615
AUMLOON-CANTON RAILWAY (cont.)
Peninsula and ended on the Shumchun River near the town of Shumchun.
The first route went through the Kowloon Hills in a tunnel nearly 1 miles long and followed the East coast. The second followed the west coast, avoiding the big tunnel, but necessitating several smaller ones.
The first route was 21-3/4 miles long and the second about nine miles longer.
Early in 1906 it was decided to adopt the first, or shorter route and in March, Mr. William Eves, B.A.I., M.Inst.C.E., was appointed Chief Resident Engineer with instructions to build the line departmentally.
The line was a costly one to build, owing to two main causes. First, the earthwork, tunnels and bridges were exceedingly heavy. One clause in the loan agreement for the Chinese section, which was at that time under construction, stipulated that all bridge masonry should be built for double line, and this was also done in the case of the British section. As it would have been dangerous to enlarge rock cuttings while trains were running, all rock cuttings on the British section were made for double line.
In the second place, the labour costs were exceedingly high, ranging from 25 per cent. to 50 per cent. above the Canton rates. The Chinese labour guilds kept up the wages and regulated the quantity of work to be done by the various classes of workmen to such an extent that in some cases, the work cost nearly as much as if it had been done in England.
According to an old report by the Chief Resident Engineer, work in the Colony was in the hands of a few large Chinese firms and this also tended to keep up prices. The departmental system, however, managed to break some of the rings thus formed.
After the completion of the first survey, covering 51 miles, it was decided, on examining the original alignment carefully, to carry the line further inland between the six and 16 mile pegs, as it was thought that the maintenance of the line, as set out, would be too costly, the line being mostly in bank at the sea and exposed to typhoons. This deviation naturally increased the original cost.
For the terminal station at Kowloon, about 30 acres were reclaimed from the sea.
Commenting on this reclamation, Mr. G. W. Eves wrote: "This strip of land has an excellent sea frontage, capable of accommodating ocean steamers at jetties, which can easily be run out. The land thus rendered available for a station site, as well as that purchased, is far too extensive for present requirements but this large provision by the Government is sound policy, for Kowloon will probably become the terminus of the trunk line through Canton to Hankow and Peking."
An epidemic of malaria was only one of the difficulties encountered in constructing the Beacon Hill tunnel. Both sides of the tunnel were very unhealthy and much money was spent in draining nullahs and making concrete channels to drain off the rain water. The upkeep of these works was expensive but the outlay was justified by results.
Owing to the numerous casualties due to malaria, a Commission of local doctors advised that all Europeans working on the north face of the tunnel should live on the top of the hills on the opposite side of the valley. This would have entailed going down Beacon Hill into the valley and climbing over 400 feet on the other side. In order to avoid delay, a passenger ropeway was erected to carry the foremen and miners across the valley. The length of this ropeway was 2,800 feet and the difference of the levels of its terminals was 280 feet. The cost of running the ropeway was $270 a month.
615
AUMLOON-CANTON RAHMAY (cont.)
Peninsula and ended on the Shumchun River near the town of Shumchun.
The first route went through the Kowloon Hills in a tunnel nearly
The second followed the 1 miles long and followed the East coast. west coast, avoiding the big tunnel, but necessitating several smaller The first route was 21-3/4 miles long and the second bout nine miles longer.
ones.
was
Early in 1906 it was decided to adopt the first, or shorter route and in March, Mr. Graves William Eves, B.A.I., .Inst.0.2., appointed Chief Resident Engineer with instructions to build the line departmentally.
The line was a costly one to build, owing to two main causes. First, the earthwork, tunnels and bridges were exceedingly heavy. Une clause in the loan agreement for the Chinese section, which was at that time under construction, stipulated that all bridge masonry should be built for double line, and this was also done in the case of the British section. As it would have been dangerous to enlarge rock cuttings while trains were running, all rock cuttings on the British sectica were made for double line.
In the second place, the labour costs were exceedingly high, rang- ing from 25 per cent. to 50 per cent. above the Canton rates. The Chinese labour guilds kept up the wages and regulated the quantity of work to be done by the various classes of workmen to such an extent that in some cases, the work cost nearly as much as if it had been done in England.
According to an old report by the Chief Resident Engineer, work in the Colony was in the hands of a few large Chinese firms and this also tended to keep up prices. The departmental system, however, managed to break some of the rings thus formed.
After the completion of the first survey, covering 51 miles, it was decided, on examining the original alignment carefully, to carry the line further inland between the six and 16 mile pegs, as it was thought that the maintenance of the line, as set out, would be too costly, the line being mostly in banic at the sea and exposed to typhoons. This deviation. naturally increased the original cost.
For the terminal station at Kowloon, about 30 acres were reclaimed from the sca.
Commenting on this reclamation, Mr. G. W. Eves wrote: "This strip of land has an excellent sea frontage, capable of accommodating ocean- steamers at jetties, which can easily be run out. The land thus ren- dered available for a station site, as well as that purchased, is far too extensive for present requirements but this large provision by the
Covernment is sound policy, for Kowloon will probably become the terminus of the trunk line through Canton to Hankow and Peking."
频
*****
An epidemic of malaria was only one of the difficulties encountered in constructing the Beacon Hill tunnel. Both sides of the tunnel were very unhealthy and much money was spent in draining nullahs and making concrete channels to drain off the rain water. The upkeep of these works was expensive but the outlay was justified by results.
Owing to the numerous casualties due to malaria, a Commission of Toca doctors advised that all Europeans working on the north face of tunnel should live on the top of the hills on the opposite side of the valley. This would have entailed going down Beacon Hill into the valley and climbing over 400 feet on the other side. In order to avoid delay, a passenger ropeway was erected to carry the foremen and miners across the valley. The length of this ropeway was 2,800 feet and the difference of the levels of its terminals was 280 feet. The cost of running the ropeway was $270 a month.
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