Appendix Q
REPORT ON THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY (BRITISH SECTION).
In presenting this report for the work done during 1908 which includes an Estimate for the completion, I would first make a few general remarks with regard to the progress and cost of the work going more into detail under each main head of the Estimate afterwards.
Good progress has been made every where with the exception of the Reclamation of a site for Kowloon Station Yard but arrangements are being made whereby it is hoped that the delay in the completion of this work will not interfere with the opening of the line for public traffic. Elsewhere especially in Beacon Hill Tunnel the work has been carried out at a very satisfactory pace. The heading driving in the big tunnel will be finished fully six months ahead of the time specified in my last Annual Report but I do not think it likely that the date specified in that report for the opening for public traffic (May 1910) can be altered.
In the New Territories the appointment of two native Assistant Doctors, one at Shatin and the other at Taipo as well as the better medical and sanitary arrangements made during the year greatly facilitated the good progress made. The Railway Medical Officer's report shows very plainly how much benefit has been reaped by these arrangements which though in some cases rather costly have in every case I consider fully warranted the expense incurred.
At Taipo the staff suffered rather severely during the last six months of the year. Hardly a week went by without one or two of the European foremen being down with fever for two or three days at a time. Notwithstanding this however the progress there has been very good both in Tunnelwork and Bridgework,
Turning now to the cost of the Railway which is given in a summary at the end of this report, Column C gives the figures of Mr. BRUCE's and the Honourable Director of Public Works Estimate. Column D gives the Estimated cost of works as per last year's report. It is impossible to arrange that the first Estimate should contain everything required for the Railway without unduly delaying the publishing of that Estimate.
The total actual expenditure to date is given in Columns I and J and the total estimated to complete in Columns K and L and the sum of these represents the total cost of the Railway given in Column M.
Land.
The figures for land remain as in last year's Annual Report, and cannot be regarded as an exact estimate, since certain matters in regard to resumption, and the proportion of cost to be borne by the Railway are not finally decided. The amount paid during the year was mainly for purchase of land at the South East corner of Kowloon Peninsula commonly called Blackhead's Point,
Earthwork.
Under this heading the progress was good with the exception of the Reclamation in Kowloon Station Yard which is in the hands of European Contractors. Up to the end of December 1908 when 60 per cent. of the contract time had lapsed 2,265 feet out of a total of 4,300 feet of sea wall had been completed to full section and only about 40 per cent. of the quantity of earth in reclamation had been filled in. However these percentages do not give a fair basis to calculate the time of completion as the progress now is better than during the first six months.
The high embankments between Hung Hom and the South Face of the Tunnel are giving trouble as the ground cannot bear the weight. In several places where the hard ground is very far below the surface, embankments are sinking in fast causing the ground to spue up all round. The movement of the ground is affecting some of the bridges which have cracked in consequence. However there is a surplus of excavated material from the cuttings to make up the subsidence and I expect that by the time the line is ready for public traffic, equilibrium will have been established and the subsidence reduced to a very small amount.
North of the range of the hills the earthwork has progressed in a satisfactory way. The rock has exceeded the estimate in both quantity and hardness. The interior of some of the big cuttings near Lok Loha turned out to be much harder than was expected. The composition of the rock is quite different from the granite usually met with in Hongkong,
Appendix Q
REPORT ON THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY (BRITISH SECTION).
In presenting this report for the work done during 1908 which includes an Estimate for the completion, I would first make a few general remarks with regard to the progress and cost of the work going more into detail under each main head of the Estimate afterwards.
Good progress has been made every where with the exception of the Reclamation of a site for Kowloon Station Yard but arrangements are being inade whereby it is hoped that the delay in the completion of this work will not interfere with the opening of the line for public traffic. Elsewhere especially in Beacon Hill Tunnel the work has been carried out at a very satisfactory pace. The heading driving in the big tunnel will be finished fully six months ahead of the time specified in my last Annual Report but I do not think it likely that the date specified in that report for the opening for public traffic (May 1910) can be altered.
In the New Territories the appointment of two native Assistant Doctors, one at Shatin and the other at Taipo as well as the better medical and sanitary arrangements made during the year greatly facilitated the good progress made. The Railway Medical Officer's report shows very plainly how much benefit has been reapel by these arrangements which though in some cases rather costly have in every case I consider fully warranted the expense incurred.
At Taipo the staff suffered rather severely during the last six months of the year. Hardly a week went by without one or two of the European foremen being down with fever for two or three days at a time. Notwithstanding this however the progress there has been very good both in Tunnelwork and Bridgework,
Turning now to the cost of the Railway which is given in a summary at the end of this report, Column C gives the figures of Mr. BRUCE's and the Honourable Director of Public Works Estimate. Column D gives the Estimated cost of works as per last year's report. It is impossible to arrange that the first Estimate should contain everything required for the Railway without unduly delaying the publishing of that Estimate.
The total actual expenditure to date is given in Columns I and J and the total estimated to complete in Columns K and L and the sum of these represents the total cost of the Railway given in Column M.
Land.
The figures for land remain as in last year's Annual Report, and cannot be regarded as an exact estimate, since certain matters in regard to resumption, aui the proportion of cost to be borne by the Railway are not finally decided. The amount paid during the year was mainly for purchase of land at the South East corner of Kowloon Peninsula commonly called Blackhead's Point,
Earthwork.
Under this heading the progress was good with the exception of the Reclamation in Kowloon Station Yard which is in the hands of European Contractors. Up to the end of December 1908 when 60 per cent. of the contract time had lapsed 2,265 feet out of a total of 4,300 feet of sea wall had been completed to full section and only about 40 per cent. of the quantity of earth in reclamation had been filled in. However these percentages do not give a fair basis to calculate the time of completion as the progress now is better than during the first six months.
The high embankments between Hung Hom and the South Face of the Tunnel are giving trouble as the ground cannot bear the weight. In several places where the hard ground is very far below the surface, embankments are sinking in fast causing the ground to spue up all round. The movement of the ground is affecting some of the bridges which have cracked in consequence. However there is a surplus of excavated material from the cuttings to make up the subsidence and I expect that by the time the line is ready for public traffic, equilibrium will have been established and the subsidence reduced to a very small amount.
North of the range of the hills the earthwork has progressed in a satisfactory wiy. The rock has exceeded the estimate in both quantity and hardness. The interior of so ne of the big cuttings near Lok Loha turned out to be much harder than was expected. The composition of the rock is quite different from the granite usually met with in Hongkong,
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