1890s Central Reclamation [1903- ]
Primary tabs
98. General Description of Scheme: As the works have now practically reached completion, it may be useful to give a brief account of their origin and progress. The Praya Reclamation Works were initiated by Sir C. P. Chater, and have been carried out under the Praya Reclamation Ordinance, No. 16 of 1889. Prior to the passing of this Ordinance, reclamations of limited extent at West Point in front of the Sailors' Home and the Wharf and Godown Company’s property (Marine Lots 95 and 105) were sanctioned, but, as these fell within the limits of the main scheme, they were subsequently carried out in conjunction with it. A considerable quantity of rubble stone for the foundations of the sea,-wall for these reclamations had been deposited before the main scheme was undertaken and, as the new reclamation projected somewhat further into the harbour, it was necessary to widen the mound so formed in order to bring the wall into alignment.
The reclamation extends from the boundary of the Naval Yard Extension westwards to a point opposite Marine Lot 181, a distance of nearly 2 miles, the total area reclaimed from the see being approximately 65 acres. Of this area 33.73 acres constitute building land, the remainder being occupied by roads and open spaces. An area of 2.2 acres of land outside the boundaries of the actual reclamation and formerly occupied by streets was rendered available for inclusion with building lots. The total length of new Praya Wall is 10,263 feet.
ln connection with the Praya Reclamation Works the reconstruction 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
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 he 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.
The actual construction of the Reclamation was commenced in February, 1889; so that about 14 years have been occupied in its execution. In an outlying 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 ofthe 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 commencement of the Reclamation Works he was succeeded by Mr. S. Brown who made some fundamental alterations in Mr. PRlCE’s design necessitating the employment 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 load 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.
Another cause of delay was the period of severe depression and scarcity of money which was experienced in 1892, when doubts arose as to whether the Marine Lot-owners could fulfil their obligations in providing the funds necessary for the completion of the authorised works. The letting of new contracts was postponed until it was decided that the scheme was to be gone on with and carried to completion and, before this decision was arrived at, a season's low tides were lost, causing practically 1 year’s delay.
According to the original programme, the Reclamation was to be commenced simultaneously at both ends, and the works were to be carried on until they met in the middle; but owing to the refusal of the Lot-owners on Section No. 1w to come into the scheme, that portion of the Reclamation was not taken in hand until 1898. ln carrying it out, the rubble foundations of the sea wall subsided repeatedly, and caused more trouble and delay than any other equal length of foundations.
Owing however to delays on the part of the Contractor for Section No. 6W, Mr. TSANG KENG, work on section No. 1W, was completed practically simultaneously with it.
Much of the work performed on the Reclamation is invisible, the foundations of the Praya Wall extending down through water and mud to the hard ground. This means that the depth of the wall and rubble mound, from the top of the coping to the bottom of the foundations, varies from 27 to 80 feet. In addition to being extended out to the new Praya Wall, the Storm-Water Drains had to be reconstructed from the old Praya Wall backwards, for distances varying from 100 to 1,450 feet. The aggregate of the areas of the Reclamations outside the old Praya Wall has already been given as 65 acres, but the whole surface of the old Praya had to he raised, and portions of the surfaces of the adjoining streets. Thus the total area dealt with was 80 acres, and the total weight of materials used in the works may be put at something like 3,500,000 tons.
When it is mentioned that the cost of the entire work per square foot of‘ building land has amounted to about $2 to $3 and that portions of the land in the western and central districts have realized $8.78 and $20.00 per square foot, respectively, there can be no question as to the success of the scheme from a financial point of view. The scheme has also been of great benefit in providing new and wide thoroughfares throughout the principal portion of the City and in affording accommodation for the great development which has occurred in the trade and population of the Colony. In addition to the sum expended upon the Reclamation itself, a large sum, probably about $4,000,000, has been spent in the erection of buildings on it.
