CO129-330 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 101

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We can however furnish our representative with full instructions before he leaves England to enable him to report to the Governor as surrested.

If the preparation of the detailed location

survey proceeds immediately on the decision of the Governor us to the most advantageous route there would, we think be sufficient time to enable us to have the opportunity of considering the details of the alignment such as curves, gredients and tummels on certain portions of the railway before the centre line is absolutely fixed.

A

With regard to the ended estimate you desire we consider that the preparation of the reconnaissence survejs and of the alternative estimates &c. for sub- mission to the Governor would occupy about six months from the time of leaving England the work of preparing

Kong estimates &c. being done in Hong instead of on hoard ship. We estimate that the cost would be much the same as given in our estimate of the 10th April or say £1500 the extra expense at Hong Kong being balanced by the saving in the retum fires, Of course if the work did not proceed beyond the reconnaissance surveys the sdditional expense of returning the staff to this country would have to be provided for.

The subsequent expenditure on the detailed locution survey of the selected route with the devailed plans and estimates would of course depend on the length of the line suopted.

If the eastern route be adopted (the length of which is roughly speaking 21 miles) the cost might, instead of being based on our original estimate submitted on the 15th Maron of £100 per mile be taken at £5 per mile amounting to £1785 and if the western route should be

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