TNAG-0958-FCO40-1177-Construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 31

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HOFO 828/12

PP DOT

GR 260

RESTRICTED

Mr Monteca

Mi williant NO FUERBUTION

Lef

mi

Mer Scate.

HKK 173/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

FM BTC HONG KONG 1209597

DEC 80

INDEX

17 DEC 1980

DESK OFFICER

PA

+2бот TREY

Th

WAS NOT ADVANCED

REGISTRY Action Taken

TO PRIORITY DO T TELEGRAM NUMBER CREDA 314 OF 12 DECEMBER

No

win

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FOR PEP DIVISION

N.

YOUR CREDA 251: MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY THE ISLAND LINE EXTENSION.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO RESPOND TO PATRICK'S REQUEST BECAUSE HARDLY ANY OF HIS INFORMATION IS CORRECT. THE ONLY EXTENSION OF THE MTR UNDER CURRENT DISCUSSION IS FROM CHATER (NOT CATER) AND ADMIRALTY STATIONS WESTWARDS TO WESTERN MARKET AND EASTWARDS TO CHAI WAN. THERE IS NO TALK OF AN EXTENSION TO ABERDEEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HONG KONG ISLAND. FURTHERMORE, AS YOU WILL KNOW FROM MY LETTER OF 11 DECEMBER TO BENJAMIN, NO DECISION IS LIKELY ON THE PROJECT UNTIL THE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON 16 DECEMBER.

2. THUS THERE IS NO QUESTION OF KIER OR LILLEY BEING TUNNELLING CONTRACTORS BECAUSE SPECIFICATIONS FOR CONTRACTS HAVE NOT YET ∙BEEN PREPARED. I SUSPECT THAT MARKHAM AND CO MAY HAVE BEEN INVITED

BY KIERS OR LILLEY TO QUOTE ON A SUB-CONTRACTUAL BASIS IN THE EVENT OF THEM BIDDING FOR THE ISLAND LINE TUNNELLING. IF THIS IS SO, ENQUIRIES SHOULD BE MADE OF KIER AND/OR LILLEY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE OF KIER, MALCOLM MCGREGOR, LEFT HONG KONG TODAY ON A BUSINESS TRIP AND I CANNOT THEREFORE SEEK HIS

ADVICE ON THE ORIGIN OF THIS DISTORTED REPORT.

3. FINALLY, AS YOU WILL SEE FROM MY REPORT TO BENJAMIN, THERE IS UNLIKELY TO BE TUNNELLING THROUGH 15 KILOMETRES OF ROCK GIVEN THAT THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE EXTENSION WOULD BE ONLY 12.2 KILOMETRES. WE IN FACT KNOW THAT MUCH OF THE BORED TUNNED WILL HAVE TO BE CONSTRUCTED THROUGH EXTREMELY DIFFICULT GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES RANGING FROM ROCK TO DECOMPOSED GRANITE TO SLUDGE AND MUD WHERE THE LINE RUNS UNDER LAND RECLAIMED FROM HONG KONG HARBOUR.

4. IN SHORT, I THINK YOU SHOULD INVITE MR PATRICK TO CHECK HIS FACTS.

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