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HONGKONG
The Sheers at Hung Hom are capable of lifting 100 tons and the depth of water alongside is 24 ft. 6 ins. at low tide. There are nine building berths at Hung Hom ranging from 450 ft. to 900 ft. and the Dock is capable of build- ing vessels up to 700 ft. in length.
TAIKOO:In 1908 docks constructed by the Taikoo Dockyard and En- gineering Co., Ltd., at Quarry Bay, just inside Lyeemun Pass, were completed. The dock has been built to British Admiralty requirements, and has been designed to permit of further increasing its length should it become necessary at some future time to do so. The dimensions of the dock are: 787 feet ex- treme length; 750 feet on the blocks; 120 feet wide at coping; 77 feet 6 inches wide at bottom; 88 feet width of entrance at top; 82 feet width of entrance at bottom; 34 feet 6 inches depth over centre of sill at high spring tides; 31 feet depth over sides of sill at H.W.O.S.T. A feature of the dock is the caisson, of the box-sliding type, weighing 400 tons and electrically controlled.
There are thrce slipways:-.
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No. 1 Slipway is 1,030 feet long and 80 feet wide, capable of taking steamers up to 335 feet long having a displacement of 3,000 tons.
No. 2 Slipway is 1,053 feet long and 60 feet wide, capable of taking steamers up to 370 feet long having a displacement of 4,000 tons.
No. 3 Slipway is 993 feet long by 60 feet wide, capable of taking steamers up to 300 feet long having a displacement of 2,000 tons.
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The building yard is 500 feet long, and 500 feet wide, and has been equipped with a view to the construction of passenger and cargo vessels, turbine The engine shops, are most extensive and complete, capable of undertaking the building of all classes of steam engines, including geared turbines. The establishment throughout has been fitted with the latest time-saving appliances procurable. The electric crane situated on the sea-wall lifts 100 tons at a radius of 70 feet, and waggon and crane roads run the full length from end to end.
WHARVES AND GODOWNS
Cargo is handled both in midstream and at wharves. In the former case transit by means of lighter or native junk is the rule. Steamers surrounded five decp on either side by native craft are consequently a normal feature of Hongkong Harbour,
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The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, Limited, owns a water frontage 2,000 feet in length åt Kowloon, the total area of its pro-: perty being 1,201,350 square feet. It has nine berths, capable of berthing steamers 650 feet in length with a draught of 32 feet at lowest spring tides. A new
wharf, 800 feet in length, and 60 feet in breadth, is in course of con- struction. Light railway lines facilitate the transfer of cargo to or from transit godowns or from steamer to steamer at the wharves. A railway siding. connects the premises with the Kowloon-Canton Railway. The Company maintains a fleet of eleven steam and motor tugs and launches and 114 lighters of from 50 to 200 tons capacity; its godowns (including separate buildings for extra hazardous, hazardous and non-hazardous goods and bonded ware- house for storage of dutiable goods) have a total capacity of about 300,000 measurement tons. An open space (343,343 sq. ft.) is also provided for storage of timber and other cargoes not requiring cover. The newer godowns are equipped with electric conveyors and electric cranes. Sixteen cargo cranes are operated on shore and five afloat, with a lifting capacity up to 25 tons. There is additional accommodation at West Point, the principal Chinese business quarter. A large staff of Swatow coolies, trained to handle cargo, is employed and housed by the Company, which also maintains an effective force of detectives and watchmen to prevent robberies and pilferage.
Holt's Wharf has a frontage of 1,600 ft. and an area of 108,000 sq. ft. The storage accommodation comprises five, four and two-storey warehouses with a capacity of 25,000 measurement tons. A large fleet of tugs and lighters
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