My Lord,
C.O. 11264
192
RECO
REGP 1 APR OC
Government House, Hongkong, 26th February, 1909.
In reply to Your Lordship's Despatch No. 13 of the 22nd ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that after full enquiry the Chief Resident Engineer came to the conclusion that the superstructure of the coaching stock can be built locally more cheaply and of material more suitable for the climate.
2.
In this connection I may mention that enquiries from the Manager of the Hongkong Electric Tramways Company elicited the fact that he had had constructed car bodies in Hongkong of equally good workmanship as some previously obtained from England, made of wood which stands the climate better than the woods used in England, and costing from 50 per centum to 100 per centum less than the imported article.
3.
It is the intention of Mr. Grove,
THE HONOURABLE
EARL OF CREVE,
&c.
300.
the