TNAG-0093-FCO40-129-Water-supplies-1968 — Page 146

Ed (2829)

3.

Reference..

Dracones

9. We had asked the Crown Agents to look into this possibility. They explained that they had had experience of Dracones for the Zambia oil emergency.

The biggest container that Zambia then used held 200,000 gallons. One problem is that, while oil with its specific gravity, will float on the sea,

a dracone filled with fresh water would present a considerable buoyancy difficulty buoyancy tanks might have to be used. There is also a danger of the tanks being ripped by ordinary flotsam and jetsam, resulting either in the loss of the water

or in its serious contamination.

10.

Sta

The Crown Agents have been making enquiries

for the Gibraltar Government about the use of dracones

to bring water across from Tangier. One of the problems in that part of the world is towing across

the difficult currents in the straits of Gibraltar.

It was not yet clear whether similar problems would

exist in Hong Kong.

11. The Crown Agents are pursuing detailed investigations into the possible use of dracones for

Hong Kong.

12.

The possibility of arranging for ships plying to Hong Kong to carry water in ballast or in deep tanks.

Arrangements on these lines were made in 1963. It produced a total of about 45 m. gallons in all, at a cost of something like 3/6d per ton.

13.

There are on average twenty ships a day entering Hong Kong, We would need to investigate whether adequate facilities existed or could be laid on quickly to enable this number of ships to discharge

water while discharging their cargo.

Desalination

14. The Crown Agents are still pursuing their enquiries about the possibilities of desalination plant either shore based or afloat. They point out that so far desalination has been contemplated

only for small areas of population.

Cloud Seeding

15. The Crown Agents are also pursuing enquiries into the possibility of cloud seeding by the use of silver nitrate as is done in the United States. It is not yet clear whether the right kind of clouds build up over hong Kong other than those which already bring rain to the Colony.

Mr. Simms/