Win Butor:
Copy
Sir John Wolfe Barry & Partners to Crown Agents.
21 Delahay Street, Westminster, S.W. 25th January 1906.
Kowloon Canton Railway British Section.
We have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th instant, and note that you agree with our opinion that it would be desirable that the Railway should be constructed on the departmental system.
We now beg to give the following replies to the three questions contained in Paragraph 3 of your letter.
#
(a) The gauge to be adopted would be 4' 8½" which is the gauge of the railways already built in China and will be the standard gauge of the country.
(b) The weight of rail provided for in our estimates is 85 lbs. per yard which is one of the British Standard Sections.
We note your views that a somewhat heavy section of rail is desirable with regard to the traffic expected, but consider that the section above referred to will be sufficiently heavy.
(c) We enclose herewith a list of the staff which we consider necessary for the carrying out of the work departmentally, with the probable remuneration required, calculated on a sterling basis.
This list represents what we consider would be the maximum staff required when the carrying out of the works is in full swing, and in consequence so large a staff will not be required throughout the whole time necessary for the completion of the works.
We are &c.
for Sir John Wolfe Barry & Partners.
(sd.) J. Wolfe Barry.
-12-