from the United Kingdom, that this work will be completed during 1949. The demand for gas is still increasing, the total output for 1949 being 36.8% above 1948, which is placing an ever increasing strain on the Company's resources.
Tramways
The electric tramway service is operated by Hong Kong Tramways Limited. The route
route runs mainly along the northern shore of the Island and thus serves the main industrial and residential areas. The track is almost entirely. laid as double permanent way and exceeds 19 miles in length. It extends from Kennedy Town to Shaukiwan passing through the city of Victoria. There is, in addition, a branch line which passes round the Race Course in Happy Valley. The tramcars are of the double deck type, the top deck being used for first class traffic and the lower deck for third class traffic. The bodies are of the single staircase type intended for single ended working, the termini having turning circles.
During the past year an average daily service of 100 cars was operated. Owing to delays in arrival of electric traction motors, the number of cars in service was prevented from being higher. During 1949, 109 million passengers were carried, an increase of 21 million over 1948 and 30 million over 1947. These passenger figures reflect the heavy influx of population into the Colony during recent years which has resulted in phenomenal loads being carried. This, allied with increased traffic frequency, has made apparent the need for improving the standard of permanent way. The Company has a programme in hand consisting of the gradual elimination of fishplate joints and their replace- ment by the latest type of thermit welding. This system produces in effect a continuous homogeneous rail without joints. Another part of the programme consists in substantial improvements of the concrete foundations in many parts of the track. On sections of the track which were previously lightly loaded, these improvements are well advanced. The conversion of certain short sections of single tracking in the Shaukiwan district is now proceeding and should greatly help the increased traffic demands arising out of the post-war building development in that area. An interesting piece of work completed in the early part of 1949, in conjunction with the Public Works Department, was the construction of a raised and widened roadway between Causeway Bay terminus and King's Road where an entirely new and re-aligned double track was laid down with completely new foundations. To minimize noise, the Company has replaced all trolley wheels by trolley bus type carbon slider collector heads. During the year eight new cars were brought into service; among these was a new type of car designed and
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