XII. If no action to co-ordinate the ferry services be taken at the present time, both the old operators will require large loans to enable them to build up their flects, and will not be willing to do so unless, in one case, the pier leases are extended for a considerable time, and in the other case,
in the other case, the period of the franchise be likewise extended. It is very questionable, if the Star Ferry Co., would agree to so short a term as 15 years.
85
XIII. To renew the leases of the Star Ferry Piers and so commit Government to the ferry method of transport for any period of time beyond 1950 is, in my opinion, a propcaal to be very carefully avoided, because it is probable that by that year the cross-harbour tunnel scheme may again be an economic possibility. The scheme was prepared by the late Mr. Buttress, with my concurrence, in the spring of 1941. At that time the late Sir David Owen was in the Colony reporting on the harbour, and. although he was made aware of the investigations in progress the study was not sufficiently advanced to permit of his reporting on it at the time of his departure. He, therefore, recommended in his report the construction of two new vehicular ferry piers, one at Marsh Road, Wanchal, and the other at Gillies Avenue, Hung Hom.
XIV. Mr. Buttress eventually completed his investigations and his report was forwarded to Government in March, 1941. Very fortunately one copy of this report his been recovered, due to the kindness of Mr. G. R. Huber, of Messrs. Karsman & Co., and is attached hereto, The scheme was based on the assumption that it was possible in Hong Kong to construct a tunnel by making sections on short, floating them out over prepared positions, sinking and joining them together by divers as had been successfully accomplished elsewhere. During my short leave in 1941 I visited and examined three subaqueous tunnels constructed along similar lines in the U.S.A., and from what I saw I am convinced that this method can be used in Hong Kong.
XV. In 1937 I commenced keeping records of the growth of traffic of the Vehicular Ferry. In the early days of the ferries existence there were nomer less than 400 vehicles carried per day, and early in 1937 it became apparent that the ferry traffic was growing rapidly. In 1939 the average mumber of vehicles per day had risen to about 1000 and a year later the figure was over 1100. These figures are given from memory, but I feel sure they are substantially correct. In 1941 I estimated that, provided the rate of growth of traffic was maintained the ferry would be running at maximum capacity by 1944, involving delay to users throughout most of the day.
XVI. Any public utility service must be capable of providing for peak loads without undue congestion, and it is a moot point to decide just when that point has been reached. I think, however, that any ferry service has failed in its function if users are obliged to wait longer than twice the period between the departure of
successive ferries in any but exceptional circumstances. Had ferry traffic grown as predicted, the public would have been subjected in 1944 to delays of the order of ore hour and more during the busy hours of the day, and on Saturdays and Sundays the system would have become entirely clogged.
XVII. The possible solutions for such a state of affairs are:-
(a)
The employment of larger boats.
Owing to the congestion in Hong Kong Harbour, this is not recommended by the H.M.
It has been laid down that ferry vessels should not exceed 150 feet in length. Larger boats, unless they could provide four lines of traffic on the deck, would not be large enough to solve the problem, and to provide four lanes of traffic on the existing ships is quite impossible.
(b) To increase the number of sailings per hour.
This, is impracticable.
The Ferry Co., during peak loads ran four vessels es quickly as they could turn round, The actul time between sailings was thus cut down to 6 minutes, but this was done only at some cost to Government in damage to fenders. If the boats were larger and therefore heavier, the damage would be correspondingly greater.
2