166.
THE PROPOSED BOAT-SHELTER
AT MONGKOKTSUI,
The following report, by Mr. J. F. Boulton, in the proposed boat shelter at Mongkoktsui was yesterday laid before the Legislative Council' by command of His Excellency the Governor:-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND quite sufficient for the traffic, and for the promotion of such a circulation of water within the sheltered area as would prevent stagnation and the serious deposit of silt. These opinions were based on the information which I was able to give regarding the nature of the traffic, and the strength and direction of the tidal currents. With reference to the form of the break- PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE. water, while approving of the general Hongkong, 1st February, 1909. character of the original design, the Consult SIE,-I beg to submit the following reporting Engineers were of opinion that certain on my recent conference with Messrs. Coode alterations, which they considered of import- Son and Matthews, the Consulting Engineers; ance. should be made in the details, They with reference to the Proposed Shelter at recommended that the slopes should be flattened; Mongkoktsui, for the protection of small craft that a wide herm of five-ton boulders should be during typhoons. The object of the conference substituted for the ramp of ten-ton concrete was to obtain an expression of opinion upon the blocks; and that the upper portion of the outer suitability of the proposed shelter and the slope, which was originally intended to be sufficiency of the proposed breakwater.
covered with concrete in mass, faced with granite pitching set in cement mortar, should simply be covered with pitching consisting of two ton concrete blocks set dry. The inner slope should be covered with dry stone pitching, in accordance with the original design; and the sizes and distribution of the materials in the rubble mound should, in the main, be in accord ance with that design.
To enable the Consulting Engineers to pronounce upon the subject, I supplied them with the following materials and data:-Charts of Hongkong Harbour and surroundings, show ing the relative positions of the anchorage and of the proposed shelter, the depth of the water in and adjoining the shelter; the maximum ex- posure which the breakwater would have to face and the positions of various sea walls which withstood the typhoon of 18th September 1906; and of others which were damaged or demolished by that typhoon. Detail Drawings of the sea walls referred to. Diagrams prepared from Kowloon Observatory, and records showing the daily direction, force, and duration of the wind during series
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years. Tabular statements showing the behaviour of wind during a number of severe typhoons, as registered at the Kowloon Observatory. Inform- ation concerning the character of the sea as developed by a typhoon; and concerning the character of the small craft which the shelter is designed to protect.. Particulars about the levels and nature of the hard bottom overlying deposit on the site of the breakwater. A detail cross
of
section of proposed breakwater, and a specifi- cation of the same, A schedule of prices of materials and labour. Information about the location and character of the quarries from which materials are to be drawn for constructing the breakwater; about local methods of work,
etc., etc., etc.
The Consulting Engineers entirely concurred in believing it to be necessary that a trench should be dredged in the mud for the purpose of reducing the lateral spreading of the foundation, as the rubble is deposited.
Having regard to the nature of the bottom on which the breakwater has to be constructed, and the character of the local labour and materials available, the Consulting Engineers had no doubt that a rubble mound structure, such as I proposed, was the proper and most suitable one to adopt. It is true that during the construction of such a breakwater its unfinished parts would be liable to damage from typhoons; but this unavoidable disadvantage would be more than compensated by the economy and convenience resulting from the adoption of a form of structure largely independent of skilled labour, and for which but comparatively little special plant and appliances would be required. The section recommended would also admit of the convenient rectification of such settlements of the work as would inevitably occur during construction and for some time after completion.
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The Consulting Engineers were of opinion The complete scheme for the Boat-Shelter, as that, as typhoons mostly begin from the north, modified by the Consulting Engineers, was east, the position of the shelter, being underestimated to cost roughly $273,000 in excess of the lea of the shore, was well chosen from the the estimate for the original scheme. The point of view of accessibility.
excess was due to the additional works which were recommended to be carried out a
They considered that the breakwater, either with regard to its direction or the extent of the sheltering work contemplated, could not be improved.
But they were of opinion that, unless the widths of the entrances were contracted, the area effectively sheltered by the breakwater would be much and unnecessarily reduced.
The obvious way of contracting the width of the northern entrance was to continue the break water northward for some distance; but I had to point out that. if that were done, the contract- ed entrance would be blocked by the rocky shoal which projects southward from K.M.L. 32 (the Asiatic Petroleum Co.'s Oil Works). The best way, therefore, and ultimately the most economical way, of narrowing the entranc, would be to adhere to the position originally chosen for the north head of the breakwater, and extend the Oil Works point of land south ward, by reclaiming the rocky shoal. I reckoned that the saleable value of the area reclaimed would go a long way towards defraying the cost of carrying out the reclamation.
