CO129-299 - Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [5-6] — Page 399

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take place.

The nearest approach to it is at Singbore where there is room at the oil wharf for 2 steamers to lie alongside one ahead of the other, and where each when so placed can dis- charge or load petroleum or liquid fuel without regard to the other.

5. The Acting harbour Master and Acting Government Analyst. are both of opinion that a liquid fuel steamer and a petroleum steamer cannot with safety be allowed to lie along- side of each other for the purpose desired by the Company, and I have therefore caused Messrs.Arnhold Karberg to be informed that Government is not prepared to rescind rule No.14.

At the same time, since owing to its position it would be very difficult and probably impossible on the grounds of obstruction to navigation to alter the shape of the Com- pany's wharf so as to admit of one steamer lying on each side of it, which I gather from the Acting harbour Master might be allowed, I should be glad if you would obtain the opinion of the Board of Trade as to whether the opinion of my advisers as to the danger of allowing the Company to do what they ́desire, is in fact well founded,

that

6. I should mention that it has been pointed out by the Acting harbour Master, under Rule 13 the time allowed for the discharge of petroleum is 24 working hours, an extension of that time owing to special causes mentioned in the rule being seldom necessary, and that a steamer carrying petroleum in bulk arrives at the Company's wharf about once a month. The delay therefore complained of by Messrs.Arnhold Zarberg amounts on the average to 24 hours a month only.

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