China: The Messageries Maritimes liner 'Tonkin' at anchor in Shanghai, c.1910

The Messageries Maritimes is an old French maritime company. It was originally created in 1851 as Messageries Nationales, later called Messageries Impériales, and in 1871, Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes.

From 1871 to 1914, the Compagnie des Messageries maritimes experienced its Golden Age. This was the period of the colonial expansion and of the French interventionism in the Middle and Far East. In the Far East Saigon became the regional headquarters of the company, with regular sailings to Hanoi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Australia and New Caledonia.

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