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Appendix "G."
REPORT ON WATER EMERGENCY MEASURES
JUNE, JULY & AUGUST, 1929.
The Control Office was opened as per Gazette Notice attached herewith, on the 1st July; a good deal had already been done in making preliminary arrange- ments for the landing of Water as it arrived from outside sources by Mr. H. S. Rouse and Mr. G. S. Graver-the motor vessel "Fu Kwang" had already been chartered through the Shipping Sub-Committee from the Asiatic Petroleum Co., (N.C.) Ltd.
At the Shipping Sub-Committee Meeting held in the Council Chamber on the 25th June at which the Hon. the Colonial Secretary was present, it was decided that immediate attention should be given to the transport of water from Wangmoon and with this in view an inspection was arranged for the next day. On the morning of the 26th the following party left by the tug "Kau Sing":
Mr. E. W. CARPENTER, Mr. R. SUTHERLAND, Captain R D. THOMAS, Mr. J. CH. A. GUNDESEN
and Mr. S. T. WILLIAMSON.
Mr. Gundesen was with the party in order to tender for the carriage of water by the Netherlands Harbour Works Co., a tender was afterwards received from this Firm, the figure quoted for limited quantities being at the rate of $1.30 per ton delivered into tanks on the Praya.
It was obvious from this inspection that lighterage and towage would be ex- tremely difficult owing to the Wangmoon Bar and the tidal conditions in this vicinity. With the approach of the typhoon season it was realised that it would be impossible to keep in touch with the tugs and lighters with Native tug-masters and lighter-men in charge; they would also have to call at the Customs Station outward and home- ward, at Lin Tin which would mean a diversion of about four miles; treacherous banks and flats having to be negotiated in doing this rendered conditions more difficult.
The M. V. "Fu Kwang" was loading her first cargo of water at Wangmoon when the party arrived and a call was made on board. We also called on the Chinese Maritime Customs Station at Wangmoon which, it was found, was only a sub-station and that no clearances could be issued there, business had to be transacted through Kongmoon which necessitated the call at Lin Tin on the return voyage.
It was unanimously agreed by the party on discussing matters on the return trip to Hong Kong, that it would be advisable to retard the lighterage and towage schieme and to proceed with light draft coasters which had previously been under dis- cussion; these would be self-contained units in charge of European Officers and in touch by wireless, which would be of very great assistance in the general working of a scheme of this nature. The depth of water on the Wangmoon Bar was found to be about 12 feet and this would definitely restrict the size of coasters to be employ- ed. Captain R. D. Thomas, with his extensive knowledge and long experience of the West River conditions, was closely questioned in connection with the possibility of working from other sources where a greater depth of water was available. It was found there were possibilities and Capt. Thomas was later asked to proceed to Canton with a representative of the Analytical Department, to draw samples from likely posi- tions; this was done and the results were very encouraging as the analytical reports covering bacteria and salt were found to be even better than the Wangmoon samples; with this in view the M.V. "Fu Kwang" was diverted to the West River after having loaded several cargoes at Wangmoon. The first West River cargo was drawn at Belcher Reach and later at Elliot Island, the lowest depth of water at this point being 25 feet; this now turned our attention to this locality as being the most favourable for