$ 5
KOWLOON - CANTON RAILWAY.
Annual Report For 1938.
1.-GENERAL SURVEY.
1. Railway activities throughout the period under review were dominated by the Sino-Japanese conflict. The year opened full of promise, due to the unparalleled growth of through goods traffic, and closed gloomily owing to the contraction of operations to the local service.
2. Receipts and net operating revenue were $1,901,883.32 and $932,418.48 respectively, as against $1,331,468.73 and $436,935.30 the previous year. Both these figures reached new high levels. There is little doubt that but for the unexpected stoppage of through traffic for the last 81 days of the year, net operating revenue would have passed the $1,000,000 mark.
3. Operating expenditure was $969,464.84 compared with $894,533.43 last year. The increase is accounted for largely by the marked advance in the average price of coal which rose from $12.44 to $21.96 per ton, and affected running costs to the extent of $110,668.37.
4. In order to cope with the abnormal conditions prevailing during the greater part of the year, the Railway was called upon to solve many difficult problems, not the least among them being the utilization, to the best advantage, of an organization which had been built up to cater primarily for passenger traffic. A heavy strain was put upon the resources of the Department, calling for the utmost effort from the staff and a maximum "user" of rolling stock.
5. The Japanese invasion of South China, which commenced on October 12th and resulted in the capture of Canton on October 21st, caused complete disruption of the through service. The majority of the staff of the Chinese Section scattered, some proceeding to Canton, others taking refuge in Hong Kong. On the morning of the invasion, a small masonry bridge between Wang Lik and Sheung Ping, some 37 miles north of the border, was damaged by hostile aircraft. Delays in completing repairs to this bridge resulted in 6 carriages and 29 wagons owned by the British Section being detained in Chinese territory, while 15 locomotives, 24 carriages, 242 wagons and a 30-ton crane, belonging to various Chinese railways, were held in British territory.
6. Various structures on the Chinese Section were demolished by the Chinese Military forces during their retreat north. The more important of these, in order of mileage, were the Tong Tou Ha River Bridge (4 spans each of 40 feet), the East River South Channel Bridge at Sheklung (4 spans each of 224 feet, 2 spans each of 60 feet), the East River North Channel Bridge (3 spans each of 224 feet, 2 spans each of 60 feet), and the Shek Tan River Bridge (3 spans each of 100 feet, 2 spans each of 60 feet). These bridges are located 20, 48, 49 and 54 miles north of the border respectively. As far as can be ascertained, parts of the super-structures, and not the sub-structures, have been damaged.
7. Despite the suspension of through traffic after October 12th, the Railway experienced a record year. Peak earnings were secured from goods traffic, rents, incidental revenue foreign line, and ancillary works. These sources, which are given in order of magnitude, contributed 11, 24, 7 and 307 times the estimated revenue respectively. The wide divergence between receipts and estimates is attributable to the fact that Sino-Japanese hostilities were not envisaged when the latter were prepared.
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$ 5
KOWLOON - CANTON RAILWAY.
Annual Report For 1938.
1.-GENERAL SURVEY.
1. Railway activities throughout the period under review were dominated by the Sino-Japanese conflict. The year opened full of promise, due to the unparalleled growth of through goods traffic, and closed gloomily owing to the contraction of operations to the local service.
2. Receipts and net operating revenue were $1,901,883.32 and $932,418.48 respectively, as against $1,331,468.73 and $436,935.30 the previous year. Both these figures reached new high levels. There is little doubt that but for the unexpected stoppage of through traffic for the last 81 days of the year, net operating revenue would have passed the $1,000,000 mark.
3. Operating expenditure was $969,464.84 compared with $894,533.43 last year. The increase is accounted for largely by the marked advance in the average price of coal which rose from $12.44 to $21.96 per ton, and affected running costs to the extent of $110,668.37.
4. In order to cope with the abnormal conditions prevailing during the greater part of the year, the Railway was called upon to solve many difficult problems, not the least among them being the utilization, to the best advantage, of an organization which had been built up to cater primarily for passenger traffic. A heavy strain was put upon the resources of the Department, calling for the utmost effort from the staff and a maximum "user" of rolling stock.
ง
5. LA Japanese invasion of South China, which commenced on October 12th and resulted in the capture of Canton on October 21st, caused complete disruption of the through service. The majority of the staff of the Chinese Section scattered, some proceeding to Canton, others taking refuge in Hong Kong. On the morning of the invasion, a small masonry bridge between Wang Lik and Sheung Ping, some 37 miles north of the border, was damaged by hostile aircraft. Delays in completing repairs to this bridge resulted in 6 carriages and 29 wagons owned by the British Section being detained in Chinese territory, while 15 locomotives, 24 carriages, 242 wagons and a 30-ton crane, belonging to various Chinese railways, were held in British territory.)
6. Various structures on the Chinese Section were demolished by the Chinese Military forces during their retreat north. The more important of these, in order of mileage, were the Tong Tou Ha River Bridge (4 spans each of 40 feet), the East River South Channel Bridge at Sheklung (4 spans each of 224 feet, 2 spans each of 60 feet), the East River North Channel Bridge (3 spans each of 224 feet, 2 spans each of 60 feet), and the Shek Tan River Bridge (3 spans each of 100 feet, 2 spans each of 60 feet). These bridges are located 20, 48, 49 and 54 miles north of the border respectively. As far as can be ascertained, parts of the super- structures, and not the sub-structures, have been damaged.,
7. Despite the suspension of through traffic after October 12th, the Railway experienced a record year. Peak earnings were secured from goods traffic, rents, incidental revenue foreign line, and ancillary works. These sources, which are given in order of magnitude, contributed 11, 24, 7 and 307 times the estimated revenue respectively. The wide divergence between receipts and estimates is attributable to the fact that Sino-Japanese hostilities were not envisaged when the latter were prepared.
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