:
-7.
37
11. At one time 100,000 men were employed on the undertaking, but this has now been reduced to 30,000 owing to the slowing up necessitated by the rapid progress and the desirability of completing all engineering works at
approximately the same time. It is anticipated that the
whole line will be completed next July and that after
completion Construction trains will continue to run for a few months in the dual capacity of servicing both engineering and traffic operations. This is the method which has been
adopted throughout the whole of construction and it has
proved highly successful. Trains are not booked but run at
times to suit the work. The 32-mile section between Lok
Chong and Ping Shek, which was opened to this sort of
operation in September this year, is now earning about $500
per day.
12. The whole of the Construction work has been
performed by an all-Chinese Staff and they are particularly proud of this. I must say that they have every reason to be pleased, as the work is particularly well organised and
executed.
13. The Silver Jubilee of the formation of the Chinese
Republic will be celebrated on the 10th of October 1936 and, although I was informed that the handing over of the Section
to open lines will take place at the end of 1936, yet I am doubtful whether such a great opportunity to commemorate the event will be allowed to pass. Considerable pressure will,
I am convinced, be brought to bear on the Engineering Department to expedite the consolidation work, and I am of
opinion that the grand opening will in all reasonable
probability take place on the Double Tenth next year.
IV
PRINCIPAL LOCATION FEATURES,
14. The section from Lok Chong to Chenchow over the Provincial divide is the most difficult of the whole system,
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