Photos that show this place
 1890 |
 1900 |
Comments
1901 PWD Report: Source
1897 PWD Report: Source
Praya Reclamation Works
Fair progress was made with these works during the year under review. From the Special Engineer's detailed report, the following particulars of the work section by section are taken:-
Section No. 1:- No work was done on this section during the year beyond the laying of water and gas mains while the erection of buildings in the reclaimed land as authorized by C.S.Q. 495/1896 proceeded. In December tenders were received for the completion of the roadways by concreting and macadamizing the surface. The work on the western portion of this section, being the extreme western end of the Reclamation, rcinnined in abeyance owing to the refusal of the Marine Lot holders to join in the scheme.
Section No. 2:- The completion of the roadways on this section, which had been in abeyance for some time during the erection of new buildings and the laying of was and water mains, was resumed on the 11th June under contract with Mr. TSANG KENG, and the work of concreting the roadways and footpaths, and macadamizing of other roads was almost completed on December 31st, the actual date of completion being January 11th, 1898. The work was satisfactorily done.
Section No. 3:- Work on this section proceeded very satisfactorily especially during the latter half of the year, under contract No. 23 dated 4th March, 1895, entered into with Mr TSANG KENG.. 52,051 cubic yards of earth were filled into the reclamation, 19,605 cubic feet of granite ashlar was set in cement on the sea wall, 415 cubic yards of cement concrete put in as backing to the same, 1,151 cubic yards of rubble stone hand packing, 275 cubic yards of lime concrete laid in counterforts and foundations of Praya road, 657 cubic yards of granite ashlar in cement built in storm water drains.
Pipe drains were laid in this section and the roadways, footpaths, curbing, &c., well advanced towards completion. Three manholes were built, 219 gullies and gratings set, 14 ring bolts in new sea wall fixed complete. 1,298 cubic feet of granite from the old sea wall was taken up, cleaned and stacked on the Government land in front of the Sailors’ Home.
Section No. 4:- Work on this section during the year was chiefly departmental and consisted in levelling the foundations of sea wall, and laying of concrete blocks of which about 237 lineal feet containing 8,243 cubic feet and weighing over 500 tons were set, some rubble stone backing was done and about 1,894 cubic yards of mud raised by the Dredger and dropped at sea outside Green Island. On the evening of the 7th March, a portion of the rubble stone foundations for a length of over 300 feet, while being weighted with 5,328 tons of concrete blocks, suddenly subsided to a depth of about 28 feet. This, though not the first accident of the sort that has occurred, was the most serious during the progress of the works. Some interesting photographs were taken the next morning, and from the appearance of the weighting blocks above water, it would seem that the rubble mound had slipped forward and down into a submarine ravine. Nothing further was done here during the year beyond lifting the weighting blocks, nearly all of which were recovered; a few were broken and are left below. The first course of blocks forming the sea wall had been set in position; it has not been possible to recover them; they are so broken up as to be useless. It is believed that the mound has now reached a firm bottom where it can slip no further, and this year rubble will be deposited until the level is again brought up to the proper point.
Section No. 5:- The work on this section during the year consisted in the completion of the rubble mound. This work was done by Mr. TSANG KENG under contract No. 36 of 1896 and completed in June. 45,828 cubic yards of rubble was deposited, and the upper surface formed and levelled for the concrete blocks, a single course of which, extending over a length of 895 feet and weighing about 2,012 tons were set and backed up with hand packed rubble; a length of nearly 500 feet was then weighted in the usual manner departmentally.
Sections Nos. 6 and 7:- Work on these sections has proceeded very satisfactorily during the year. The rubble mound opposite the Hotel, through which a gap had been left for boats, was completed to the proper level, levelled and weighted, and the first two courses of concrete blocks set in position. 24,110 cubic feet of granite ashlar in cement were built in the sea wall, landing piers, and storm-water drains. The temporary pitched embankment from the old Praya to Pottinger Street Pier was completed.
The total quantity of earth deposited during the year in the Reclamation, obtained from Kowloon, Causeway Bay and dredgings, was 274,103 cubic yards.
Murray Pier:- Of solid granite ashlar masonry was completed and opened for use on the 16th September. Shortly afterwards a storm occurred, not quite of typhoon force, and it was found that seas broke over this pier to such an extent as to render it unapproachable by launches or boats, which was not the case with the open timber pier opposite Ice House Street. A memorial on the subject signed by all the leading merchants in the city, as well as by those most intimately acquainted with shipping work in the harbour, protesting against the construction of solid piers and advocating the adoption of open steel or iron structures, was presented to His Excellency the Governor. After full consideration, and in accordance with professional advice, it was decided that work on the solid stone Government piers should be stopped and where possible open piers substituted. At the request of the Director of Public Works a representative Committee of those who had signed the memorial was appointed to consider with him and advise Government as to the position, form and dimension of Government piers from the New Praya.
