C. S. O. No. /257
157
Hongkong, 7th June, 1876.
Received, 7th June, 1876,
10739
75
355
SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 20th June, 1876.
ASSISTANT MILITARY SECRETARY, (COLONEL BASSANO, C.B.)
TO
COLONIAL SECRETARY, (HONOURABLE J. G. AUSTIN, C.M.G.)
Nullah between North Barracks and Naval Yard.
Covering Memorandum from the Commanding Royal Engineer requesting that an Officer representing the Colonial Government be instructed to communicate with him for the purpose of devising a plan to remedy the obstruction at mouth of-
Candonne M1 in Guarner For a Kennedy's Derpaleh No 124 of 11 July 1876
Sir,-In reply to the Minute of His Excellency the Governor desiring me to report upon the papers received from the Military Authorities on the 7th instant, in reference to the condition of Albany Stream, I have the honour to state that I have carefully read the Memorandum of the Commanding Royal Engineer and that although I fully concur in any of the statements made therein, I regret my inability to do so in others which are opposed to facts of which the Government is fully cognizant.
2. An investigation of this matter falls naturally under three heads, i.e.: (1) The silted condition of the stream at its embouchure. (2) The cause. (3) The remedy.
3. As regards the actual condition of the stream, the description contained in the first three paragraphs of the Commanding Royal Engineer's Memorandum is correct, and I think that it will therefore be found impossible for the Government and the Imperial Departments more nearly interested to delay much longer the remedying of such a state of things even though at some considerable pecuniary sacrifice.
4. The cause of the evil being unfortunately a natural one, is uncontrollable by man. It is to be found in the process of denudation of hills and valleys above Victoria by the fierce torrents of rain which during our tropical summers wash and scour so proverbially loose and incoherent a soil as that of this Island.
5. With the exception of occasional outcrops of trap rock and of basalt in the south-eastern Districts, the geological formation of Hongkong is granite in every stage of disintegration; from boulders simply weathered on their surfaces down to rock which has reached its last phase of decomposition, when it appears as a loose and partly soluble silicate of alumina, tinted brick-red by iron oxides, and holding particles of quartz,
6. This brick-red formation constitutes almost the entire surface of Hongkong and Kowloon, and its utter inability to withstand the action of the weather, may be perceived by a glance at any of our hills, which will everywhere be found eroded by gullies and chasms with perpendicular sides and crumbling edges.
7. Rain no sooner falls than it begins to work, tearing off and carrying away grains of earth from the rocks and slopes. These become intersected by innumerable little rills which soon join to form torrents, the depth and force of which, after heavy showers, is so immensely increased, that often large stones and rocks are torn up and borne along in vast quantities. The more rapid the flow, the coarser the detritus it can transport, and as the stream slackens its rate, the coarser material falls to the bottom, leaving only the finer to be carried on to the sea. Finally the tide having entirely checked and lulled the flow of storm waters, these relinquish their burden and the silt drops quietly to the bottom forming shoals and sand heaps at the mouth of the stream, and a bar in the sea abreast it.
8. This mechanical removal of land into the sea by Nature's own processes is going on along the entire water frontage of Victoria on a scale unusually great because the very steep slopes of the hills at the back of the town impart to all storm-waters a velocity of flow and therefore a degree of energy to erode so intense as to be almost inconceivable. Beginning at the extreme eastern end of the city
C. S. 0. No. /2 57
157
Hongkong, 7th June, 1876.
Received, 7th June, 1876,
10739
75
355
SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 20th June, 1876.
ASSISTANT MILITARY SECRETARY, (COLONEL BASSano, C.B.)
ΤΟ
COLONIAL SECRETARY, (HONOURABLE J. G. AUSTIN, C.M.G.)
Nullah between North Barracks and Naval
Yard.
Covering Memorandum from the Commanding Royal Engineer requesting that an Officer representing the Colonial Government be instructed to communicate with him for the purpose of devising a plan to remedy the obstruction at mouth of-
Candonne M1 in Guarner For a Kennedy's Derpaleh No 124 of 11 July
1876
Sin,-In reply to the Minute of His Excellency the Governor desiring me to report upon the papers received from the Military Authorities on the 7th instant, in reference to the condition of Albany Streum, I have the honour to state that I have carefully read the Memorandum of the Commanding Royal Engineer and that although I fully concur in any of the statements made therein, I regret my inability to do so in others which are opposed to facts of which the Government is fully cognizant.
2. An investigation of this matter falls naturally under three heads, 2. e.: (1) The silted condition of the stream at its embouchure. (i.) The cause.
(i.) The remedy.
3. As regards the actual condition of the stream, the description contained in the first three paragraphs of the Commanding Royal Engineer's Memorandum is correct, and I think that it will therefore be found impossible for the Government and the Imperial Departinents more nearly interested to delay much longer the remedying of such a state of things even though at some considerable pecuniary sacrifice.
4. The cause of the evil being unfortunately a natural one, is uncontrollable by man. It is to be found in the process of denudation of hills and valleys above Victoria by the fierce torrents of rain which during our tropical summers wash and scour so proverbially loose and incoherent a soil as that of this Island.
5. With the exception of occasional outcrops of trap rock and of basalt in the south-eastern Districts, the geological formation of Hongkong is granite in every stage of disintegration; from boulders simply weathered on their surfaces down to rock which has reached its last phase of decomposition, when it appears as a loose and partly soluble silicate of alumina, tinted brick-red by iron oxides, and holding particles of quartz,
6. This brick-red formation constitutes almost the entire surface of Hongkong and Kowloon, and its utter inability to withstand the action of the weather, may be perceived by a glance at any of our bills, which will every where be found eroded by gullies and chasmus with perpendicular sides and crumbling edges.
7. Rain no sooner falls than it begins to work, tearing off and carrying away grains of earth from the rocks and slopes. These become intersected by innumer- able little rills which soon join to form torrents, the depth and force of which, after heavy showers, is so immensely increased, that often large stones and rocks are torn up and borne along in vast quantities. The more rapid the flow, the coarser the detritus it can transport, and as the stream slackens its rate, the coarser material falls to the bottom, leaving only the finer to be carried on to the sea. Finally the tide having entirely checked and lulled the flow of storm waters, these relinquish their burden and the silt drops quietly to the bottom forming shoals and sand heaps at the mouth of the stream, and a bar in the sea abreast it.
8. This mechanical renoval of land into the sen by Nature's own processes is going on along the entire water frontage of Victoria on a scale unusually great because the very steep slopes of the hills at the back of the town impart to all storm-waters a velocity of flow and therefore a degree of energy to erode so intense as to be almost inconceivable. Beginning at the extreme castern end of the city
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