Sessional_Paper_1894 — Page 181

HONGKONG.

177

13

94

No. 18

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL ENGINEER ON THE PRAYA RECLAMATION WORKS FOR 1893.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of

His Excellency the Governor

No. 15.

PRAYA RECLAMATION OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 10th April, 1894.

SIR,-I have the honour to submit for the information of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government the Statistics and Report on the Praya Reclamation Works for the year ending 1893. 1. SECTION NO. 1 EASTERN PORTION.-During the low tides of May, June, July and August, the upper surface of the rubble stone foundations on a total length of 975 feet was levelled and covered with a layer of Cement Concrete 4 inches thick (without Divers) under Contract No. 16, C.S.O. 1754, and on which the first course of Concrete Blocks 12 feet wide and 3 feet high were set Departmentally (without Divers). The rubble stone foundations on which these blocks have been set are now being weighted with a view to their proper consolidation before setting the upper course of Concrete Blocks, and building the sea wall; the weighting is a slow and tedious process requiring much time and labour and which is being done Departmentally by piling thereon, seven double rows of Concrete Blocks 8.′ 0.′′ × 4.′ 0.′′ × 3. 0." on the top of those already set, making a total of 16 feet wide, and 24 feet high, and weighing about 24 tons per lineal foot of sea wall, or about 23,400 tons on the whole length (975 feet) of the foundations. The blocks are piled on the foundations in sections, and allowed to remain from four to five weeks before they are taken down and re-piled on the adjoining section; this process being repeated from time to time at the rate of about 48 lineal feet per week until the whole has been consolidated. The weighting and consolidation of these foundations will be completed in April 1894, and with a view to pushing on the works, tenders have been invited for the construction of the upper portion of the sea wall (above Concrete Blocks) and completion of the Reclamation.

2. SECTION NO. 2.-Total length of sea wall 775 feet. The levelling and weighting of the rubble stone foundations of sea wall were commenced in September 1891, and continued to the end of December 1892, during which time 636 lineal feet were levelled and weighted, the work being done Departmentally by Divers. In January 1893 the re-levelling and concreting the upper surface of these foundations and setting thereon the first course of Concrete Blocks were commenced, and continued to the middle of May, during which time 514 lineal feet were re-levelled and concreted and 457 lineal feet of first course of Concrete Blocks set, (the work being done Departmentally by Divers); but the progress being slow, the cost excessive, and the work executed unsatisfactory, it was deemed advisable to try and complete the work without Divers, by taking advantage of the low tides, which usually prevail during the months of May, June, July and August, and during which time 261 lineal feet of the foundations were levelled and weighted, 318 lineal feet re-levelled, concreted and the first course of Concrete Blocks set thereon by the Floating Crane, the work being done Departmentally without Divers. The second or upper course of Concrete Blocks (775 lineal feet) was also set Departmentally without Divers and the whole completed by the end of August.

The works under Contract No. 13 of July 1892 for the construction of the upper portion of the sea wall and completion of the Reclamation of this Section, are now in hand and fairly good progress is being made, 125,337 cubic yards of earth have been deposited in the Reclamation, 1,831 cubic yards of rubble stone hand-packed in wall back of Concrete Blocks and embankment across the eastern end of the Reclamation, 4,300 cubic feet granite ashlar set in sea wall, 600 cubic yards cement concrete in backing of masonry of sea wall, 1,010 lineal feet of storm water drains constructed in granite ashlar backed in lime concrete, and 1,129 lineal feet of stoneware drain pipes 15′′ and 12′′ diameter have been completed, 18,600 cubic feet granite of old sea wall have been taken down and the stone stacked in front of the Sailors' Home.

The storm water drain in Queen's Road and Centre Street, Contract No. 14 of September 1892, and referred to in C.S.O. 9 is still progressing, though slowly, 720 lineal feet have been completed and about 96 lineal feet still remain to be built. The work under this Contract was taken much below its real value, and the Contractor has consequently lost the little money he had, hence the slow progress, and which at the present rate will require from six to eight weeks to complete.

3. SECTION 3.-The levelling and concreting of the upper surface of the rubble stone foundations of sea wall on a length of 720 feet were done by Contract (without Divers) during the low tides of June, July and August, and 208 lineal feet completed Departmentally by Divers. The first course of Concrete Blocks on a length of 863 feet was also set Departmentally without Divers.