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PUBLIC

RECORD OFFICE

Reference :--

C.O. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

458

It is evident, from the Chief Resident Engineer's reports, that he is not getting on satisfactorily with the local Chinese contractors. He complains repeatedly of scarcity of labour, refers to having "broken a ring" (report 9th June, 1906), and in his last report (8th September, 1906) he foresees great difficulty in getting work done except at such rates as will draw all the labour from Hong Kong."

*

This is a very exaggerated way to talk. At the present time work is slacker in the Colony than it was been for several years past, and no difficulty has been experienced in letting contracts for public works of all kinds at reasonable rates and to substantial contractors. In my experience, if Chinese contractors are reason- ably dealt with, satisfactory terms can be arranged for almost any work. With the exception of the tunnel, there is no work connected with the railway which cannot be satisfactorily and expeditiously carried out by Chinese contractors.

The following public works are at present all being carried out by Chinese contractors, the principal contract in each case ranging from about £50,000 to £65,000:-

work.

Kowloon Waterworks (dam 350 million gallons)... City Waterworks Extension (dam 200 million

gallons)

Post Office, &c.

Law Courts

Estimated Cost.

£130,000

93,000

100,000 83,000

Sickness, arising from malarial fever, has been complained of as retarding the This is doubtless the cause to some extent, but its effect has been greater, owing to the small resources of the petty contractors employed on the work.

The second of the public works above mentioned is situated in a notoriously malarious district, which is much less accessible than the south tunnel face, but, during the past four months, the dam has been raised 19 feet, and 4,462 feet of 18- inch cast-iron mains have been laid, besides much other work.

I consider that the proper course would be to let the work out in sections, each section to include all excavation, embankment and bridge work, &c., falling within its limits. In his report of the 16th June, 1906, the Chief Resident Engineer states that a great deal of the Assistant Engineer's time is taken up teaching the local men how to do the work economically," and in his report of the 7th July, 1906, that "the engineers have to do all the cross sections and levelling necessary as well as all the supervision; this limits the amount of work which can be started at once." It may be gathered from these extracts that the present system of letting work to petty contractors will neither facilitate nor cheapen the work.

September 12, 1906.

SIR,

Enclosure 2 in No. 298.

W. CHATHAM,

Director of Public Works.

Chief Resident Engineer's Office, Kowloon, September 15, 1906.

Weekly Report, No. 19.

I MANAGED to obtain the services of an Italian for the north side of the tunnel, who fitted up the heavy timbers at the mouth of the heading. This may allow of some progress being made in the heading.

There has not been quite so much fever there the last few days; but the wet weather has done a good deal of damage to the service road.

On the south side, the heavy timbers have been set over the crown of the tunnel arch, but as two miners are in hospital, leaving only one to work, the progress has been very slow. I believe only three feet have been sunk this week.

There was one death from fever at the south face this week. Other works are getting on as well as the weather will permit.

His Excellency

Sir Matthew Nathan, K.Ç.M.G.

I have, &c.,

G. W. EVES,

Chief Resident Engineer.

38926

(Secret.)

MY LORD,

459

No. 299.

GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN to THE EARL OF ELGIN

(Received October 22, 1906.)

Government House, Hong Kong, September 19, 1908. IN continuation of my Secret despatch of the 21st August,* dealing with the Chinese project to connect Canton with Whampoa by a railway, I have the honour to enclose, for Your Lordship's information, a copy of a despatch. with enclosures (except Chinese newspapers), which I have this day addressed to His Britannic Majesty's Minister at Peking.

2. I also enclose a paraphrase of the telegram referred to in the first paragraph of this despatch.

Enclosure 1 in No. 299..

I have, &c.,

M. NATHAN,

Governor.

GOVERNOR, Hong Kong, to HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S MINISTER, Peking. (Secret.)

Government House, September 19, 1906.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Carnegie's Secret despatch of 5th September, and of Your Excellency's cypher telegram of September 19th, dealing with the Chinese project to connect Canton with Whampoa by railway, and in continuation of my secret despatch of 21st August, addressed to His Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires, to enclose for information a copy of the issues of the "Chun Kwok Yat Po" of the 5th September, and of the "Sheung Po" of the 19th September, together with translations of articles in these papers on this

matter.

2. I also enclose, for Your Excellency's personal information, copies of reports, dated the 22nd August and the 12th September, addressed by a Boat Officer of the Imperial Maritime Customs to the Commissioner of Customs, Canton, who had called for them on my suggestion, without stating the purpose for which they were required.

3. From the latter of these reports it would appear that the present idea of the Viceroy is that the railway to Kowloon should branch off at Wuchung from the line that is ultimately to connect Canton with Amoy.

Sir John Jordan, K.C.M.G.,

His Britannic Majesty's Minister,

(Translation.)

Peking.

I have, &c.,

M. NATHAN.

EXTRACT from the "Sheung Po" of the 17th September, 1906. Choice of positions for the Stations of the Canton-Whampoa Railway.

The Viceroy and His Excellency Cheung, Lord High Chamberlain, have jointly deputed officers to mark off the lands required for the construction of the Canton- Whampoa Railway along the proposed course by fixing up poles. It is probable that work can be commenced in the course of this year. The positions of all stations have (we hear) been decided upon. It is said that the Canton Station will be at Chun Lung How, outside the Great Eastern Gate, and the Whampoa Station will be in the vicinity of Luk Ka Yuen; ? carriage sheds and ticket offices will perhaps be in the same places.

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