éssrs Goode Son & Matthews to Crown Ag
Copy
Westminster Chambers.
9 Victoria Street, S.W.
31st March 1898.
Gentlemen,
Hong Kong - Regn 27,874.
438
449
We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 16th instant, forwarding copy of a letter from the Government of Hong Kong, together with two tracings which accompanied same, respecting a Pier which it is proposed to erect from the face of the New Praya, opposite Pedders' Street.
The time which would be occupied in the preparation of such sketch drawings and an outline Specification as would enable competitors to tender on a common basis, would go far towards the making of complete Contract sheets and a detailed Specification, such as is usually issued for works of this class, and which has been the course generally adopted in similar cases by your Department.
To prepare a momorandum describing the local conditions, without specifying the general scantlings of the piles, bracing and girders and the arrangement thereof, would result in tenders being received of a very open description, providing for works quite dissimilar in their character and strength.
In proof of this statement, we may point out that when tenders were recently invited by you for five grain sheds for Colombo, we prepared such a memorandum as that which is referred to in your letter, and in the correspondence forwarded therewith, with the result that t' lowest offer was £2,088, whilst the highest was £5,370, and unquestionably, the most favourable of the tenders, having regard to value of work proposed to be provided, was one of £5,117.
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