70
the honour to forward copy of a letter with enclosures from the Resident-General, re- lative to serious defects which have been found in 102 rails supplied through the Crown Agents to the Perak State Railway in 1896.
2. You will observe that copies of this correspondence have already been sent to the Crown Agents with an enquiry as to what action they propose to take in the matter.
C I have, &c.,
T
F. A. SWETTENHAM
71
2. The rails, of which the above 102 form a part, were supplied by the Blaenavon Company as follows:-
;
Requisition No. 226. R. of 1896 under Specification, clated
Rails.
Tons,
£
!! . .
4,050
868 at 4 14 5= 4,096
42
Enclosure in No. 31.
RESIDENT-GENERAL to HIGH COMMISSIONER.
(No. R. G., 831/02.) SIR,
Resident-General's Office, Selangor, February 13, 1902. WITH reference to my Secretary's letter, No. 6866, of the 27th December last, on the subject of the condition of three locomotives recently received in the Federated Malay States from the Crown Agents, I have the honour to submit copy of a letter with one enclosure from the General Manager Railways, No. 179, of the 30th January ultimo, regarding certain serious defects in 102 rails supplied through the Crown Agents to the Perak State Railway in 1896.
2. I have forwarded copies of this correspondence to the Crown Agents, en- quiring what action they propose to take in the matter, and suggesting that some com- pensation should be obtained from the manufacturers for this discreditable result.
I have, &c.,
His Excellency the High Commissioner,
Federated Malay States.
W. H. TREACHER,
Resident-General, Federated Malay States.
(A.)
FEDERATED MALAY STATES RAILWAYS.
(G.M.R. 179/02.)
SIR,
General Manager's Office, Kuala Lumpor, Selangor,
January 30, 1902.
I HAVE the honour to forward copy of a letter, No. 114, of the 22nd instant, n the Acting Resident Engineer for Railways, Perak, reporting serious defects in 102 rails supplied by the Crown Agents.
2. I personally noticed two rails showing bulges and splits, and consider that notice should be taken of it as we pay for examination and testing, and these defects should not have been possible had the specification been strictly adhered to by the manufacturers and Inspecting Engineer. I beg to recommend that the Crown Agents be informed of what has happened.
21st September, 1896. Indent
No. 8 of 1896.
Requisition No. 230. R. of 1896.
Indent No. 13 of 1896.
7,200
1,542 at 4 12 6= 7,84
Total Rails
11,250
2,410
11,280
In addition to this sum £241 was paid to Mr. W. H. Stanger, the Inspecting Engineer, for examination and testing.
3. The defective rails under report extend over a length of 113 miles, between Enggor and Padang Rengas; they have been laid within the last three years, and the traffic over them has not exceeded an average of four light passenger trains a day each way. The permanent way is on easy grades, and has been kept in excellent order.
4. One of the rails I have had removed from the road, and the defective portion, which has been cut off, will be despatched to the Crown Agents for their inspection; the head in one place has bulged to the extent of 3/32 inch, and there are numerous splits and cracks for over ten feet in length. Similar splits and cracks are conspicuous in all the 102 rails, and it is very probable that in course of time other rails supplied under the same contract will develope similar defects.
5. The manufacturer of rails is supplied with a strict specification by the Con- sulting Engineers, which stipulates in detail the method of manufacture and the method of testing and examination. For instance" the contractor is bound to produce rails of the highest quality, and they shall be of the very best Bessemer steel." It is also provided that "the rails shall be everywhere perfectly sound and free from splits cracks, flaws, and defects of any kind," and further should any defects be discovered in the rails even after they have been passed by the Inspecting Engineer or received into possession of the Government they will be liable to rejection."
6. It is a most serious matter that so many rails out of a consignment which cost the Government over £11,000, and which, with light traffic, would probably last for over fifty years, should already have shown signs of inferior quality with less than three years wear, and I need-hardly point to the danger of having such rails in the road.
The General Manager,
I have, &c.,
C. EDWIN SPOONER,
10723
Federated Malay States.
General Manager Railways,
Federated Malay States.
The Resident-General,
Railway Department,
Kuala Lumpor.
I have, &è.,
H. C. BARNARD,
Acting Resident Engineer for Railways.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILL C.O. 885
וד
SIR,
(No. 114/02.)
(B.)
PERAK STATE RAILWAYS.
Resident Engineer's Office, Taiping, January 22, 1902.
I HAVE the honour to report that one hundred and two 60 lb. Bessemer Steel Rails, supplied through the Crown Agents by the Blaenavon Steel Company in 1896, have developed serious defects, and I shall be obliged if you will bring the matter to the notice of the Crown Agents with a view to obtaining some compensation from the manufacturers.
GENTLEMEN,
No. 32.
FEDERATED MALAY STATES.
COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.
[Answered by No. 39.]
Downing Street, March 21, 1902. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to inform you that the High Com- missioner for the Federated Malay States has referred to this Department certain correspondence* relating to defects in rails supplied through you to the Perak State Railway in 1896.
* See No. 31.
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO |
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