This Committee met twice in 1897, and by their advice Pottinger Street Pier, which was in an advanced state of construction of a similar design to Murray Pier, was for good reasons proceeded with, and before the end of December was completed except the last course of granite and the coping. The design for Pedder’s Street Pier was entirely altered, a solid stone base of considerable width recommended, and an open steel or iron pier 200 feet long by 40 feet wide ordered from England. The completion of these two piers will absorb all the funds available for such work in 1898.
1898 PWD Report: Source
Praya Reclamation Works
77. The progress during the year 1898 on these works was very satisfactory. It is generally admitted that the interests of all concerned are better served by such progress as has been made during the last few years, than by calling up all the money from the Marine Lot Holders, and by employing a largely increased staff hastening on the work to completion in a short time. The reclaimed areas keep well ahead of building operations.
The following is a brief description of what was done, section by section, during the year.
78. Section No 1 East:- Contract No 48 of 1897 with A CHEONG was completed on the 30th June. It comprised the filling in and forming of roadways, laying lime concrete over the sea wall and road margins, surfacing of the roads and footpaths, and forming a temporary street, &c.
79. Section No 1 West. The commencement of work at this, the extreme Western end of the present work has been delayed for some years, owing to the refusal of certain Marine Lot owners to join in the scheme. After full and careful consideration it was decided to take up the work at Government expense, leaving matters in dispute in consequence of the above refusal to he settled under the provisions of Ordinance 16 of 1889. A contract for depositing the rubble stone foundation was let to CHAN A TONG on the 13th April. The work proceeded satisfactorily and towards the end of the year the mound was brought up to the required level, but owing to the uncertain nature of the bottom, which consists of a hard crust of detritus from the Sui Ying-poon nullah overlying mud, settlement is anticipated when the weighting with concrete blocks takes place. At present only 60 per cent of the quantity of rubble estimated from the drawings as necessary has been deposited, there is therefore an ample margin for making good settlements.
80. Section No. 2:- Completed.
81. Section No. 3:- This important section, extending from Wilmer Street to Wing Lok Street was finally completed under Contract No. 23 by Mr. TSANG KENG in October. The work done in the year consisted in the completion of the seawall, surfacing the roadways and footpaths, laying drainpipes and fixing gullies. The whole area is now available for building.
82. Section No. 4.—This section extends from the Nam Pak Hong pier to the Harbour Master's Office, and on it the serious subsidence referred to in the Annual Report for 1897 occurred. On the 30th March a contract was entered into with Mr. TSANG KENG to make good the subsidence, which extended over a length of 257 feet, the whole of the necessary material, 6,000 cubic yards, was deposited within the contract time. The completion of this section, except the surfacing of the roads, was then arranged for along with Section 5, and after some delay owing to the extremely high tenders sent in, and some appearance of a combination to run up prices generally, against which a strong stand had to be taken, a very satisfactory contract was entered into with Mr. TSANG KENG, who pushed on well with the work and had completed about 27 per cent of it by the 31st December. On that date 1,240 feet of the Sea wall were in various stages of completion, 1,200 lineal feet of the storm-water drains were laid, 7,500 cubic yards of foundations and 43,600 cubic yards of filling were finished, 640 lineal feet of the seawall was brought up to such a level as to be available for the working of cargo at all states of the tide.
83. The Harbour Master’s old wharf was sold and removed and a temporary jetty on the line of the new seawall provided in lieu thereof.
84. Other contracts were also in progress on these sections during the year. one with Mr. FOO SIK for intercepting and diverting the Morrison Street storm-water drain which is now carried into the drain that discharges opposite Cleverly Street, and another for filling earth into hopper barges, &c. 8,075 cubic yards of dredgings and 19,320 cubic yards of surplus material from Taipingshan were deposited in these sections during the year.
