CO129-315 - Public Offices & Others - 1902 — Page 275

of this protection has been extended with Natal Hot

to protect telephonic wires as against electric tramway, Therefme why not in Hong Kong?

But we used not moist.

unless

Was

You

M

protecting the Talephone Co think that police and justice demandoit

2.43. I agree with Mr. Johnson. If the thren of 50 years

part of the bargain between the or othe Company, the process (as this letter makes out), thu Soo: wo probally have mentioned it. But

perint unigght be conceded, if the Compeans,

th

alybe.

to 2.

2.5.1-11/2

First Write to the Telephone to a say that it is understood that they have been Send a woon prepared to accept £.1500

9 that system

circuitiy

d ask whether

Frounds the metallic

this is the case

ark for CPS

an earl.

12

answer

at

ance

R

Integraphic Codes: McNeill's &.AB.C.

Telegraphy Address, Traction. Birmingham!

Telephone Buildings.

Birmingham

DICKINSON & CO

Mechanical & Electrical, nsulting Engineers.

To/.

Sir;-

HK

·

The Under Secretary of State

Colonial Office.

Boy

LONDO N.

S. T.

Hong Kong Tramways.

10th Feb 3/902.

273

We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter

No. 1354/1902 of the 6th instant and to say that we will lay the same before our clients without delay.

We are quite prepared to recommend them to agree that Section 21 of the Ordinance shall be so altered as to apply to "all existing electrical undertakings of Government Departments". But we are not prepared to advise our clients to agree to include the Telephone Company in the alteration of the Section unless they adopt a modern in lieu of an antiquated system. The fact of agreeing to the suggestion of your Depart- ment without some such protection would permit the existing Telephone Company to add ad infinitum to their present obsolete system of using the earth return and calling upon the Tramway Company to provide a metallic circuit should there be any interference with their system due to the use of electricity upon the tramways.

We have before pointed out that this question has been thoroughly thrashed out in this country and the Legislature has refused to give protection to the Telephone Companies beyond insisting upon the Tramway Companies complying with the Board of Trade Regulations governing the use of electric traction upon

tramways.

1