Product Details
Matson Navigation Company
Certificate TypeCapital StockDate IssuedNovember 1, 1916CanceledYesPrinterUnion Litho Co.SignaturesHand signedApproximate Size11 1/4" (w) by 8" (h)Additional DetailsSigned by William Matson
Historical Context
Matson Navigation Company’s long association with Hawaii began in 1882, when Captain William Matson sailed his three-masted schooner Emma Claudina from San Francisco to Hilo, Hawaii, carrying 300 tons of food, plantation supplies and general merchandise.
In 1887, Captain Matson sold Emma Claudina and acquired the brigantine Lurline, which more than doubled the former vessel’s carrying capacity. As the Matson fleet expanded, new vessels introduced some dramatic maritime innovations. The bark Rhoderick Dhu was the first ship to have a cold storage plant and electric lights. The first Matson steamship, the Enterprise, was the first offshore ship in the Pacific to burn oil instead of coal.
Increased commerce brought a corresponding interest in Hawaii as a tourist attraction. The second Lurline, with accommodations for 51 passengers, joined the fleet in 1908. The 146-passenger ship S.S. Wilhelmina followed in 1910, rivaling the finest passenger ships serving the Atlantic routes. More steamships continued to join the fleet. When Captain Matson died in 1917 at 67, the Matson fleet comprised 14 of the largest, fastest and most modern ships in the Pacific passenger-freight service.
With increasing passenger traffic to Hawaii, Matson built a world-class luxury liner, the S.S. Malolo, in 1927. At the time, the Malolo was the fastest ship in the Pacific, cruising at 22 knots. Its success led to the construction of the luxury liners Mariposa, Monterey and Lurline between 1930 and 1932.
Matson’s famed “White Ships” were instrumental in the development of tourism in Hawaii and the South Pacific. Beginning in 1927, with the construction of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Matson’s Waikiki hotels provided tourists with luxury accommodations both ashore and afloat. In order to generate excitement and allure for Hawaii as a world class tourist destination, Matson developed an ambitious and enduring advertising campaign that involved the creative efforts of famous photographers such as Edward Steichen and Anton Bruehl. In addition, Matson commissioned artists to design memorable keepsake menus for the voyages, as well as during their stay at the Royal Hawaiian. The Matson artwork created by Frank McIntosh, Eugene Savage, John Kelly and Louis Macouillard continues to be popular today.
On August 31, 1958, Matson’s S.S. Hawaiian Merchant departed San Francisco Bay carrying 20 24-foot containers on deck. The historic voyage marked the beginning of an ambitious containerization program that achieved tremendous gains in productivity and efficiency from the age-old methods of break-bulk cargo handling. The container freight system that Matson introduced to Hawaii in 1958 was a product of years of careful research and resulted in the development of a number of industry innovations that became models worldwide.
With the focus on containerization growing, Matson divested itself of all non-shipping assets, including its Waikiki hotels, which were sold to the Sheraton Corporation in 1959. In 1969, Matson became a wholly owned subsidiary of Honolulu-based Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., strengthening the business ties that formally date back to 1908, when A&B invested $200,000 to acquire a minority interest in Captain Matson’s company.
William Matson
William Matson came to New York City in 1863 as a cabin boy, at the age of fourteen. Working his way up in the maritime world, he arrived in San Francisco, California after a trip around Cape Horn in 1867. At the end of two years he was captain of a vessel, engaged chiefly in carrying coal to the Spreckels Sugar Company refinery. He was naturalized on Sept. 2, 1871, according to California Voting Registers, 1866-1898. Working aboard the Spreckels family yacht, Matson struck up a friendship with tycoon Claus Spreckels, who would finance many of Matson's new ships. In 1882, Matson bought his first ship called Emma Claudina, named for Spreckels' daughter.
Matson had learned there was money to be made carrying sugar from the Hawaiian Islands. In 1882, the Emma Claudina ran to the Hawaiian Islands. The enterprise began in the carrying of merchandise, especially of plantation stores, to the islands and returning with cargoes of sugar. This led to gradually expanding interests at both ends of the line, which kept pace with the commercial development of the country. In 1887, Matson sold the Emma Claudina and acquired the brigantine Lurline, which more than doubled the former vessel's carrying capacity. Soon he had three vessels running.
Increased commerce brought a corresponding interest in Hawaii as a tourist attraction. The 146-passenger ship S.S. Wilhelmina followed in 1910. More steamships continued to join the fleet. When Matson died in 1917 at the age of sixty-seven, the Matson fleet comprised fourteen of the largest, fastest and most modern ships in the Pacific passenger-freight service.
In addition to serving as President of the Matson Navigation Company, Matson was President of Honolulu Consolidated Oil Company, Commercial Petroleum Company, Atlas Wonder Mining Company, and Wonder Waler Company. Additionally, he served as a Director of the National Ice Company, Honolulu Plantation Company, Paauhau Sugar Plantation Company, and Hakalau Plantation Company. One of the high honors conferred upon Matson was his appointment as Consul of Sweden, giving him jurisdiction over the Pacific Coast of the United States. While he was Swedish consul, he was instrumental in advocating for a Swedish Pavilion at the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915. Matson was also president of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and was active in the civic life of the city and region.
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