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From: Marj Kohli <>
Subject: [TSL] 1923 White Star new routes to Halifax (and immigrant stats)
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 09:17:35 -0400

This shows the shifting of immigrant traffic to Halifax from Quebec and
Montreal. It also reports the immigration numbers for 1923. This item comes
thanks to Norma Brown.


Halifax Herald, Halifax, NS, iss. Oct 27, 1923:

Two More White Star Liners Will Be Placed On Service To Halifax
Montreal, Oct. 25--The White Star line's passenger service to Halifax from
Hamburg, Southampton and Cherbourg, inaugurated last May with the steamers
Pittsburg and Canopic, has proved so successful that two more liners will be
placed on the route next spring, according to an announcement at the
company's local offices yesterday.

The ships to be added to the service are the Mongolia, 12,000 gross tons and
the Minnekahda, 17,000 tons, the latter being the world's largest
third-class carrier, while the Mongolia will carry cabin and third-class
passengers. Officials of the company said that a big factor in the success
of the service was its popularity with residents of the Maritime Provinces,
for whom it eliminated the necessity of voyaging to Quebec or Montreal, and
then making a long rail journey to their destinations.

During the period from January 1 to September 30, trans-Atlantic passenger
traffic to Eastern Canada ports showed an increase of 70 per cent over the
same period last year, according to information received at the Canadian
Pacific offices. During this period 134,027 passengers disembarked at the
ports of Halifax, St. John, Quebec and Montreal, against 78,570 disembarking
at these points during the corresponding in 1922.

This enormous increase can be accounted for in two ways, the increasing
number of American tourists returning via the St. Lawrence route, and the
large number of immigrants who disembarked at these points en route to their
various destinations in Canada and the United States. It is impossible to
categorize the traffic with any great degree of accuracy, but it is
estimated that up to the end of September, 60,000 immigrants had been
carried by the Pacific Steamships this year against approximately 40,000 for
the same period last year. Other steamship lines show a similar increase in
immigrant traffic.

Montreal has not benefited to any great extent by this increase. About
24,000 passengers landed here up to September 30th, against 22,500 last
year, an increase of 1,500 only. Quebec has benefited most, 69,643
passengers disembarked there up to the end of September against 40, 667 last
year. This is accounted for by the fact that all immigrants are landed at
Quebec, and only the cabin passengers are brought on to Montreal. But for
the ice which diverted the ships bound for the river ports to Halifax and
St. John up to the beginning of May, the Quebec disembarkation would have
been much higher. As it was, 18,644 passengers landed at Halifax up to
September 30th of this year, against 4,965 last year, an increase of 13,679.
St. John shows an increase of 11,000, 21,832 against 10, 595.

(Through) the month of September inbound passenger traffic through the ports
of Halifax, Quebec and Montreal increased (but) the number of
disembarkations at Montreal showed a slight decrease, due to the fact that
the sailings to the port were fewer, but the Canadian Pacific reports that
all its cabin accommodation was taken up to capacity during the month, and
practically throughout the season.


Marjorie Kohli
Waterloo, ON Canada

http://www.ist.uwaterloo.ca/~marj/genealogy/

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• [TSL] 1923 White Star new routes to Halifax (and immigrant stats) by Marj Kohli <>