisis in his career, but I
hoed it." With consummate ability he
confronted the altered conditions,
changed the methods of the company.
created a new fleet and not only saved
the great concern, but increased its
business until II has attained its pres
ent splendid position in the maritime
and mercantile world. When he took
charge Of the company its feet repre-
scented a tonnage that footed up so 900
tons. II now amounts to 100000 tons
divided between seventy vessels valued
At between $50 10000 and sec. 900 O0O
The man who, rising from the humble
billet Of a junior clerk, can point to
such an achievement has certainly done
something TO be proud Of.
For twenty-five years he has been
chairman Of the company, and is likely
20 hold that position for another ten
years at least. Although 20 years OF
age. hale, erect and vigorous, he looks
hardly a day over s.. and is as brimful
q fight as ever. His favorite recreation
IS golt. and he has his own private links
on his picturesque estate in Hamp-