DIE
MON
DROIT.
THE HONGKONG
Government Gazette.
報門 轅 港
Published by Authority.
香
No. 48.
1
琥三十四第
VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 26TH SEPTEMBER, 1891.
日四十二月八年卯辛日六十二月九年一十九百八千一
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.--No. 395.
VOL. XXXVII.
簿七十三第
The following is published.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 23rd September, 1891.
W. M. GOODMAN,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,
SIR,
HONGKONG, September 11th, 1891.
In accordance with instructions I have made an enquiry into the cause of the whitish appearance of the Taitam and Pokfulam waters at certain seasons of the year, and I have the honour to submit to you the attached report.
After a careful investigation I found that, as might be inferred from a knowledge of the geological formation of the collecting areas, the waters differ in no material respect as to the nature, and but very little as to the quantities of the dissolved and suspended constituents.
I have consulted with the Resident Engineer of the Water and Drainage Department, and have shown him my report, and he concurs with me, in order to avoid delay that it is better to forward you this at once, leaving the joint report on the best practical means of ridding the water of its occasional whitish appearance, until we have had time to consider more in detail the facts I now subunit.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
THE COLONIAL SURGEON.
E. W. LUCAS, Acting Apothecary and Analyst.
A REPORT ON THE "WHITISH APPEARANCE" OF THE TAITAM AND POKFULAM WATERS.
1. PRELIMINARY The hills forming the watersheds of Taitam and Pokfulam consist chiefly of Granite and Syenite, Both are highly felspathic rocks, more or less weathered, disintegration having occurred in some places to such an extent as to form clayey beds of laterite with boulders of unaltered rock lying in them.
2. The water draining from the slopes at these hills constitutes the chief supply of the city, and although in some respects it answers to the description of an "upland surface water," yet it must be taken into consideration that several of the more important streamlets are fed by springs which exist even in seasous of extreme drought.