CO129-347 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [4-6] — Page 143

140

Engineering and Ship Building Works, Shanghai, for the

construction of 2 hopper barges, at a cost of $48,437.50

each, should be accepted. As, however, the Director of

Public Works reported on the 5th. February, 1907, that

refuse could not be disposed of by hopper barges of the

type it was proposed to acquire, enquiries were made as to

the type of hopper barge in use in New York, and with the

help of information obtained by the Consul-General for the

United States of America, the Harbour Master submitted a

revised plan of the proposed craft, drawings of which I

enclose, the estimated cost of each steam-lighter being

approximately $25,000.

6.

The Committee appointed by the

Sanitary Board to consider this question estimated the

cost of running the two steam-lighters, after making due

allowance for interest and depreciation, at $16,800 per

annum, or if a third spare steam-lighter were required at

$19,800 per annum. There would, therefore, be a saving of

$11,000 per annum on the present scavenging expenses,

and in view of this fact I have the honour to request Your

Lordship's authority to provide for the building of 2 steam-

-lighters in the Estimates for 1909 and to order them

before the end of this year in order that payment may be

made