Ed (2829)
See item 5
Enter.
Reference....
HONG KONG WATER SITUATION
Mr. Simms telephoned to me today to report
briefly on his talk yesterday evening with
Mr. Wilmott-Morgan.
2.
10
He said that the figure of 30 m. gallons a day for the daily rate of consumption at the present level of rationing was now considered too low. It
had in fact been 32 m. gallons a day in 1962; and since the rate of water consumption apparently
rises by an 8 per cent compound interest per annum
the daily consumption figure would now work out
at something like 431⁄2 m. gallons a day.
3.
Mr. Wilmot-Morgan had reported that Plover Cove
has now been completely pumped out, all the fish are
gone, and there is very little leakage. Provided there is sufficiently heavy rain this rainy season, the fresh water would float on the top, and it
would therefore be possible almost at once to draw
off the top levels. This could then be mixed
with water from other sources, and would be
sufficiently pure.
4. The question of an outlet at Plover Cove below
16 ft. is now being considered.
5. Although Mr. Wilmott Morgan could not be sure
of this, he thought that the best source of supply for tankers would be the Philippines. But I gather
that he bases this rather on the geographical
position of the Philippines in relation to Hong Kong than on any knowledge about the Philippino rivers. He does not know the speed of those rivers, and what problems might therefore arise affecting the maneouverability of tankers. This, of course, is information we ourselves could readily ascertain
from Manila.
6. He said that there is a fairly fast flow of water (5 knots) at the new wharf in Hong Kong.
This would mean that tankers of between 16,000 and
20,000 tons could manoeuvre without much difficulty,
but anything larger than this would present
considerable difficulties. Apparently there was a mishap to one tanker in 1963 which succeeded in breaking loose and holing two other tankers as well.
It appears therefore that we could not use very
large tankers in Hong Kong.
7. Mr. Wilmott Morgan said that in 1963 the chartering of tankers was done in Hong Kong, and he thought that this would probably be the best
arrangement/