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The Star Ferry, or The "Star" Ferry Company, is a passenger ferry service operator and tourist attraction in Hong Kong.〔DeWolf, Christopher ("9 Hong Kong tourist traps -- for better or worse" ) ''CNN Go''. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 2012-03-03〕 Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. It was founded in 1888 as the Kowloon Ferry Company, adopting its present name in 1898. The fleet of twelve ferries currently operates two routes (four prior to April 1, 2011)〔Lack of bids dooms Hung Hom ferry lines, SCMP, 15 Jan 2011〕 across the harbour, carrying over 70,000 passengers a day, or 26 million a year. Even though the harbour is crossed by railway and road tunnels, the Star Ferry continues to provide an inexpensive mode of harbour crossing. The company's main route runs between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. It has been rated first in the “Top 10 Most Exciting Ferry Rides” poll by the Society of American Travel Writers (“SATW”) in February 2009.〔(SATW Society of American Travel Writers: SATW's Top Ten Ferry Rides )〕〔( The Star Ferry Company Limited: The “Star” Ferry Ranks First in the World’s "Top 10 Most Exciting Ferry Rides” )〕 ==History== Before the steam ferry was first created, people would cross the harbour in sampans. In 1870, a man named Grant Smith brought a twin-screw wooden-hulled boat from England and started running it across the harbour at irregular intervals.〔Eric Cavaliero, (Star of the harbour ), ''The Standard'', 6 February 1997〕 In July 1873, an attempt was made to run steam ferries between Hong Kong and Kowloon. This was stopped at the request of the British consul in Canton, who feared it would enable visits to gambling houses in Kowloon.〔 It is thought that a service to the public was established in the mid-to-late 1870s, after the cession of Kowloon to the British in 1860.〔(EIA: A survey report of Historical Buildings and Structures within the Project Area of the Central Reclamation Phase III ), Chan Sui San Peter for the HK Government, February 2001〕 The company was founded by Parsee merchant Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala as the "Kowloon Ferry Company" in 1888. Naorojee bought Smith's boat,〔 and later acquired the steam vessels ''Morning Star'' and ''Evening Star'' from a Mr Buxoo.〔 The popularity of this means of transport enabled him to increase his fleet to four vessels within 10 years: the ''Morning Star'', ''Evening Star'', ''Rising Star'' and ''Guiding Star''. Each boat had a capacity of 100 passengers, and the boats averaged 147 crossings each day.〔 He incorporated the business into the "Star Ferry Co Ltd" in 1898, prior to his retirement to India.〔 The company name was inspired by his love of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem "Crossing the Bar", of which the first line reads ''"Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me!"''. At the time regular service was initiated, ships were moored by having a sailor on the vessel toss the rope to another on the pier, who would then catch it with a long billhook. This is still done today. On his retirement in 1898, Naorojee sold the company to The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company Limited, at that time owned by Jardine, Matheson & Co. and Sir Paul Chater.〔 A pier constructed on the western end of Salisbury Road opened in 1906, but was destroyed by a typhoon in September 1906. In the early 1950s, construction of the present twin-piered terminal commenced on both sides of Victoria Harbour, designed to handle 55 million passenger trips a year.〔Steven Ribet and Amy Tse, (Making the connection ), ''The Standard'', 1 September 1999〕 The structure was completed in 1957, concurrent with the Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier built on the island side. At the turn of the century, Hong Kong currency and Canton currency were both accepted as legal tender in Hong Kong. In the autumn of 1912, following a devaluation, the Star Ferry caused a controversy by insisting, together with the tramways, that payment had to be made in Hong Kong currency only. Canton coinage would no longer be accepted.〔Richard Frost, (History floats aboard Star ferries ), ''The Standard'', 1 May 1998''〕 In 1924 the Yaumati Ferry operated the route to Kowloon in a duopoly.〔Wiltshire, Trea. (published 1987 ) (republished & reduced2003). Old Hong Kong – Volume One. Central, Hong Kong: Text Form Asia books Ltd. Page 71. ISBN Volume One 962-7283-59-2〕 In 1933 the Star Ferry made history by building the ''Electric Star'', the first diesel electric passenger ferry of its kind.〔 By 1941, the company had six vessels. During the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong, the competing Yaumati Ferry was allowed to continue, while the Japanese commandeered the Star Ferry for their own purposes. The ''Golden Star'' and the ''Meridian Star'' were used to transport prisoners of war from Sham Shui Po to Kai Tak Airport.〔 In 1943, the ''Golden Star'' was bombed and sunk in the Canton River by the Americans, and the ''Electric Star'' was sunk in the harbour. After the war, the ferries were recovered and returned to service.〔 Until the opening of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in 1972, the Star Ferry remained the main means of public transportation between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon side. The Star Ferry operates on a franchise from the Government. It was last renewed in March 1998, the year of its centenary.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Star Ferry」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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