THE ORIGIN OF “O.K”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 15 June 1932, Page 2

THE ORIGIN OF “O.K”

Several opinions have appeared in the correspondence columns of the Auckland “Star” regarding the origin of that very common expression, “0.K.” Like many other terms used in our everyday voca r bulaiy, such as “Al,” “the devil to pay,” “to the bitter end,” “half-seas over,” “spick and span,” “all aback,” “sheet it home,” “three sheets in the wind,” etc., the term “0.K.” had its origin with the seamen who manned the old-time clippers (writes another correspondent).

At Foochow, Amoy and Shanghai there were usually four brands of tea shipped by the Mincing Lane tea merchants. These brands, known on the China Coast- as “chops,” were named “Okay,” “Hvron,” “Souchong” and “Congou,” and different freights were paid the shipowners for the different brands. The freight for the “Okay” brand was from 10s to 30s per ton of 35 cubic feet higher than the others, as it was the most valuable in quality, and special precautions had to be taken in its storage. The “Okay” brand was always stowed in the top tiers in the lower hold of the ship, and the floor tier in the ’tween decks. Between each, tier of “Okay” chests bamboo mats were placed to prevent sweating, and the extra freight was compensation for the extra space taken up. The term used in the charter to describe this special stowage was: “Okay brands to be stowed with special dunnage covered with two layers of bamboo matting supplied by the shipper.” The ship’s officer responsible for the stowage,of the cargo signed the delivery notes thus: “Best brands stowed ‘O.K.’ as required in charter.” At the loading of the tea clippers there was always present a representative from the merchant’s office who was shipping the tea, it being his duty to countersign the shipping notes with the officei' responsible for the stowage. This was done by endorsing the notes with the letters “0.K.,” meaning “received in good order and stowed correctly. And thus did the term come into use. For the past seventy years every delivery note for ship’s stores, or cargo consignment note received aboard ship, lias been signed by the officer receiving it with the letters' “0.K.,” followed by his signature. If the goods were not in order, short weight or damaged, the endorsement would be “Not 0.K.,” and the cargo of the consignment note so endorsed was put to one side “until examined by surveyors.