PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
SEPERIC.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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Both these bungalows are of wattle and daub walls plastered on the inside with lime mortar, and protected with weather boarding where exposed to the weather; they have shingled roofs carried on wrought timber rafters; the floors are boarded and the whole building is raised from the ground and supported on masonry pillars carrying timber sills on which the flooring joists and framing of the building rest.
54. For the accommodation of the station masters and clerks I have estimated for buildings of this class, which are similar to those usually occupied by planters in Ceylon, and which, subject to small annual repairs after the first few years, may I think be counted upon as lasting for 15 years or more, and to allow for contingencies have estimated their cost at the liberal price of Rs. 2.50 per superficial foot of area covered.
Drawings of these buildings are submitted with this report.
55. At Pattupola and Idulgashèna stations, near which bungalows for the engineers engaged upon the construction of the railway would be erected, some reduction can probably be made in the accommodation provided, and economy thereby effected, in consequence of the engineers' bungalows, which will be vacated upon the completion of the railway, being available as residences for the working staff.
56. For cooly lines I have estimated for wattle and daub buildings protected on the front and sides by verandahs. For each room, including its share of the verandah, I have set down in my estimate Rs. 150, the usual price for lines of this description upon estates being, I understand, Rs. 50 per room 10 feet by 10 feet in area.
57. The total saving effected in the item of stations by the modifications made in their designs is Rs. 143,442-83, and should the suggestions made in the 46th and 47th paragraphs of this report be adopted by the general manager, this saving will be increased to Rs. 201,030 83.
58. L.-Reserved Quantities. In accordance with the views of the general manager as expressed in his letter, No. 54, of 17th March last, the item of workshops appearing in Estimate No. 4 is not separately entered in the present estimate, but I have allowed Rs. 40,000 for work under this heading under the item of Reserve Quantities, the total of which item now stands at Rs. 83,250, I may mention that on the Nánu-oya railway the expenditure upon reserve quantities, which it was estimated at the contractors' prices, might amount to Rs. 158,100, has been to 31st March last only Rs. 36,939 17.
59. M.-Maintenance. In this item I have made no material alteration, retaining the mileage rate set down for it by Messrs. Nowell & Co. in their contract for the Nánu-oya railway.
SCHEDULE No. 2.
Comprising Items the Cost of which under a Contract similar to the Nánu-oya Railway would be borne by the Government.
[N.R.-In calculating amounts in this schedule rupees are taken at ls. 7d. each.] 60. O.-Telegraph. I have taken the necessary expenditure for this item at Rs. 500 per mile, thereby reducing the former estimate by Rs. 2,144 25.
61. P.-Land and Compensation. In this item I have made no alteration, but have taken Mr. Mosse's figures of Rs. 61,875 as representing the necessary expenditure under this heading.
62. Q-Engineering and Administration. The experience obtained during the construction of the Nanu-oya railway, where the expenditure under this heading, from 1st May 1879 to 28th February last, including that included by the Crown Agents in England, has been Rs. 612,221 08, or nearly Rs. 15,000 per mile, has shown that in all I have previous estimates the cost of this item has been put at far too low an amount. therefore set it down at Rs. 355,561 50, or at the rate of Rs. 14,000 per inile, being Rs. 114,399 50 in excess of the sum formerly entered. This amount will, I confidently hope, be ample, as I do not think it at all likely that the construction of the Haputalé Extension of 25 miles in length will occupy nearly so a long a period as that taken for the construction of this line.
The amount set down under this head is intended to provide only for the staff required if the line be carried on by contract; should it be executed departmentally, the strength of the staff must necessarily be much increased, as the Government would have to engage the foremen, inspectors, &c., who under the contract system are employed by the contractor. The pay of men of this class, however, cannot properly be included pnder the heading of Engineering Supervision, but should be viewed as part of and
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charged against the cost of the work on which they are engaged, and the rates set down for the works in question, being the contract rates for the Nanu-oya railway, may be assumed as ample to cover charges of this nature.
63. R. & S.—Wrought and Cast iron-work in Bridges. I have set down the liberal price at the present rates for bridgework of 141. per ton for manufacture, including inspection, and have allowed 17. 108, per ton for freight and all expenses to Colombo, and Rs. 12 per ton for the cost of transport to Nánu-oya.
