626
7.
The
praya
reclamation scheme, so far as it has been carried out, provided a much needed stretch of level ground on which large offices have been erected to meet the growing trade requirements of the Colony, and, by increasing the number of main roads running from East to West, has much relieved the congested traffic which formerly had to be concentrated in the Queen's Road and on the old praya.
8. The present position of the Naval Dock Yard unfortunately blocks the extension Eastward of thisgreat improvement, cuts the praya in two, congests the traffic, Unless this obstruction is removed, the and confines it to a single narrow road. natural expansion of our city will be irretrievably ruined, much to the disadvantage of the Colony at large, as, owing to the will be conformation of the ground, it is the only possible direction in which expansion can take place.
9. We need hardly emphasize the further disadvantages which will be experienced through smoke and noise seriously affecting the comfort of those whose offices or Moreover as the work would be residences are situated in the vicinity of the dock. going on frequently by night as well as by day these disadvantages, which are particularly felt in a tropical climate, would be specially objectionable to a large section of the community. In this connection we must also consider the serious depreciation in the This will be value of property which will unquestionably result from the above causes, far reaching as it will affect all residential property from the Tram Line eastward as far as the Naval Hospital, and as high up as the Peak.
The noise which will arise from the work at the Dock has been foreshadowed during the present construction and in one case led to a summons for a nuisance being, taken out at the Magistracy against the Contractors.
10. Nor are the above the sole arguments for the removal of the Dock Yard which we can adduce.
11. We understand that even though land now in the possession of the War Department as well as other land were included in the Naval Yard site, the level ground at the disposal of the Naval Authorities would be barely sufficient to meet the present We believe that the trend of requirements of His Majesty's Navy in the Far East. events is such as to point in the future to a still greater expansion of the British Naval Forces in this part of the globe and under these circumstances we believe we are justified in raising the point that in the near future the new Dock Yard will be found inadequate for the purposes of H. M. Navy.
12. There are, moreover, we believe other sites which might equally well be made use of for the purpose of a Naval Establishment but on this point we refrai from saying more as we trust the whole question may shortly form the subject of a enquiry on the part of the respective authorities concerned.
the
13. The question of the removal of the Naval Yard from its present site is one o such great importance to the Colony as to justify, in our opinion, its incurring the necessary expenditure to recoup the Admiralty for the money already spent upon new works.
14. In conclusion we would therefore strongly urge that in the interests of the Colony a Royal Commission' be appointed on which all the interests concerned be represented to report not only on matters now under consideration by the various Government Departments but also on the advisability of removing the Dock to another
site.
08 Chater
Clau
And Your Petitioners will ever Pray, &c.
Ho Nai
Achatteter Wilcox
Krusenich
Cochrane
PM. Mitchell.
the ulo
Tany Danly CS. Bullock
Maymond
Andrew Forbes.
Alwood
H. Tandin
44.
Medhur!
imaidonf
te
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