47
48
be double ended. The design provides for vehicles and passengers embarking or dis- embarking at either end of the boat. When the ferry boat is berthed, a double deck ramp about 85 feet in length would provide facilities for traffic between the decks and the roadway. The ramp would be hinged at the shore end in such a manner as to permit the seaward end to be raised or lowered and thus provide for adjusting the outward end of the to the level of the boat deck, whilst the shore end of the ramp remains at the street level. The ramp would require to be operated by mechanical power as the con- struction of pontoons for this purpose is not practical. The steepest grade on ramps will be about 1 in 9; this would occur at low water of extraordinary Spring Tides.
ramp
A
It was purposed that the ferry boats should be designed for a speed of about 101 knots, i.e. a crossing including time occupied in berthing will take about 10 minutes. period of 10 minutes at berths should be ample time for unloading and loading of boats. Two ferry boats should therefore provide a twenty minute service. A faster service may be necessary at certain periods of the day. For this purpose, and for the proper main- tenance of a 20 minute service, it is considered that three vehicular ferry boats necessary.
are
3
RECEIPTS.
108 ferry crossing per day, 4 vehicles carried per trip. Say 450 vehicles at
average fare of $2.00 per vehicle per trip
30 first class passengers on 108 trips. Say 3,000 first class passengers at 10
cents per trip
20 third class passengers on 108 trips. Say 2,000 third class passengers at
5 cents per trip
Total revenue from traffic per day
Total revenue from traffic per annum: 365 days x $1,300.00. Rent of 40 sites for garages at $100 each
900.00
300.00
100.00
$ 1,300.00
$474,500.00
4.000.00
$479,500.00
Total revenue per annum.
ANNUAL EXPENDITURE.
ESTIMATED COST.
Cost of operating and maintaining 3 ferry boats Crews
$128,000
17,000
The estimated cost of establishing the proposed vehicular ferry service is follows:-
19
Salaries of clerical staff, inspectors, lift attendants, coolies and
scamen
15,000
Jordan Road:
Reclamation, Ferry Pier and Offices (Estimate includes about
$75,000 for offices)
Depreciation of ferry boats 74% -$750.000.00 (estimated cost). Maintenance of piers and ferry buildings, &c.
56,250
16,000
$520,000.00
Depreciation of piers and buildings and sea walls, 3% of $1,000,000
(estimated cost)
30,000
Hong Kong Site:
Reclamation, Ferry Pier, Offices, Taking over V.R.C. property and Road Formation. (Estimate includes about $75,000 for
offices and $125,000 to replace Murray Pier)
Total expenditure including depreciation
$262,250.00
020,000.00
Nett Revenue per annum
$216,250.00
Ferry Boats:
3 Nos. Vehicular & Passenger Ferry Boats.
Total Cost of piers, and ferry boats...........
REVENUE.
750,000.00
$1,890,000.00
Whilst the cost of operating the proposed ferry service can be estimated with some degree of accuracy, the volume of traffic which would make use of the vehicular ferry is not known. In consequence, a correct estimate of receipts could not be framed; however, in order to show how the vehicular ferry service would be required to operate in order to give a satisfactory return for the first year, the following assumptions were made.
(a). Twenty minute service.
(b). Ferry boats to ply between 6 a.m. and 12 midnight, thus making 108
trips per day.
(c). An average of 4 vehicles carried per trip,
(d). An average of 30 first class and 20 third class passengers carried per trip.
On 21st March, 1927, Government addressed the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce regarding the proposed vehicular ferry installation and invited comments on the above statement of revenue and expenditure, more particularly in regard to the estimated volume of traffic using the service.
The reply received from the Chamber of Commerce on 8th April, 1927, contained the following observations, which were framed on the assumption that the proposed ser- vice was to operate between the neighbourhood of the Central Market on Hong Kong side and Jordan Road in Kowloon :—
(a) "A twenty minute service with three boats running continuously for 18 hours is regarded as impracticable, and allowance must be made for periodi- cal overhaul. It is not thought that 2 boats could maintain a 20 minute schedule with cars to load and unload".
In this connection, it has been ascertained that at Vancouver, two ferry boats capable of carrying 18 vehicles each, maintain a 20 minute service across Burrard Inlet, a distance of two miles.
(b) Sets out details of vehicles transported during January 1927, riz. :—
403 cars. 9 lorries and about 200 motor cycles and side cars, and adds "It would seem therefore that, to start with, an hourly service would meet the needs on week days, and a half-hourly service on Sundays and holidays except during the busy hours (8 a.m.-10 a.m.; 12 noon-2 pm and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) when a 20 minute service should be instituted.