422
Main, J. McCubbin, Captain Milroy, A. C. More, A. Moir, W. J. Newland, Hon. G. W. F. Playfair, W: Parlano, J. Rankin, A. Rodger, H. W. Robertson, Dr. A. Rennie. Arch. Reid, C. H. Ross, S. B. C. Ross, W. Ramsay, Lt. L. P. Stephen, Captain G. W. Simpson, J. Stodar!, W. Stopani, Hen. R. Shewan, J. R. M. Smith, Gershom Stewart, A. Sinclair, Hon. C. S. Sharp, Dr. J. C. Thomson, Hon. H. W. F. Trofasis, H. g. Wynne, W. M. Watson, W. Wilson, Jam's Walker, David Wood, and G. M. Young.
The various Committees were made up as follows:
Invitation Committee.-Hon. W. Chatham, Hon. C. S. Sharp, Hon. C. W. Dickson, Hon. R. Shewan, Hon. G. W. F. Playfair. Dr. Ren- nie, Messrs. W. Kidd, E, J. Main, W. Wilson,
Gershom Stewart. J. R. M. Smith, E A
Bremner, and David Wood, Hon. Secretary (Convener).
Supper and Wines Committee.---Messrs. Arch. Reid (Convener), W. Kidd, J. L. Hous- ton, H. F. Carmichael, W. Ramsey, P. Dow, A. Moir, W. M. Watson, F. Maitland, A. G. Gordon, A. Forbes, T. P. Cochrane, W. Parlane, G. M. Young, W. D. Braidwood, W. D. Graham, A. C. More, W. Armstrong, A. Rodger, Dr.
Hunter, ard the Hon. Secretary.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
A
OPENING OF THE HANOI
EXPOSITION.
very bolated telegram, which had been sent over Chinese laudlines and waadated Hanoi, 16th ult, arrived on the 27th ult, and s ́ated that the Exposition was succes-fully opened on the 16th ult., in the presence of an immense gathering of people. Monsieur Thomé, the Commissaire- General, receive the Governor of Indo-China and welcomed the delegates from the countries of the Extreme Orient, the French colonies and the metropolis. Monsieur Beau, the Governor. General thanked the foreig govornments for having so cordially responded to the invitation, and declared the Exposition open.
[December 1, 1902.
rivets gone and leanings started; these were blocked up tem orarily. On the 22nd the vessels left for Hongkong and gat here yester. Great credit is dus to all day at p.m. concerned for the expeditious and claver manuer in which the sutrage was accomplished.
The Phra Nang is now in dock.
ENQUIRY INTO COLLAPSES OF HOUSES.
KOWLOON CI Y RO D.
emmon
At the Magistracy on the 24th ult. the enquiry into the fatal houso collapse in Kowloon resumed befuie Mr. F. A. City Road was Hazelaud, Polico Magis' rate and a jury. Mr. F. B. L. Bowley, Crown Solicitor, solicitor, represented the architects (Messrs appared for the Crown; Mr. H. W. Looker,
solicitor, the contra tors (the Loong Cheong Leigh & Orange), and Mr. C. D. Wilkinsou, firm).
F. T. H. Hewett, building surveyor attached to the R.E., s id bo had been in Hongkong since June, 1901. He had inspected the8) houses in Kowloon City Road on the 2nd Septem- ber, since when he had been there many times Generally the materials of the houses on the two lots appeared to be good. The bricks were by the fact that they had been got from not of uniform size. That was caused, he tho ight, different people; if different kinds were mixed
Among those prezent at the ceremony were Admiral Bayle, commanding the Far Eastern General Coronat, commanding the troops;
the head officials and representatives of public squadron, Monsieur Broui, resident-general; all bo lies, and the Tartai of Lungchow and many Annamite mandarins. The Governor-General and party were conduc'ed over the Ex- position by Monsieur Thomé, and recorded their great appreciation of what they S&W. A military tattoo was held in the evening and at 7,3) pm. the Governor-General gave a banquet to the Commissaire. General and the delegates to the Exposition and the chief chief of the rvice of the Exposition, the officials of th local administration. At the end of the repast be announced the receipt of a G. Ewing, A. R. Grieve, J. 1 ickin, J. M'Cubbin, | telegram from the President of the Republic the construction would be bad, because the bond. The lime used was ordinary shell lime, as used in Hong- conferring the cross of the Legion of Honouring could not be properly carried out.
used in the mortar of the houses was good, kong. Such lime was not good. The red earth probably taken from the hill at the back of the houses. He secured samples on 30th September or 1st October. These samples were given to Mr. Dennys and aftorwards analysed. It was very fair mortar. He did not agree with the theory that the collapse was caused by the SALVAGE OF THE 8.8. "PHRA softening of the mortar by rain. He thought
Decoration Committee,-Mo srs. W. C. Jack (Convener), N. S. Brown, D. MacDonald, Hugh S. Wynne, W. J. Maitland, Geo. Duucan, A.
W. G. Simpson (Capt., R. M). A. J Souttar (Lieut, R. A.), A. Milroy (Capt.), and the Hon. Secretary.
Dancing and Music Commitee.-Messrs. G, C. Anderson (Convener), H. W. Fraser, Ger shom Stewart, A. B. Lowson, A. Sinclair, Dr. Rennie, Hon. G. W. F. Trefusis, and the Hon. Secretary.
Card Room Commi.tee.-Messrs. P. Dow (Convener), D. E. Brown, J. W. C. Bonnar, and the Hon. Secretary..
Ladies' Room Committee.-Dr. R. Gibson.
