The port city of Bristol England in the 1800s is home to Java Head a sailing ship line company. The owner has two sons. One a handsome seafarer is in love with a local girl but cannot marry her due to a long-running feud between their fathers. After a lengthy voyage he returns with a very exotic noble Chinese wife which scandalizes the conservative town. His other son a "landlubber" seeks to convert to steamships to the disgust of his father. Even worse he is secretly dealing in contraband.