85. Sections 6 and 7:- Work on these sections was considerably delayed, and is still delayed, owing to the decision of Government to construct no more solid stone piers, but to adopt open piers on iron or steel piles. The construction of two important stone piers was included in Contract No. 43 of 1897, and the rubble mound and portions of the concrete block foundations had been completed, while the greater part of the cut granite was ready in the quarries. Eventually, to save large expense and loss, it was decided to complete Pottinger Street pier according to the original design, and this was accordingly done. The work already done on the other pier, that opposite Pedder’s Street, had to be undone, the concrete blocks lifted and the rubble mound removed, and this work occupied much of the time of the Departmental Staff of Divers, &c.
86. The change in plan involved the removal by divers of 34,000 cubic feet of concrete blocks weighing about 2,000 tons, and 17,000 cubic feet of rubble hearting, replacing in a different portion 16,000 cubic feet of blocks and 20,000 cubic feet of hearting, a work both tedious and difficult. The preparation of a suitable design for the iron pier, which will be 200 feet long and 40 feet wide, with two double sets of steps at each side, and drawing up specifications. calling for tenders and letting a contract for the work, was entrusted to Messrs. COODE, SON & MATTHEWS, whose great experience in all work of the sort will ensure to the Colony the best design and work that can be got. Mr. MATTHEWS, who has visited Hongkong and understood fully the requirements, took a personal interest in the matter. A contract for the pier, amounting to about £7,500, was entered into in December and the first shipment of material may be expected in a few months.
1899 PWD Report: Source
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 construction in England carefully supervised by that firm, Mr. Matthews taking a special personal interest in the work. lt 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 foundations for the sca 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 foot of foundations, which was in course of being loaded with concrete blocks to a maximum weight of 22 tons per foot run, 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 subsidences 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 bad subsided twice. A length of about 200 feet which has been loaded since that date has stood up well, and it would appear that tho 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 no 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 Contract No. 51. 27 per cent. of his contract had been completed at the beginning of the year 1899, and 91 per cent. was completed 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 foot 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 lst 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 mouth 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 7 West: - The bulk of the work on those 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 tbc 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
Twenty-eight thousand four hundred and eighty-four (28,184) tons of mud and filth were lifted by tho Dredger, 4,370 tons of which were deposited in Section No. 1 West, and 21,114 tons sent out to sea.
General:- Fourteen lots of reclaimed land, having an aggregate aroa of 107,014 square feet, were taken possession of by the Crown Lessors 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 new erecting a permanent timber wharf at the foot of Cleverly Street, and the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company are building an iron pier opposite Marine Lot No. 22.
1900 PWD Report: Source
42. The following is Mr. Mudie’s report on the Praya Reclamation Works:
Section No. 1 West.—This work was commenced in April 1898, but owing to exceptional difficulties met with in forming the Toiliidations, progress has been very slow.
In his report for last year Mr. BOULTON narrated the unfortunate subsidences that over and over again occurred to the rubble mound when in course of being weighted and the slow and difficult work of recovering the weighting blocks by divers. The difiiculty was much increased by the great inconvenience it entailed of taking the plant away from Section No. 6—the busiest and most congested part of the whole line of \work.
On 23rd February, Mr. CHAN A Torre entered into an agreement supplementary to his original contract, to reform the mound -and he has deposited 4,828 cub. yds. of “Pierre Perdue ” which has brought the work almost into shape again, and as soon as the divers can be spared from Section No 6., a commencement to re-level and set the concrete blocks will be made. This, I trust, will be in the course of a fortnight. One advantage to be put against the delay is the large quantity of filling in that has been done by casual dumping from house building operations. Thousands of yard have been so filled in at the mere cost of a Watchman. 1,240 Blocks weighing 9,100 tons have been shifted onto the section for re-weighting.
Sections No. 4 and 5.—The work remaining to he executed viz. :—
5,414 cubic feet of Seawall Coping,
54,334 cubic yards Filling in,
9,000 lineal feet Curb and Channel,
103 Ring-bolts to fix,
1,366 square yards Cement paving,
2,979 lineal feet Storm-water drain pipes,
on contract No. 51 let to TSANG KENG on these Sections, was finished during the year, but the surfacing of roadways which was not included in contract has been most unreasonably delayed. An agreement was made by TSANG KENG to execute this work at the rates fixed in his contract No. 53 for Section No. 6, but only a small portion has yet been done. The reason given was the scarcity of workmen and the difliculty of getting materials, but as the contractor has acquired the Quarry farm for 1901, it is now probable that the work will proceed without further delay.
Section No. 6 W. Work is proceeding fairly well on this section. The whole of the rubble in foundations has been put in by contractor and the diving stafi is busy levelling off, laying concrete bed, and setting blocks 650 lineal feet out of a total of 1,221 lineal feet has been finished ready for setting first course of granite masonry.
The principal items of work executed by TSANG KENG during the year were :—
35,482 cubic yards “Pierre Perdue,”
90,556 cubic yards Filling in,
250 cubic yards Portland Cement Concrete,
200 lineal feet Storm Water Drains completed
640 lineal feet formed, but left unfinished for settlement.
The whole length of work has been weighted with the usual load of 22 tons per lineal foot.
Sections Nos. 6 E. and 7 W: - The portion of roadway and stone platform — work which was suspended pending erection of Blake Pier - were completed by the middle of November and this work is now finished.
Blake Pier.—This work was completed by the contractors for its erection - Messers KINGHORN & MACDONALD - and opened for public use in November. its erection was commenced on the 1st December, 1899, and the somewhat lengthy period occupied was owing to considerable difficulties experienced in screwing the piles home. These difficulties were successfully overcome and the work satisfactorily completed.
His Excellency Sir Henry Blake GCMG, inaugurated the Pier on the 29th November.
1901 PWD Report: Source
80. Expenditure.—The expenditure for the year was $91,772, as compared with $150,650 in 1900, and $229,651 in 1899. The falling-off is partly accounted for by the approaching completion of the works, which are now confined within somewhat narrow limits, and partly by the tardy progress made by the contractor employed on Section No. 6 West.
81. Area rendered available for Building: —The total building area to be provided by the Reclamation is 33 acres, of which 27 acres have been made available and 21 have been occupied. Marine Lot Owners entered into possession of 3 acres during the year.
82. Section No 1 West: The rubble foundations of the seawall, which had given much trouble during 1899 by repeated subsidences, were completely re-formed during 1900 and stood up in good shape at the beginning of 1901. On the concrete blocks being set free from Section No. 6 they were conveyed to Section No. 1 and placed as a test load on the rubble foundations there. When the foundations ceased, to settle appreciably under a load of 22 tons per lineal foot the Concrete Block Staff commenced levelling the foundations, laying the concrete bed, and setting the blocks forming the first course of the sea wall. A length of 200 lineal feet of the first course, containing 450 tons of concrete, was completed by the end of the year.
83. Sections Nos 4 & 5: -The Whole of the carriageways, haying a combined area of 23,288 square yards, were macadamized by Mr. TSANG KENG during the year. This completed these sections.
84. Section No 6 West:— The work of levelling and concreting the rubble foundations of the sea Wall and setting concrete blocks was carried on and completed by the Concrete block Staff. In all 571 lineal feet of two-course work, containing 2,600 tons of concrete, were set during the year. The remainder of the works (except Water and Sewerage works) required to complete this section, are being carried out by Mr. TSANG KENG, Contractor. Work equivalent to 15 percent of the value of his contract was executed during the year, leaving 40 per cent to be done. The only item worthy of special mention is the Earth Filling, of which 85,000 cubic yards were deposited, including a large percentage of building rubbish and other material from outside sources. At the end of the year there remained to be done the whole of the superstructure of the sea wall, about 66,000 cubic yards of earth filling, and the whole of the forming and surfacing of the streets.
85. Staff and Plant:.--The Concrete Block Staff was fully employed throughout the year in temporary and permanent block-setting, and in removing blocks to and from the Block Yard for repairs. Altogether about 31,000 tons of blocks were handled.
The tug “ Praya” which was overhauled in December, 1900, underwent no extensive repairs during 1901. The Pontoon Crane and Block Barges, however, got a thorough overhaul. The Hopper Barges lay in Causeway Bay throughout the year, their work on the Reclamation being ended.