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97
Enci No.2.
appreciable silting.
A table enclosed of vessels drawing
thirty feet and over, which have visited Hong Kong harbour
during the period 1927/1931, shows that in only four cases,
all in 1930, have vessels with a draught of more than thirty-
two feet berthed at the Kowloon wharves, and that in 1931
only four vessels drawing over thirty feet berthed there,
as against eight in 1927 (when the area in question had not
yet been dredged to its present depth). It is also
worthy of note that none of the large new ships mentioned
in paragraph 2 above figures in the table. There appears in fact to be some confusion in the mind of the
Company between 'draught' and 'length' of ships, and that
though the latter is increasing, the former generally
speaking is not. The needs of the case might therefore
largely be met by lengthening the existing piers, and this I
believe is the ultimate intention of the Company, but this
could not be undertaken without depleting, during the period
of reconstruction, the wharfage accommodation available,
unless the new pier were in use.
explain why the Company proceeded with the construction of
the new pier, despite the refusal of Government to give any
undertaking as to dredging.
This may perhaps in part
5. The Harbour Advisory Committee was divided on
the question of the depth required. The Colonial
Secretary (Chairman), the Director of Public Works, the
Harbour Master, and Commander Brooke, the Naval
Representative, were of the opinion that a depth of thirty-
two feet was just sufficient, a depth of thirty-four feet
eminently desirable, and a depth of thirty-six feet
unnecessary. Two of the unofficial members, the third
did not express an opinion, Honourable Mr. C.G.S. Mackie,
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Manager