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entails a very large unnecessary expenditure for concrete without any advantage either to the Colony or our clients.
In this connection it will be within your recollection that your Department has approved of a concession for tramways in Singapore. In this instance the work is also being carried out to our instructions and under our supervision to fulfil practically the same conditions as apply in Hong Kong.
Under the terms of the Ordinance the form of permanent way construction has been approved of by the Municipal Commissioners upon the advice of their Engineer. This gentleman, prior to his appointment in the East, had large experience of tramway construction in this country.
Taking a double line of tramway, with centre poles, the form of construction approved of for Singapore necessitates the use of 785 cubic yards of concrete per mile of street, and that which the Director of Public Works in Hong Kong desires, viz:- 14" of concrete, 3872 cubic yards of concrete per mile of street.
You will therefore see that in the case of the 14" of concrete on double line with centre poles the demands of the Director of Public Works in Hong Kong causes the use of 3087 cubic yards of concrete per mile of street in excess of Singapore.
This is a most serious matter.
There being no surface paving in Hong Kong, we submit that the form of construction approved of for Singapore is perfectly satisfactory and all that is necessary.
The form of construction in Singapore consists of a continuous beam of concrete under each rail, 6" in thickness by 18" in width, the space between the rails and for 18" outside thereof being made good with road material, properly rolled and surfaced as in an ordinary road.
As there is practically no heavy street traffic in Hong Kong we contend that this form of construction is ample for that Colony.
However, as Mr Ormsby, the late Director...