Source: History.HSBC.com - click for high res photo
Photograph showing a busy scene in Hong Kong harbour. Steamboats are moored up along the waterfront, with numerous other vessels in the water behind. This wharf was home to steamships travelling between Hong Kong and Canton (Guangzhou), China.
Date picture taken
unknown
Comments
Re: Canton Steamers
The photo very likely shows the steamer KWONG CHAU, owned by the Shiu On Steamship Company. This would fit to the date of 1903 as the KWONG CHAU had her maiden voyage on 15 December 1902. The pier shown is the company's one "West of the Hongkong Harbour Master's Office".
Note: I also found this photo and I was about to post it myself, that's why I knew all these details. More information will follow soon.
Canton Steamer's Wharf (detail)
Entrance gate (cropped from the original photo).
The English letters on the entrance likely read: HONG KONG & CANTON FAST STEAMERS