CO129-318 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [7-10] — Page 448

No.

434.

Honkong.

losure 1.

!

C. O.

37018

Reco

Government Hobe; 12 007 03)

Hongkong, 11th. September, 1903.

445

Sir,

D

15157

With reference to your Despatch No. 154

of the 1st. May last, I have the honour to state for your

information the following facts which will clearly elucidate

the position taken up by this Goverment is the enclosed copy

of correspondence with the Resident Engineer of the Hongkong

Electric Tramway Company which is forwarded for your informa-

tion.

2.

A. The Promoters having proposed that the

Tramway should be constructed with only stringers (or separate

strips) of concrete under the rails a proposal which the

Director of Public Works refused to accept, and having repre-

sented that the Director of Public Works' requirements which

consisted of a layer of concrete underneath each line of

Tramway were excessive and unreasonable, the Director of

Public Works requested that the point should be referred to

an expert in England. This was done and the opinion of the

expert (Colonel Yorke) fully bore out the Director of Public

Works in his requirements. It is to be clearly understood

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,

that the Director of Public Works only requires the layer of

concrete under each line of tramway where the tramway is laid

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

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