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In connection with the Praya Reclamation Works the re-construction of Government Piers has also been carried on. So far as this work has progressed, it includes permanent structures for the Nam Pak Hong Pier; Boat-slips opposite the old and new Harbour Offices, Pottinger Street Pier, Blake Pier, Murray Pier, and temporary piers at Ice House Street and Wardley Street. The permanent structures are all of masonry and concrete with the exception of Blake Pier which is constructed almost entirely of iron.

The total expenditure, up to the 31st December, 1903, on the whole of the above-mentioned works, amounted to $3,362,325.37, made up as follows:--

Praya Reclamation under Ordinance No. 16 of 1889,................ $2,895,831.35 West Point Reclamations,

Re-construction of Government Piers,

221,378.28 245,115.74

Total,

$3,362,325.37

The estimated cost of the Praya Reclamation alone was $2,942,916.65; consequently, when all outstanding accounts are paid, a small balance will probably remain to the credit of the scheme, notwithstanding the great increase in the cost of work during recent years due principally to the drop in exchange from 3/-, at which rate the original estimate was made. The Ordinance provides, however, that the cost per square foot of any particular allotment is not to be fixed at the average cost of the whole Reclamation but at the average cost of the particular Section on which such allotment is situated. It is therefore more than probable that there will be a debit balance on some of the Sections, but it is certain that any such balance will only amount to a small percentage on the original estimated cost. The actual cost in any particular case cannot be exactly stated until the revision of the accounts, now in progress, has been completed, and the necessary adjustments have been made between the various sections or between them and the Re-construction of Government Piers.

1889 The actual construction of the Reclamation was commenced in February, 1900; so that about 14 years have been occupied in its execution. In an out- lying part of the Harbour such a reclamation could have been carried out in less than half the time, as it would have been possible to proceed with the entire work simultaneously, but such an arrangement in the case of the Praya Reclamation, which extends throughout the entire frontage of the principal business part of the City, would have caused intolerable inconvenience and consequently it had to be carried out by degrees. There were also other circumstances which seriously affected the progress of the work.

The original design of the new Praya Wall was prepared when Mr. J. M. PRICE was at the head of the Public Works Department. Just before the com- mencement of the Reclamation Works he was succeeded by Mr. S. BROWN who made some fundamental alterations in Mr. PRICE's design necessitating the employ- ment of special plant, some of which had to be obtained from England. Although the rubble foundations for the Praya Wall were being proceeded with while the special plant was being obtained, a season's low tides were lost, and it may be said that the works suffered a year's delay, at the outset, through the change in design.

The principal feature of the new design for the wall was the substitution of blocks for granite footings, with the view of using the blocks, in the first instance, as temporary weights for loading and consolidating the rubble foundations. This was a slow and expensive process; but it was justified by results. The temporary load caused more or less settlement of the foundations, throughout their whole extent, and they generally reached a permanent bearing before the superstructure was commenced. In some instances, however, the settlement became so slow, during the later stage of the application of the load, that the blocks were removed before settlement was quite complete, and in building the superstructure an allowance for further settlement was made. In other instances the foundations suddenly collapsed, under the temporary load and, when this happened, the blocks had to be picked up with the aid of divers, the rubble foundations made good, and the temporary loud replaced. Had the temporary loading of the foundations been dispensed with, it appears likely that several lengths of wall, probably after being finished to coping level, and backed up with earth, would have collapsed, and had to be rebuilt at great trouble and expense.