Andrew Johnston (died 1896)
Andrew Johnston ( -1896)
1896 Obituary [1]
ANDREW JOHNSTON was born at Stranraer, Wigtownshire, and received his education there.
He served an apprenticeship of five years from 1861 with Messrs. W. and A. McOnie, Glasgow.
In 1867 he went to China, and for eighteen months was superintending the erection of new machinery in Nankin Arsenal.
From 1869 to 1875 he was employed as marine engineer on steamships trading on the coast of China.
In 1875 he was appointed manager of the West Point Foundry, Hong Kong; and later on superintendent engineer of the Cosmopolitan Docks, Hong Kong.
In 1881 he superintended the erection and fitting up of the Lee Yuen Sugar Refinery, Hong Kong, of which he continued manager till 1886.
From that year he was established as a consulting engineer in Hong Kong, and acted also as Lloyd's surveyor at that port for machinery, and latterly for ships too.
During 1889 he personally superintended the floating of the steamer "Ardgay," which had gone on shore when going full speed in the Gulf of Tonquin; and a severe typhoon coming on shortly afterwards, the vessel had been left practically high and dry on a sandy beach. The first attempt to get her off was all but successfully completed when a storm came on, and all the work had practically to be done over again; and it was only after arduous and long continued efforts that the vessel was at last got off and towed to Hong Kong for repairs.
Towards the end of 1895 he was in indifferent health, and in February 1896 left for a trip to America, in hopes of benefiting by the change; but he became worse during the voyage, and on arriving at San Francisco was taken to the German hospital, where he died on 27th March 1896.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1891.