Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 249

PRAYA RECLAMATION.

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I quote below nearly the whole of Mr. J. F. BOULTON's interesting Report on this work. The new pier opposite the end of the extension of Pedder's Street, for which on completion a new name should be found, is now being erected and will probably be completed in August. As stated in the Report for 1898, the designs were prepared by Messrs. COODE, SON & MATTHEWS, and the con- struction in England carefully supervised by that firm, Mr. MATTHEWS taking a special personal interest in the work. It is of massive design and great strength, and worthy of the great shipping port of Hongkong. Its cost will exceed £10,000.

The following is from Mr. BOULTON's Report :--

Section No. 1 West: -Under Contract No. 49, CHAN A TONG commenced, in April, 1898, to deposit the rubble founda- tions for the sea wall, and storm-water drains. Owing, however, to the exceptionally treacherous nature of the sea bottom at this place, and the limited plant at the command of the Department, the work has not yet been completed.

The rubble foundations had indeed been brought up to the required level by the end of 1898, but their ability to support the superstructure had not been proved by the application of a test-load. On 23rd February, 1899, a length of about 200 feet of foundations, which was in course of being loaded with concrete blocks to a maximum weight of 22 tons per foot ruu, subsided to a maximum depth of 15 feet. The blocks were afterwards lifted by the aid of Divers, and placed on another length of foundations, which in turn subsided. These operations had to be repeated again and again. Altogether five sub- sidences took place, the last happening on 12th November, 1899. On that date nearly the whole length of the sea wall foundations (733 feet) had been loaded twice, and had subsided twice. A length of about 200 feet which has been loaded since that date has stood up well, and it would appear that the rubble has at last reached a reliable bottom. The remainder of the foundations must now be again brought up to the proper level, and pass the final test, after which the work of setting the permanent blocks can be commenced.

On uo other part of the reclamation have the rubble foundations subsided so extensively, and never before have they materially subsided twice in the same place.

Forty thousand six hundred and fifteen (40,615) cubic yards of earth were deposited during the year by Government Hopper Barges. The Barges were filled by YAU KUNG CHEUNG, under Contract No. 52, which was commenced on 1st December, 1898, and completed on 29th July, 1899.

Six thousand nine hundred and sixteen (6,916) cubic yards of earth from Inland Lot No. 795, were also deposited on this section, by agreement with Messrs. SHARP & Co. (C.S.O. 2,416/1899).

Sections 1 East, 2 and 3:—Already completed.

Sections 4 and 5:—The work of completion was carried on during the year, principally by TSANG KENG, under Con- tract No. 51. 27 per cent. of his contract had been completed at the beginning of the year 1899, and 91 per cent. was com- pleted by the end of it. A length of 1,240 feet of sea wall had been commenced when the year opened; the entire length of 2,275 feet was practically completed before the year closed. The other principal items of work performed by TSANG KENG during the year were, 870 lineal feet of storm-water drain constructed, and 116,400 cubic yards of earth filling deposited. The Reclamation Staff finished levelling and test-loading the rubble foundation of the sea wall, and completed the block-setting.

Section No. 6 West:-Work on this section was commenced by TSANG KENG on 1st May, under Contract No. 53. This contract includes everything necessary for the completion of the section, except the concrete blockwork, and the water, sewerage, and lighting installations. Up to the month of November work was confined to getting in the rubble foundations for the sea wall and storm-water drains, since which time the earth filling, and the diversion of storm-water drains, have been commenced. 78,000 cubic yards of rubble, or about 78 per cent, of the contract quantity, were deposited by the 31st of December.

Sections 6 East and West:-The bulk of the work on these sections, namely, the demolition of the foundations for. the Pedder Street Solid Piers, and the construction of the foundations of the abutment for the Iron Pier, was done by the Diving Staff.

This tedious work was brought to a conclusion about the beginning of August.

With the exception of Pedder Street Pier, and a small portion of the sea wall and roadways adjoining it, CHAN YING CHEUNG Completed Contract No. 43 early in the year, since which time the whole of the building area on these sections has been available to the Lot-Owners. During the latter half of the year he built the greater part of the superstructure of the abutment, or solid landing, to the Iron Pier. Owing to his dilatoriness, however, it was found necessary to call in the aid of another contractor to carry the work to such a stage as to admit of the erection of the Iron Pier being proceeded with. In fact CHAN YING CHEUNG has taken full advantage of the abrogation of the time clause in his contract, due to the change in design of the Pedder Street Pier, to be as slow and troublesome as a Chinese contractor knows how.

The first shipment of ironwork for the Podder Street Pier was landed in October, and tenders were immediately invited for its erection. The contract was awarded to Messrs KINGHORN & MACDONALD, who commenced work on 1st December, and got into full swing with it by the end of the year.

Section No. 7 East:-Already completed.

Staff and Plant :--The Diving Staff was employed 174 days in levelling and test-loading the rubble foundations of Section No. 1 West; 105 days in reconstructing the foundations of Pedder Street Pier; 62 days in levelling rubble founda- tions and setting blockwork for sea wall and Boat Slip on Sections 4 and 5; and 2 days in other services.

The Pontoon Crane and Block Barges were employed 227 days on Section No. 1 West; 25 days on Pedder Street Pier; 50 days on Sections 4 and 5; and 2 days on other services. They shifted about 38,000 tons of blocks during the year.

The Hopper Barges were employed 29 weeks in transporting 44,975 cubic yards of earth for filling in Sections 1 West and 6 West. They were laid up during the remainder of the year.

Twenty-eight thousand four hundred and eighty-four (28,484) tons of mud and filth were lifted by the Dredger, 4,370 tons of which were deposited in Section No. 1 West, and 24,114 tons sent out to sea.

The whole of the Floating Plant, including the Tug “Praya," was thoroughly overhauled and repaired during the year. The services of Mr. W. F. CANNING, Master of the Tug "Praya," being no longer required, were dispensed with on 31st July (C.S.O. 1,022/1898). Since that date the Tug has been satisfactorily run by a Chinese Coxswain.

Mr. W. E. ROSE, temporary Clerk, resigned from 19th December, on receiving a better appointment. (C.S.O. 3,139/1899).

Mr. I. A. REMEDIOS, Clerk, had a fortnight's leave of absence in August (C.S.O. 1,915/1899).

General :--Fourteen lots of reclaimed land, having an aggregate area of 107,014 square feet, were taken possession of by the Crown Lessees during the year.

Seven temporary wharves were built out from the new sea wall, on Sections 3, 4 and 5, by Launch and Steamboat Owners principally to take the place of wharves abolished by the reclamation works. The Tai On Steam-ship Company are now erecting a permanent timber wharf at the foot of Cleverly Street, and the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steam- boat Company are building an iron pier opposite Marine Lot No. 22.

R. D. ORMSBY, Director of Public Works.