Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

1901 TO 1914 213it had also branches in the principal seaports on the Pacificcoast of both Canada and the United States, thus occupyinga particularly favourable position in the event of the future1development of trans-Pacific trade.Through the transfer of the business of the Bank of BritishColumbia the bank had acquired an interesting and longstandingconnection with the sugar industry of the HawaiianInlands. The cultivation of sugar commenced in these Islandsabout 1850, and is now carried on along the most scientificlines. For many years the sugar planters have maintained anexperimental station there that is a marvel to this industrythroughout the world. No expense is spared in the researchesin soil-analysis, entomology and pathology. Millions ofdollars have been spent on water conservation and irrigationsystems, and the cane-crushing mills are most modern inevery particular. A few months after the opening of theoffice of the Bank of British Columbia in San Francisco, twomen, Andrew Welch 2 and Gilbert Malcolm 3Sproat, came toSan Francisco from Victoria and went into business as exportersand importers. A few years later Mr. Sproat retired and his1Another interesting point in this connection is the impossibility under presentlaws in the United States of another bank acquiring a similar position to that held byThe Canadian Bank of Commerce. For instance, while the status quo is recognizedso far as The Canadian Bank of Commerce, San Francisco, is concerned, no foreignbank is now allowed to open a branch in the State of California.'Andrew Welch (1837-89) was born in Cupar-Fife, Scotland, and educatedlocally. After acquiring some business experience in Liverpool and London, heemigrated to British Columbia about 1850, and remained there until 1864 when heremoved to San Francisco to become a partner in the firm of Welch and Sproat.During the later " sixties " Mr. Welch became interested in the sugar trade of theHawaiian Islands, and in 1871 he founded the firm of Welch and Company, whichacted as agents for several of the large sugar factors of those islands.Gilbert Malcolm Sproat (1834-1913) was born and educated in Scotland, andwent to British Columbia while that province was still a Crown colony. He appearsto have been interested in the development of the timber resources of British Columbiaand Vancouver Island, and with one Captain Stamp in 1860 obtained from theSheshat Indians by treaty a grant of land at Somass, Alberni Canal, VancouverIsland, for the purpose of erecting a saw-mill. About 1864 he went to SanFrancisco and later returned to England. After Confederation he became Agent-General for British Columbia. In 1876 he was appointed one of three commissioners