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GO
immense sums expended in connection with the principal ports in
England, this amount cannot be regarded as excessive seeing that Hongkong is now the first shipping port in the World in the matter
of tonnage and there is every indication of further expansion in
its trade.
It has been considered prudent, in design-
-ing the scheme, to provide an area of sheltered water where ves- -seis, especially those of small size, can obtain refuge from ty- -phoons. When a storm of this wind threatens to come near hong- -xong, it is the custom of smail craft to seek refuge in good time and not to abandon it until there are ample indications that the storm has passed, the period generally extending over 2 or 3 days. It is obvious that railway traffic would be seriously inconvenienc- -ed by such a state of affairs and the provision of a small har-
-bour of refuge adjoining the terminus is intended to obviate it
as far as possible.
No attempt has been made to go into details
of the scheme peniing approval of its general outlines. It is however intended that the station for passenger traffic should be laid out alongside Des Voeux hond towards the southern extremity
of the reclamation and that the remainder of the area should be
available for the storage and manipulation of cargo. It is also Intended to provide accomadation for the workshops required in connection with the railway on another recitimei area in Tai Kox Tsui Bay, which is situated on the west side of the Kowloon Penin-
-sula.
The section of quay wall shown is merely
for basing an estimate on and must not be regarded as a definite design. in any design adopted it will be advisable to provide for unequal settlement of the foundations and for this contingency sloping concrete blockwork will probably be considered the most suitable form of construction.
i may point out that, if considered deshr-