17. Negotiations were completed in October for all through and transit goods consigned to Kowloon Station from Canton and from points along the Canton-Hankow Railway to be invoiced on forms which are marked "Subject to completion of Chinese Customs requirements at Kowloon". Failing adjustment of these requirements, the British Section is empowered to return the goods to the Chinese Customs Station at Shum Chun just over the border. Movement of exports from China will be facilitated by these measures.
18. Considerable work was performed for the Chinese National Railways during the last five months of the year. This included the erection of 3 first-class sleeping cars for the Canton-Hankow Railway and major repairs to locomotives and wagons.
19. The Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Company's premises were linked to the main railway system in November by means of a track laid down Baker Street. This connection affords rail access to a 100-ton tower crane which will be completed early in 1938. This crane is located alongside water which is deep enough to accommodate the largest ocean-going ships. It is expected that additional revenue will accrue to the Railway both in freight and special siding charges.
20. The Chinese Section of the line was bombed regularly by Japanese aircraft during the last 2 months of the year. Altogether 726 bombs were dropped from 344 planes in 81 raids on 49 different days, 140 of these missiles being aimed at the two large bridges over the East River at Sheklung. Three types of bombs were used, weighing 500, 250 and 60 kilograms respectively. The suspension of through traffic caused by these attacks aggregated 7 days, the longest interruptions occurring on the three occasions when heavy bombs hit the centres of deep embankments. The Engineering Department of the Chinese Section deserves the greatest credit for the rapidity with which communications were restored.
21. While the air raids were in progress, two British Section third-class carriages and one 30-ton open wagon, all employed on the through service, were seriously damaged by bombs, necessitating major repairs, while one locomotive and seven wagons were impaired by machine-gun bullets.
22. As the result of the bombing, punctuality figures, both local and foreign, have suffered severely. All through trains, on and from October 14th, have been subjected to long delays, and this has influenced the service considerably.
23. Running statistics have been affected so adversely by the abnormal conditions prevailing during the year that comparisons with previous figures are of little value. Every endeavour was made, however, to work as economically as possible.
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17. Negotiations were completed in October for all through and transit goods consigned to Kowloon Station from Canton and from points along the Canton-Hankow Railway to be invoiced on forms which are marked "Subject to completion of Chinese Customs requirements at Kowloon". Failing adjust- ment of these requirements, the British Section is empowered to return the goods to the Chinese Customs Station at Shum Chun just over the border. Movement of exports from China will be facilitated by these measures.
18. Considerable work
work was performed for the Chinese National Railways during the last five months of the year. This included the erection of 3 first-class sleeping cars for the Canton-Hankow Railway and major repairs to locomotives and wagons.
19. The Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Company's premises were linked to the main railway system in November by means of a track laid down Baker Street. This connection affords rail access to a 100-ton tower crane which will be completed early in 1938. This crane is located alongside water which is deep enough to accommodate the largest ocean going ships. It is expected that additional revenue will accrue to the Railway both in freight and special siding charges.
20. The Chinese Section of the line was bombed regularly by Japanese aircraft during the last 2 months of the year. Altogether 726 bombs were dropped from 344 planes in 81 raids on 49 different days, 140 of these missiles being aimed at the two large bridges over the East River at Sheklung. Three types. of bombs were used, weighing 500, 250 and 60 kilograms respectively. The suspension of through traffic caused by these attacks aggregated 7 days, the longest interruptions occurring on the three occasions when heavy bombs hit the centres of deep embankments. The Engineering Department of the Chinese Section deserves the greatest credit for the rapidity with which communications were restored.
21. While the air raids were in progress, two British Section third-class carriages and one 30-ton open wagon, all employed on the through service, were seriously damaged by bombs, necessitating major repairs, while one locomotive and seven wagons were impaired by machine-gun bullets.
22. As the result of the bombing, punctuality figures, both local and foreign, have suffered severely. All through trains, on and from October 14th, have been subjected to long delays, and this has influenced the service considerably.
23. Running statistics have been affected so adversely by the abnormal conditions prevailing during the year that comparisons with previous figures are of little value. Every endeavour was made, however, to work as economically as possible.
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