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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 4TH JUNE, 1898.
Supply of Portland Cement.- Contracts Nos. 42 and 46 were made with the Green Island Cement Co. (Confidential C.S.O. No. 5 of 1897 and Confidential C.S.O. No. 41 of 1897 respectively) for supply- ing 6,000 casks of cement.
Cement supplied by this Company during the year was 5,300 casks. On the 11th November, 1897, a Contract No. 12 P.W.D. (Confidential C.S.O. No. 57 of 1897) was also made with the Green Island Cement Co. for supplying 535 tons of Portland cement in bags of 250 lbs. each, first delivery of 800 bags to be made on the 1st February, 1898.
Reconstruction of Government Piers.-Murray Road Pier. Contract No. 41 made with CHAN CHEONG on the 5th January, 1897 (Confidential C.S.O. No. 99 of 1896) for the construction in granite ashlar masonry the upper portion of the pier above the concrete blocks. The work was carried on in a fairly satisfactory manner and the whole completed and opened to traffic on the 16th September. During the year under review 9,118 cubic granite ashlar in cement have been set, 63 cubic yards cement concrete, and 628 cubic yards lime concrete have been laid in hearting of Pier, No. 4 ring- bolts and 5 cast iron boltards have been fixed, also 3 lamp posts with lanterns fixed and the gas laid on complete.
Departmental work done by divers, pontoon crane and block barges, to the lower portion of this pier, viz., No. 4 closing blocks of different sizes containing 405 cubic feet have been set and 38 cubic feet cement concrete deposited in situ, the guide pile cut off below datum and the foundations trimmed by divers. The piles of the old wharf were cut off below datum and the superstructure removed,
Nam Pak Hong Pier.-Departmental work done by divers, pontoon crane and block barges, viz., 1,260 superficial feet rubble stone foundations formed, levelled and concreted, 10,164 cubic feet concrete blocks set in the first, second, third and fourth courses, (the first course being laid 9 feet below Ordnance Datum) and 220 cubic yards rubble stone hand-packed backing of blocks.
The completion of the granite ashlar masonry of the upper portion of this pier above the concrete blocks is included in Contract No. 23, the whole of which, except about one-half the coping and the paving of the platform, have been completed during the year.
Pedder Street Piers and Landing Steps, and a portion of the sea wall on each side of the Piers. The upper surface of the rubble stone foundations containing 3,447 superficial feet has been levelled and formed, and 3,652 superficial feet covered with a layer of cement concrete 4 inches thick forming bed for the first course of concrete blocks. The first, second, third and a portion of the fourth course of concrete blocks containing 25,922 cubic feet have been set and the joints and joggles rua in cement. The hearting containing 799 cubic yards of rubble stone has been laid and hand-packed by divers, the rubble stone foundations have been weighted and consolidated, concrete blocks containing 130,032 cubic feet and weighing about 8,127 tons having been used for that purpose.
Pottinger Street Pier.-The quantities of masonry and hearting of the upper portion of the pier above the concrete blocks are included in Contract No. 43 completion of Eastern and Western portions of Sections Nos. 6 and 7.
Making Concrete Blocks.-Contract No. 24 made with YAU KUNG CHEUNG on the 24th February, 1895, (C.S.O. No. 297 of 1895), for the manufacture of 1,000 concrete blocks was in September of the same year extended for the manufacture of 1,500 additional concrete blocks; in October, 1896, it was again extended for the manufacture of 800 concrete blocks, and in July, 1897, it was again extended for the manufacture of an additional number of blocks. During the year under review No. 805 concrete blocks have been made coutaining 3,223 cubic yards of concrete, and 23,309 cubic feet of granite ashlar facing. The whole of the work under this Contract and the extensions have been carried out in a very satisfactory and workmanlike manner.
Plant.-Owing to the exigency of the service only minor repairs have been made to the plant, consequently the whole of the floating plant requires to be docked, cleaned, painted and thoroughly overhauled. The two block barges and crane pontoon are now in the hands of the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company undergoing repair, &c.
I have the honour to be,
The Honourable R. D. ORMSBY,
Director of Public Works.
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
E. BOWDLER,
Special Engineer.