This interesting and original article is from the pen of Geoffrey Walker, a regular contributor who commenced his sea-going life as a Bank Line apprentice. He went on to have a long and successful career as Master on a variety of ships and companies serving a vast range of Pacific and Far Eastern ports, big and small. He also has his own specialist maritime website which can be viewed here at https://oceanjoss.com Geoffrey continues to make a valuable contribution to contemporary maritime history with fascinating first hand accounts of seagoing life in the China seas in all seasons including access to remote river ports.