422
(4)
13. The scheme does not present any serious engineering difficulty, The design of the proposed new breast-wall may be the same as that adopted in 1877 when the Praya was re-built. Pierre-perduc foundations may be used provided the blocks on the outer slope average at least a yard cube. This form of founda- tion would be inadmissible if the work were exposed to the impact of ocean waves, but the harbour of Victoria is land-locked, and in the absence of any offing or reach of
sea, there is no undue exposure to high waves capable of clawing down the rubble mound. An embankment-wall on pierre-perdue foundation that in England might be classed as a better sort of river-wall, may, as far as I am able to judge at the moment, be ventured on, but this point will require careful investigation. It is an important point, for the adoption of the expensive form of ordinary founda- tions for sea-walls exposed to the ocean, ie., piles with concrete in mass, or con- crete in blocks lowered into place would so seriously add to the cost as to dis- courage the Marine Lot-owners from embarking in the scheme.
14. In 1865 this Government built a short section of 900 feet of Praya wall in the vicinity of Wing Lok Street, and founded the masonry in 20 feet of water on a pierre-perdue mound. This wall has stood over 20 years, without so far indi- cating any sign of weakness. Settlements there have been as was to be expected, This wall but the coping was raised and the level has always been maintained. withstood the great typhoon of 1874, and was one of the few sections that showed no injury to the foundations, and it may be accepted therefore as practically de- monstrated that the storm-waves in the harbour of Victoria have not the force to undermine the pierre-perdue substructure if built to an adequate slope with large blocks. An additional circumstance favourable to pierre-perdue' foundations is the fact that the sea-bed is silting up by reason of the great quantities of detritus washed down every year, (during the tropical storms of summer) from the moun- tain range behind the town, and that there are no tidal currents in the harbour likely to be induced by the change of coast line or likely to scour out the sea-bed.
15. The Lot-owners expressed wish to be allowed to carry out the reclamation themselves through their own Engineers cannot be entertained. The Government must insist on the work being executed by its own Engineers for the reason that the subsequent maintenance of the structure will remain as a permanent charge on the Government and not on the Marine Lot-owners. It is the Government there- fore that is most interested in securing a degree of stability that will preclude any later recurring outlay in maintenance.
16. The great business activity of the port, and the yearly increasing shore. traffic require that a wide marine roadway should be made. I would stipulate for nothing less than 75 feet of width, but of these 75 feet I would allow the owners of frontage to utilize 10 feet with their verandahs and arcades over the public foot-path (e. Government land) leaving 65 feet for vehicular and chair traffic and for the landing and embarking of cargo.
17. The proposed City tramways could not be conveniently built along the proposed new embankment, for the cars would have to run athwart an incessant cross traffic between the lighters and the warehouses. The trainways would be far better placed along the present Praya which would become an inland thorough- fare. To admit of double-lines of tramway without danger of inconvenience to the public a minimum width should also be stipulated for in respect of this thorough- fare. I would insist on a width of 75 feet again allowing the frontagers on both sides 10 feet for their verandahs and arcades over the public footpath, and leaving 55 feet from kerb to kerb for the tramways and carriage traffic.
18. A glance at the map will show that the proposed new reclamations will form nothing less than a new town, and the repetition in this new town of the narrow lanes that disfigure the old town should be carefully avoided. We want Wide wide streets for light and ventilation and to prevent the spread of fires. streets are all the more a necessity to us, that there is a tendency now among builders, owing to the increased value of ground, to add to the height of houses, and it is certain that four and five storied houses will become the rule.
In laying ont new streets these eventualities should be considered. creased traffic demand that no main artery of traffic be less than 75 feet wide and no cross street of any importance less than 40 feet wide.
Taller houses and in-
(5)
19. The length of the proposed sea-wall will be 3,400 yards or nearly 2 miles. Of this length the frontagers will have to pay for 2,800 yards and the Government 600 yards. These 600 yards represent the frontage of the Crown lots tinted yellow. I am informed that if the Government would not care to go to the expense of em- banking the 600 yards the Lot-owners themselves would be glad to relieve the Colonial Treasury of this charge on condition of their keeping the land reclaimed, Such a relinquishment of its own rights, however on the part of the Government, would be equivalent to making the frontagers a present of no less a sum than one and a half million dollars.
20. Mr. CHATER who has gone very minutely into the matter calculates the cost of the sea-wall, including sewer extensions and all contingent masonry-work at $300 per yard lineal of sea-frontage. My own opinion is that the cost will be more like $360 per yard lineal, and at this higher figure, I estimate the 600 yards of wall would cost the Government $216,000. From this I deduct $50,000 for the stone available from the present old wall, reducing the Government outlay on masonry works to about $166,000.
21. With regard to the cost of filling in behind the 600 yards of wall for the formation of the five sites shewn tinted yellow on the map, and which comprise an aggregate area of 300,000 square feet I am of opinion that it will not exceed $179,000, or say in round numbers $180,000 making a total Government outlay on works of $346,000.
22. A light railway may be laid along the Praya from the Sulphur Channel to the Gas-works, at which point the new reclamation begins. The Kennedytown cliff's and steep hillsides fronting the Sulphur Channel may be excavated down and the material (red loam) used for the filling in, the cliff excavations along Sulphur Channel being so conducted and finished off as to leave level building sites for anction sale on the completion of the works. In this way I calculate that an area of 300,000 square feet of hillside may be excavated down and levelled at Kennedy- town and left available for auction sale after the reclamation works are finished. The sale of these additional 300,000 square feet of levelled sites would at $1 a square foot yield the Government another $300,000 in premiums and $7,200 a year in Crown Rent, and to the latter figure may be added subsequently about $10,000 more for rates and taxes on buildings. The total profits to the Colonial Treasury from Kennedytown excavations will be therefore as follows: proceeds from land sales $300,000, and subsequent yearly revenue $17,200. These profits are of course additional to those set forth in paragraph 5.
23. It should be made clear to the promoters of this scheme that although the Government will carry out the works, the cost of administration, of railway, plant and rolling-stock, machinery, and all contingent expenses must be borne by them and the Government respectively in the relative proportions of the areas which it will fall to cach to reclaim, and that any stone and old building materials available from the present wall will be retained for itself by the Government and utilized on those sections of the proposed new wall which the Government will build on its own account. This arrangement is only fair, since it was the general rate- payers who paid for the old stone and who are therefore entitled to the benefit of it
in the new works.
24. In this Colony extensions to marine lots have always been allowed by reclamation from the sea provided the lot-owner carried out his reclamation in accordance with plans approved by the Government. No premium has ever been charged for such extensions. The Government has always contented itself with the increased Crown Rent corresponding to the area reclaimed. Sir HERCULES ROBINSON and Sir Jons BowRING dispensed with money premiums, and deemed it best to satisfy themselves with the yearly Crown Rents. The largest reclamations were made during the administration of these two Governors, and their policy seems to have been adhered to and continued by their successors.
25. But though premium may have been dispensed with in money, it has in reality always been claimed in land as an equivalent of money, and the frontagers have been permitted to make sen reclamations only on condition of their surrender- ing to Government a portion of these for public use in the shape of roads and
streets.