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
PROPOSED NEW
RESERVOIR AT TYTAM TUK-
Our representative visited Tytam Tuk a few days ago and had an opportunity of seeing the operations in progress there with a view to the construction of a new reservoir in order to aug. ment the water supply. The work which is being done at present is only of a preliminary nature. Three brick caissons, about 6 feet in diameter, are being sunk at the head of Tytam Bay Inlet at sea-level, and excavation and blasting operations are in progress at both sides of the bay to as- certain whether the site is a suitable one for the construction of a large masonry dam. One of the wells has been sunk to a depth of over 30 feet, and from what we see it must have been a laborious work owing to its being mostly below sea-level. If the site proves suitable and the dam is carried up to a height of 5 feet above sea-level, we understand that it will impound betweed 1,000 and 1,500 million gallons of water, which will mean almost trebling our existing storage capacity. The proposed reservoir will sub erge about 200 acres of ground including the small village of Tytam Tuk and some culti vated land.
The contour survey of this district comprising an area of one square mile is also in progress. A track bas been ont ronud the hills about 200 feet above sea-level and a great deal of under growth has had to be cleared. Some trouble has, we understand, been experienced on accourt of fever breaking out among the staff engage in this survey.
It is to be hoped, however, that the favourable weather which usually prevails at this season of the year will enable the work to be completed. Mr. Isidore Xavier, of the Public Works Department, is now engaged in surveying the district, which is considered one of the worst places in the Colony for malarial fever. The scenery around the district is highly picturesque.
The rails of the Selangor-Perak Railway are now laid for 17 miles beyond Tanjong Malim, and the contractors on the Selangor side bave only 5 miles more to make. That should be finished in about three months. It is hoped that the through route-Port Swettenham to Prai -may be complete by the middle of next year.
on M. Thomé.
Among the savants who left Hongkong by the s.8. Hue, for the Congress of Orient alists at Hanoi were M. Baelz, physician to the Mikado; Baron de Ritter, Baron Cor- visart, Colonel de Grandprey; Professor Leavenworth; and others.
NANG."
The N.D.L. 8.8. Machew which left here on the 14th ult., with a salvage party on board to salve the N.D.L. s.s. Phra Nang that had gone ashore on the Paracels, returned to Hongkong ou the 24th ult. with the damaged steamer in tow.
On the salving steamer were Captain Krebs, marine superintendent of the North German Lloyd; Mr. J Watt Jameson. of the London and Mr. T. G Doyle, the Sa'rage Association; chief diver. Heavy pumping and other appa- ratus wás tak u down. The Machem arrived at the Parac is on the 16th inst. at 1 p.m. and found the Phra Nang aground on a coral reef on Pritou Island, the south-western island of the group. On account of strong wind and current great difficulty was experienced in getting alongside the Phra Nang, her fore part being aground and the steru sflo t iu deep water. Examination showed that the fore-hold was full of water and No. 2 hold making water. She had then been on the reef for 16 days. The captain, officers and the crew were on board all that time.
the external walls of Nos. 30 and 32:hould have been thicker, having regard to their length. In building a wall it should be carried up at a uniform rate of progress; one part should not ba advanced considerably higher than another; the usual specification in Hongkong in this connectiou wa for thr.e feet. A result of building unevenly would be that thy equally and weak
wall would not settle It took two or three places would appear. mouths for a wall to settle. Broadly speaking it was impossible in Hongkong to get a wall built uniformly. The witness went on to giva esidency concerning the string courses in the wall.
He was of opinion that both the string courses and the corbelling should be of cement mortar. When ordinary mortar was used, these portions of the walls were generally, if not always, bad, owing to faulty construction and bad workmanship. There was no provision in the Ordinances for the employment of cement mortar, but there was such a proposal in the new Building Bill.
Mr. Looker objected to the witness dealing in his evidence with a Bill which was not yet passed and which might yet have amendments made upon it.
Mr. Bowley said he took it that one of the objects of the enquiry was to find out what should be done to improve matters in this
connection.
His Worship remarked that the Court was enquiring how the men who were killed lost their lives and whether anybody should be punished.
A start was at once made with the work of salvage. Centrifugal pumps were pat on board the stranded vossel, a 12iu. and join. in the fore-hold and a luin. in No. 2 hold. Her engines were got ready and the cargo was transhipped to the Machew, Mr. Dyle tried to examine the ship's bottom but was unsuccessful as it was imbedded too deeply in the coral. The following day at 5 o'clock the pumps were at work and at 5 pm, on the 18th,
The wituess further stated, in continnation Captain Krebs decided to attempt to get the Phra Nang off as it was appa eat the pumps
of his evidence, that the spaces from face to had command of the water. The Mu hew begau face of the walls ought also to be in cement towing and the other worked her engines asteru. mortar. To make a good job of these walls they The vessel refused to budge for some time and should have been filled with cement, especially one sida of the at one point the Juchew came near to going when brick on edge on
wall met brick flat on the other, rendering ashore Lerself and had to cast off the cables about 8 pm. The Phra Nang was loosened by proper bonding quite impossible for at least five the force, however, and she came afloat at 9 p.m.
courses in height. With regard to the specifica- tion for these houses, he would not condemn it after her own engines had beek working astern and ahead alternately for the whole time. On because it was not pr..vided that these courses lie was not prepared to account of a heavy N.E. monsoon prevailing it shou'd be in cement. was decided not to go to Hongkong direct, say that before the collapses be would have done
In view of recent· better than anybody else. but to make
Bay, Aanam, 180 miles distant. Both ressels steamed experiences he did not think that the specifica- slowly and arrived there on the 20th, Here tious were sufficient. The corbelling of the the Muchew gave supplies of
and party wall was omitted to allow the passage of asteir. From the whole of these observations he coal to the Phra Nang and Mr. Doyle made a thorough inspection of the bottom, finding was of opinion that the outer walls of Nos.
for
Touroa
water
T