PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH——NOT TO
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should bear in mind that the Government of Hong Kong are very anxious to have the railway proceeded with at the earliest possible date.
3. On the receipt of your recommendations we will submit them for the Secretary of State's consideration and decision.
GENTLEMEN,
Enclosure 3 in No. 205.
I am, &c.,
E. E. BLAKE.
Sir JOHN Wolpe Barry AND PARTNERS to CROWN Agents.
January 13, 1906. We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, and, in reply, to state our views.
So far as the portion of the railway north of the tunnel is concerned, we think that it would be advantageous to Government to carry out this part departmentally. With respect to the tunnel and the portion of the railway south of the tunnel, we think that a contract could be let and the work be carried out by contract, if it were considered desirable to adopt that system. The contract system would undoubtedly offer considerable advantages if the contract were let to a reliable, substantial, and experienced firm, who could give satisfactory guarantees as to time of completion and who would take all risks connected with tunnel work.
On the other hand, we see no difficulty in carrying out the tunnel also depart- mentally, in view of the fact that labour is plentiful. It will, of course, be necessary to engage a thoroughly qualified man, experienced in rock tunnelling, to put in charge of the work, and from enquiries which we have made we think such a man would be forthcoming.
The disadvantages of letting the tunnel and southern portion of the line by contract are that considerable delay would be occasioned by getting out the contract drawings before any start with the works could be made and a more serious loss of time would occur as no doubt the contractors would think it necessary to inspect the spot and to satisfy themselves as to the nature of the work to be undertaken. It is also a great question whether contractors would not desire to have some borings taken on a line of the tunnel before pledging themselves as to a contract
sum.
We gather that the Government would be averse to any such loss of time as would be involved by the above-named necessities in the case of a contract, and if it were decided to carry out the work departmentally the staff could be engaged forth- with and sent out to Hong Kong, and a commencement made with the construction work at an early date.
If all that were desired were merely to commence the works quickly, it might be possible to execute the work north of the tunnel departmentally, making a beginning at once on that portion, and to submit to the delays necessary for letting the tunnel and the southern portion by contract. But the disadvantages of this mode of procedure would be that in respect of the work which must of necessity take the longest time in its execution, namely the tunnel, a commencement would be considerably postponed, and thus the final execution of the whole of the under- taking would be correspondingly delayed.
After giving the matter our best consideration, we should recommend that the whole work should be carried out departmentally.
GENTLEMEN,
Enclosure 4 in No. 205.
}
We are, &c.,
J. WOLFE Barry.
CROWN AGENTS to Sir J. WOLFE BARRY AND PARTNERS.
January 19, 1906. I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 13th and 18th instant, furnishing us with your recommendations as to the manner in which it will be desirable that the British section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway should be constructed.
2. We with
agree your opinion that it will be desirable that the railway should be constructed on the departmental system, and the earlier correspondence appears
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to show that such a procedure will be in accordance with the views of the Secretary of State and of the Colonial Government.
3. Before, however, submitting your recommendations for the sanction of the Secretary of State, the following points require to be settled :-
(A) Your instructions for the survey of the railway gave the gauge to be adopted as 4 feet 8 inches, and this we understand from our previous conversations with you is the gauge of the railways already built in China, and will be the standard gauge of the country. We would, however, ask you to confirm this in writing.
(B) The weight of rail you have contemplated using in the estimate you have drawn up should also be stated, and, having regard to the traffic on the line, which appears to be likely to be heavy from the beginning, a somewhat heavy section of rail would appear to be desirable. You will no doubt recommend one of the British standard sections.
(c) The European staff you estimate as likely to be required for the work should also be stated, and also the remuneration on a sterling basis which you consider will be necessary.
4. We should also be glad if you would furnish us with your views as to the remuneration which you should receive for your own services in connection with the work.
5. On the receipt of the above information we shall then be in a position to put the whole matter before the Secretary of State.
GENTLEMEN,
I am, &c.,
E. E. BLAKE.
Enclosure 5 in No. 205.
Sir JOHN Wolfe Barry AND PARTNERS to CROWN AGENTS.
21, Delahay Street, Westminster, January 25, 1906. Kowloon-Canton Railway--British Section.
WITH reference to our interview of the 9th instant, when the subject of our being retained by the Crown Agents as Consulting Engineers in this country in connection with the construction of the above railway was discussed, we now beg to submit a proposal for our professional remuneration.
We understand that the works will probably be carried out departmentally, and, accordingly, that our duties as Consulting Engineers will consist of (a) advising on points submitted to us by the Government in connection with the execution of the work; (b) advising and assisting in the selection of the staff; (c) preparing the designs for bridges or other structures, and for rolling stock, which would have to be manufactured in this country; (d) advising you on points arising out of the inspection of all work and materials supplied from this country, which inspection will be undertaken by you.
For services above-mentioned we propose that we should receive an annual salary during the construction of the railway of £1,000, to commence from, say, 1st January, 1906, and in addition that we should be refunded our expenses for assistants', draughtsmen's, and clerks' time, and for office, travelling, and incidental expenses.
The payment of our salary and expenses should be made quarterly on statements of accounts being rendered.
If for any reason connected with the execution of the works the Crown Agents should desire any member of our firm to visit Hong Kong, or if they desire us to send a special representative there on any matter connected with the execution of the work of the railway, our fees for such services would have to be made the subject of an independent arrangement when the circumstances arise.
If the Crown Agents should desire to retain our services as Consulting Engineers after the works of the railway are completed and the railway opened for traffic, we would propose an annual salary of £500, to commence from the date of the opening, with repayment of expenses as above, our duties being similar in character to those above-mentioned.
We are, &c.,
J. WOLFE Barry,
For Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners.