Sessional_Paper_1930 — Page 100

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(2) Only two trips could be counted upon per month per vessel. This al- lows for discharging and refilling ballast, loading and discharging fresh water, passages to and from Shanghai, and with allowances for bad weather, tides, etc., a total period. of say 15 days per return trip.

A further condition would be that the requisite number of loading and discharg- ing berths were always made available both at Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Government having decided that a regular service of large tankers to Tytam Tuk is impracticable. it now remains to deal with the question of a service of Coasters or lighters with tugs.

The Tytam Tuk pumps are much too large to deal satisfactorily with small quanti- ties. For example, it would take 500 tons of water to charge one rising main from Tytam Tuk to the tunnel entrance and 1,000 tons to charge the Tytam tunnel. It is considered that 5,000 tons a day, say, 1 million gallons, is the minimum quantity with which it is practicable to work. This could only be supplied by a regular service of coasters or lighters and by any occasional tankers obtainable on trip charter.

In anticipation of the possibility of such regular supplies being made available, a tank of 100,000 gallons capacity, capable of containing nearly an hour's supply for one pump, is being constructed, and before it is completed the necessary mooring accom- modation, piping, etc., could be in position.

This scheme could be in working order early in August and if it materialises it would appear unnecessary to proceed further with other schemes for pumping direct into Albany or Elliot Filter Beds at greater cost.

I would again emphasize the fact that an increase of the supply via Tytam Tuk Pumping Station cannot be used to obviate the necessity for a supply by Tanks on the sea front. We cannot hope to obtain enough water to give an increased supply through the mains and such water as we can obtain through the Tytam Tuk pumps must be utilized to conserve the diminishing supply in the reservoirs for the benefit of those areas which cannot possibly be supplied from Tanks on the sea front.

The following is a brief summary shewing the progress made in regard to emer- gency measures :

The number of lighters requisitioned for service is 18 having a total tonnage of 1,950 tons.

Eight water boats are now engaged in the transport of water to Tanks, having a tonnage of about 1,500 tons.

The "Fu Kwang", the small Tanker chartered for the Water Emergency Service, is capable of bringing 1,100 tons of water from Wang Mun and of doing two trips every three days. With the Admiralty Tug "Cherub" and the steamers "Paul Beau" "Charles Hardouin", a supply of 1,500 tons daily should be obtainable from this source

The quantity of water obtainable from steamers in transit through Hong Kong is approaching 750 tons a day

Arrangements for the chlorination of all the supplies from nullahs and wells are in hand to meet the requirements of the Hon. Director of Medical and Sanitary Services. Twenty-four nullahs will be supplied with the necessary equipment for this purpose. Nine well supplies are being similarly treated, and a considerable supply from these sources will shortly be available.

The Wangmoon Scheme originally proposed is being re-considered by the Shipping Sub-Committee who are considering alternative proposals to overcome the difficulties which would he experienced with small craft during bad weather conditions. Coasters have been suggested to take the place of Water Boats, Lighters and tugs. Their introduction will necessitate obtaining water from higher up the Canton delta as the draught of ves- sels going to Wangmoon cannot exceed 10 feet. The Shipping Sub-Committee will doubt- less deal with this matter in their report.