2
most of Section 6, and I am told that the bridgework is not likely to retard the advancement of the road. With regard to the question of embankments the following figures may be of interest as showing the exceedingly high embankments that are necessary to clear the flood level. The figures refer to cubic yards of embankment per section of 10 miles. As the embankments exceeded the cuttings by a large proportion-five or six to one-the figures of course incidentally represent the total amount of excavation, earth and rock, done. I would here refer to the paragraph "Floods" in my previous Report of the 15th September, 1908. The first column contains the estimate previous to the flood there mentioned (these figures are exact). The second column is the hasty estimate calculated to show the increase that would result from raising the grade, and was done in order to compute whether the extra cost would be worth while. The third column is the exact estimate as checked by taking cross-sections.
Cubic Yards of Embankment.
Section,
Original Estimate.
Revised Estimate.
Final Estimate.
1.383.686
1,581,578
Not ready.
1,507,986 1,408,912
Not ready.
5
920,515
827,762
7
750,684
$
563,484
1,423,830
1,452,928
The final figures for Sections 6 and 8 are not yet ready, but it will be seen that in these four sections, which are the ones at present under construction, there is the altogether unusual average of 145,000 cubic yards of embankment per mile.
Most of the earthwork is also finished on the first half of Section 7, and even some of the rip-rap on the slopes that run into the river. The tunnel at Tai Miu Hop, at mile 65, is making good progress. This tunnel is 270 feet long (not 160 feet as previously reported). The headings are now some 100 feet apart. The hill is of hard sandstone rock, so that little or no timbering is necessary.
The bar to further progress in actual tracklaying at present is an embankment at the beginning of Section 6, a short distance before the Kong Hau bridge, at Mile 51, is reached, Portion of this embankment, laid across an unexpectedly swampy paddy field, has sunk to a somewhat serious extent, and is now being filled in. When bottom is reached and the embankment settles finally, the way will be open to Kong Hau near the North River. Two months is now estimated for the opening of this station, and August or September for the opening of Wong Shek, at Mile 59.
By far the most interesting work is now proceeding on the Mang Tsai Hop (Blind Boy Gorge), in Section 8. This gorge is about 3 miles in length. Here the line, which hitherto has been able to take advantage of a break in the hills to run on a high embankment 200 or 300 feet from the river, has perforce to stick to the rocky cliff side. Bearing in mind that the line has to clear by some feet the level of the flood, which last year rose 65 feet in the gorge, the difficulty of the construction can best be imagined. As an illustration 1 may mention that during my visit the Resident Engineer was staking in the centre line, and at certain points had to be lowered by ropes from higher ledges. Photographs of this are inclosed.* At particularly steep points where the natural slope of the embankment would run out into the river, retaining walls are to be put in to hold up the side.
Three tunnels are to be bored through overhanging cliffs, their length being 350 feet, 140 feet and 350 feet respectively. Work has been commenced on all three. The first two are so close together that they are generally spoken of as one. The last is 2 miles from these two, and it is for this 2 miles on the gorge that M. Barres, referred to in Mr. Porter's Intelligence Report for the December 1908 quarter, has obtained the contract. The history of this, as gathered from Mr. Carr- Harris, one of the engineers, may be of interest. In September last the Company called for tenders. M. Barres, alleged to have the backing of the Banque de l'Indo- Chine, tendered, but his tender was not one of those considered. The Tai Miu Hop tunnel contractor, to whom belonged the lowest tender, having been found by experience to be unsatisfactory, was rejected and the next tender accepted. The agitation made by the lowest tenderer was such as to induce the Company to call for
*Not reproduced.
$
new tenders, with, however, very stringent conditions. This time M. Barres, having quoted through a Chinese firm, his, the lowest tender, was accepted. The com- petition on the second call for tenders, was, I am told, so keen that the Company must have saved some 30 per cent. of the cost. Mr. Carr-Harris, however, is of the opinion that M. Barres will lose money by his venture. He has collected several assistants, mostly Greeks, and of course he has sub-let most of the work,
The most northerly point at which construction is now proceeding is at the 80th mile at the north end of the Blind Boy Gorge, near the junction with Section 9.
I understand that the Company who have hitherto adhered to the practice of erecting temporary structures to open up the line as quickly as possible, have decided to do this no longer. The line is expected to reach Wong Shek in the course of the coming summer. As this is a village of some size on the opposite bank of the North River, the Company calculate that from this point they will tap as much of the river traffic as they are likely to get until Ying Tak, at Mile 87, is reached. They hold therefore that, when Wong Shek is reached, there will be no special advantage in pushing the line through before it is ready in its permanent form.
A branch line connecting with the district city of Ching Yuen on the North River is contemplated, but the Company are apparently precluded from constructing branch lines until their trunk line is completed.
A branch of traffic which I am told is likely to be of value is the tobacco trade at Yuen Tam. Yuen Tam is the collecting centre for the tobacco grown in the surrounding country, which is shipped there for Canton by junk. This trade, which will commence in a few months' time will almost certainly be diverted to the railway. A note of this traffic will be made in the next report on the railway. A large trade in live-stock, such as pigs, chickens, &c., appears to be already carried on by means of the railway.
The following blue prints supplied confidentially are inclosed :---*
1. Map of the railway as far as Ying Tak.
*
Note. The figures beneath the line indicating the railway, are in hundreds of feet from Wong Sha, i.e., Ying Tak, 4,600 x 100 feet, 87 miles from Wong Sha.
2. Standard section of embankment on the North River.
3. Plan of Yuen Tam Station.
In conclusion, the following details, mostly gleaned from the standard plans decided upon by the Company, may be of interest:
Rails Weight, 85 lb. per yard; height, 5 inches; distribution of metal: head, 42 per cent.; web, 21 per cent. ; flange, 37 per cent.
Fishplates: Standard of American Society of Civil Engineers. Weight, 52 lb. per
pair.
Sleepers: Generally 8 feet by 9 inches by 5 inches.
Number of sleepers per mile: 2,288, i.c., 13 ties to rail length of 30 feet. Depth of ballast: 13 inches to base of rail.
Width of embankments: 18 feet.
Width of cuttings: Earth, 24 feet; rock, 22 feet.
Height of top of rail above highest known flood level: Minimum of 3 feet.
Slope on embankments: 1 horizontal; 1 vertical.
Slope on cuttings: earth, 14: 1; rock, 1: 1.
Rock slopes: : 1 to : 1.
Rate of grade; maximum of 4 (i.n., %) foot rise or fall in 100 feet. cases, however, it has been found necessary to use a rate of 7.
In some
Degree of curve: maximum of 4° (ie, radius 1,432 feet). The exigencies of the Blind Boy Gorge have, however, necessitated a curve of 9° 30′.
Tunnels: horse-shoe type; height, 18 feet from top of rail; width, 12 feet at base and 15 feet in the widest part; lining, concrete; cost, 93 dollars to 115 dollars per lineal foot.
Stations: Canadian practice; platform, 16 feet wide; top of coping 14 inches above top of rail; edge of coping 5 It. 6 in. from centre of track.
Cost of line: Mr. Carr-Harris estimates this for Division 2 (Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8) as approaching to 100,000 dollars per mile, inclusive of land and construction, but exclusive of rolling-stock.
(Signed) R. S. PRATT.
Canton, March 10, 1909,
*Not reproduced.
241
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.