The southern entrance could easily be narrowed by curving in the south end of the breakwater sharply towards the shore; but I suggested that it would be preferable to adhere to the original plan entirely, as far as the breakwater was concerned, and narrow the southern entrance by building out a jetty from the shore, in line with Sixth Street. The jetty would be very useful as a public landing place, and the reduced entrance would occupy a posi- tion where vessels could easily make it without having to hug the shore.
The Consulting Engineers approved of these suggestions and recommended that the widths of the entrances should be reduced accordingly the northern entrance from 900 feet to 300 feet, and the southern one from 840 feet to 390 feet. They cousidered that these widths would be
the entrances, the cost of the breakwater as modified being estimated to be practically equal to the same as designed. But, as His Excellency the Governor had laid it down that DO scheme could be accepted which would exceed in cost the amount of my estimate, namely $1.540,000, and as the Consulting Engineers considered that the additional works were absolutely essential, and that no cheaper type of breakwater could be devised, it became necessary to reduce the cost of the scheme by I
curtailing the length of the breakwater, and the area of the shelter.
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Accordingly the Consulting Engineers, in collaboration with myself, prepared a plan of a smaller scheme, which we roughly estimated could be carried out for the amount of the estimate. The alteration consists of shifting the southern entrance 80 feet northwards, thus shortening the breakwater, which is curved in to suit the new position of that entrance. Other wise, the scheme remains as before. The saving resulting from the shortening of the breakwater will be about equal to the cost of the additional works at the entrances, including the reclamation. The original scheme would have enclosed a total area of 194 acres of water, and according to the standard adopted by the Consulting Engineers, 166 acres of that area would have been effectively sheltered by the breakwater and additional works. The scheme as now modified will enclose a total area of 169 acres; and according to the same standard, 140 acres of that area will be effectively sheltered. In putting forward the larger scheme originally, with the wider entrances, I stated that 166 acres would be well sheltered. With the narrower entrances, the same area would be sheltered to a much higher degree.
! In deciding which of the two schemes recom- mended by the Consulting Engineers should be
1March 1, 1909. adopted, it would appear that only two matters require to be particularly considered, viz., the areas and costs of the schemes. In other respects the two schemes are equal.
The larger scheme was designed to include the greatest area of water which, having regard merely to the possibilities of the site, could be advantageously included. This area is much in excess of present requirements, and would pro- bably not be fully utilized for a great many years to come.
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The area of the smaller scheme is more than sufficient for the accommodation of the present number of small craft, and provides a reasonable margin for a future increase in the number.
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With regard to the matter of cost, the smaller scheme has the advantage of being some $273,000 cheaper than the other.
I may here point out that, owing to the natural configura ion of the site, the cost of the Boat-Shelter could not be further materially reduced without very materially reducing its
area.
I attach three sun-prints from drawings pre- pared by the Consulting Engineers, showing plans of the alternative schemes, and a cross section of the breakwater which is common to both. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant,
J. F. BOULTON,
on
Second Assistant Director of Public Works.
To The Honourable,
The Director of Public Works.
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EXCITEMENT ON THE PRAYA.
Quite a commotion was caused at Praya West Feb. 17th when some cattle dealers endeavoured to ship a buffalo bull on a junk without a ring being attached to his nose. Twice the shippers endeavoured to persuade the animal to walk over a narrow plank to the junk, and twice the bull became nervous and fell into the harbour, boing each time landed by some handy steps. This performance attracted a large crowd of Chinese who surrounded the footway to the junk. A third attempt was made to lead the buffalo across the plank, but this time the animal lost its temper and charged the mob. All the spectators managed to clear the bull's horus, but he continued his mad career with bent head until he came into contact with a
lamp post and smashed one of his horns. The keepers recaptured him and again essayed to ship him. It then appeared as if they would be successful, but a lakong came along and took both the shippers and the ball to the Central
Police Station.
"A COUNTRY GIRL."
The Hongkong Amateur Dramatic Club were well advised to repeat their successful perform- ances of "A Country Girl." They contributed so greatly to the public entertainment and weer so highly appreciated that it was practically impossible to ignore the demand for another pro- duction. The first of the two was given on Friday the 19th in presence of a large audience whose en- thusiam was unbounded. In fact it might have been better if fewer concessions to the popular clamour had been accorded, as the effect of so many encores was to unduly prolong the per- formance to a late hour.
"s before nothing but what is creditable can be said of the production. All the artiste played their parts exceedingly well and the play went with quite a swing throughout. Geoffrey {hallener, the Rajah of Bhong, Barry; Varjorie Joy, Madame Sophie, and the Princess were all the same as before and repeated their successes of December, but Nan found a different exponent, Mrs. Gilby taking the place of rs. Stewart. She filled the role admirably, and danced and sang and talked and joked with all the buoyancy and humour of
The choruses the lighthearted Devonshire lass, were well rendered and all the soloists were encored. Humorous references to the races made the production topical and still more amusing.
The performance was repeated on Saturday before another crowded and highly appreciative house,
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