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be allowed to tender nearly a year ago, and I believe that a letter from the Colonial Secretary held out hopes that tenders might be received from them. The only terms on which Sir John Coode thinks it probable Contractor would undertake the work would be for the Government to guarantee a percentage of profit on the actual cost of the work. I can recall but one precedent on a large scale of a contract let on similar terms - viz. the Contract for a railway from Suakin to Berber made by the War Office during the Campaign in the Soudan in 1885. The result was not, I understand, such as to encourage a repetition of the experiment. We may at once conclude that the idea of carrying out the Praya Work by one large English Contractor in Contract must be definitely abandoned.
4.
Owing to the alteration in the section of the Praya Wall the adoption of suitable Plant has, as Sir John Coode observes, become imperative for lifting and transporting the 80-ton Blocks which form the base of the wall. I have further considered the advisability of using Hopper Barges for transporting such portion of the Rubble stone and Earth filling as can be deposited by this method. In round numbers about one million cubic yards of rubble stone, and two million C. Yards of Earth will be required to form the new...