[Illustration: OSWESTRY GRANGE. Houlder Bros. & Co.] CHAPTER XI. HOULDER LINE. The Company was founded by the late Mr. Edwin Savory Houlder in London in 1849, and he was subsequently joined by his brothers Messrs. Alfred and Augustus Houlder. At first the business was confined to sailing-ships, a fleet of Clipper Packets sailing under the firm’s flag between the home ports and Australia being established. As the business increased, the firm became in turn interested in the South African and South American Trades, the development of their steam fleet receiving a large amount of attention, until, at the present time, it includes some of the largest and most successful frozen meat carriers afloat. The principal services now maintained are between the United Kingdom and South America, between South America and the Cape ports, between Australia and New Zealand and the Cape ports, and from New York to Australia and New Zealand, although many other trades of the world claim the Company’s attention and for these trades a large amount of tonnage is chartered annually. The Headquarters are in London, with Branches at Liverpool, Glasgow, Sydney, N.S.W., Cape Town and Buenos Aires; also sub-offices at Rosario and La Plata. With one exception, the steamers of the Fleet are distinguished by the affix GRANGE. The first were the HORNBY GRANGE (3,750 tons burthen) and OVINGDEAN GRANGE (3,520 tons burthen), launched in the opening months of 1890, both vessels being insulated throughout for carrying frozen meat, as are all the other steamers of the Line. They were followed in 1894 by the URMSTON GRANGE, designed to carry 5,420 tons. In 1896 two important additions were made in the shape of the steamers LANGTON GRANGE and DENTON GRANGE, each having a deadweight capacity of 9,200 tons, and like the earlier steamers insulated in the most efficient manner for carrying frozen meat. In the meantime two more steamers were acquired, the ELSTREE GRANGE and the SOUTHERN CROSS, the latter being placed in the Australian trade in company with the LANGTON GRANGE and DENTON GRANGE, whilst the former was taken into the River Plate service which had grown to such an extent as to justify the addition of two further vessels, larger and faster than any of the earlier ships in the trade. These were the ROYSTON GRANGE and BEACON GRANGE, each 6,400 tons burthen, and capable of making the passage between England and the River Plate in twenty-two or twenty-three days. [Illustration: BEACON GRANGE. Houlder Bros. & Co.] For the Australian trade the RIPPINGHAM GRANGE, a sister ship to the LANGTON GRANGE, was added in 1898. At this juncture, the various steamers comprising the fleet were amalgamated into one Company under the name of the Houlder Line, Limited, this step being taken in order to consolidate the business generally, and to ensure more systematic and economical working.