The total prices set down for these items are Rs. 71,628.71 and Rs. 1,766.21, being respectively Rs. 6,526-32 above and Rs. 3,058.79 below the corresponding amounts in my previous estimates.
the
64. T.-Rolling Stock. All previous estimates for this item were framed upon assumption that an extension of the railway to Haputalé would require the same amount of stock per mile as the main line. Feeling assured that this assumption was an erroneous one, and that the amount previously set down was excessive, taking into account the considerable number of vehicles at present on the open line which cannot, owing to the large variation in the monthly amount of the goods traffic, be always fully employed, and taking also into consideration the fact that the seasons ir. Uva, on the East slope of the central group of mountains, alternate with those in Dimbula and other districts served at present by the railway, which may be said to lie on their West slope, and the bulk of the additional down traffic, and I think the up traffic also, will, therefore, probably be thrown on the railway at times when its rolling stock is not fully occupied in carrying the traffic derived from the districts at present served by the line, I put myself in communication with the general manager of the railway upon this subject. I have also had conversations with that officer upon the matter, and, finding that he agreed generally with my views, I sent him with my letter, No. 175, of 30th April last, an approximate estimate amounting to Rs. 303,644 75 for the rolling stock I deemed necessary. This estimate was considered to be sufficient by that officer in his letter, No. 97, of 8th instant. Copies of both these letters are appended.*
This sum is therefore set down in my estimate as sufficient for this item, being Rs. 273,899 25 less than the former estimate.
65. U.-Permanent Way Steel Rails. V.-Steel Guard Rails. The price of steel rails in England is, I understand, at present 57. per ton f.o.b. I have set down 67. per ton for their manufacture, 11. 10. per ton for their freight to Colombo, and Rs. 12 per ton for their transport from Colombo to Nánu-oya.
The totals set down for these items are respectively Rs. 332,414·10, and Rs. 42,331 83, or Rs. 54,785 90 and Rs. 7,731 17 less than those set down in Estimate No. 3, which was calculated when the price of steel rails f.o.b. in England was about 81. per ton.
66. W.-Fastenings. This item shows an increase of Rs. 4,436 84, solely due to provision being made for transport to Nánu-oya instead of to Nawalapitiya as in my former estimate.
67. X.—Switches and Crossings. This item, after allowing for transport to Náno- oya instead of to Nawalapitiya, shows a decrease of Rs. 3,045 32 in consequence of the less number necessary.
68. Y.-Baltic Sleepers. This item shows an increase of Rs. 101,161 42, due to the following causes. Firstly, because in consequence of the hardwood sleepers having been dispensed with on straight lines and flat curves, the number of Baltic sleepers required is increased from 27,500 to 46,490. Secondly, because I have taken the price of each sleeper as 3s. 6d. instead of 38. Thirdly, because I have provided for their delivery at Nánu-oya instead of at Nawalapitiya.
69. The items in this schedule bearing the distinguishing letters, R, S, U, V, W, X, and Y, have also been increased in comparison with those formerly set down for them in consequence of the rate of exchange per rupee having been taken at 11. 7d. as mofe nearly representing the current rate than 1s. 8d. formerly set down for it.
in
70. Z.-Contingencies. This item, for which I have set down Rs. 75,000, did not former estimate. It is intended to provide against any increase in the cost appear any of ironwork, or of sleepers, any fall in the rate of exchange, for the cost of erection of quarters for the Engineering staff during construction, and generally for sundry miscel laneous expenditure which cannot at the beginuing of any work be foreseen. In view of the liberal prices taken for the manufacture of ironwork, and the low rate at which exchange is calculated, this sum will I hope prove ample.
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Appendix C.
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71. The following table shows my estimate for the work calculated as regards the items which under a contract similar to that for the Náou-oya Railway would be done by the contractors at Messrs. Nowell and Co.'s scheduled prices for that railway, and against each item I have entered the amounts formerly set down for it in Estimate No. 4, showing the increase or decrease in each case :-
NÁNU-OYA TO HAPUTALÉ.
Schedule No. 1.
WORKS which, under a Contract similar in form to that for the Nánu-oya Railway, would be executed by the Contractor.
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