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There are 15 Major Bridges of over 40 ft. opening. The estimates for most of these are given in detail, the designs of these not given in detail have not been
settled yet.
A rather large over bridge is No.2 where Des Voeux and Gascoigne Roads meet and are taken over the Railway by a Skew Bridge. As originally arranged by Mr Bruce this bridge was a very wide one, but I managed to obtain sanction for greatly reducing the width, but even now I think it is unnecessarily large.
None of the Major Bridges will give any difficulty I hope. Bridge No.25 at the South End of Taipo Station
will require "ell founds. I propose to use wooden curbs
made locally and make each pier and pier abutment of two 14' drain wells sunk about 2 or 3 feet apart 25
feet into the sand. I had bore holes sunk and could
get nothing but sand.
The estimate for Bridge No.30 is rather large, but I think I will be able to cut out one span. I
am watching the floods in this valley, hut I think that the tide is the ruling factor here.
The last bridge over the Sam Chun River at Loru
consists of 100 feet Esck Span Girder with one 20'
span at each side. The banks of the river are "ery
well defined and steep and the water is rather deep.
I did not think it advisable to put a pier in the centre
as it would necessitate a rather large cofferdan,
which would block up the channel "ery much during
construction.
This would be a serious matter as the
river is tidal and liable to heavy floods b-sides.
The boundary line between British and Chinese territory
is the
Feas