Under the heading "bridges" it is reported that a beginning was again made during the year on the construction of the abutments for the Stone Bridge over the Soochow Creek, the work being undertaken at the instigation of the Chinese authorities. It is expected that the steel work will be erected during the summer of 1916. The reconstruction of the Markham Road still remains in abeyance. The re-survey of the Settlement has been continued during the yel With regard to the Central Offices the Engineer reports that steady progress has been made during the year, the walls, and granite facade having been erected up to the first floor level. Three-fifths of the reinforced concrete work on this floor has been completed and the centring erected for the remainder. Congested conditions of shipping and the resultant difficulty in obtaining delivery of steel bars from abroad will, all probability, curtail progress in the near future, but no special difficulty has arisen in obtaining the necessary granite from Soochow. The steel roof trusses for the Drill Hail have all been erected, and the side walls have been built for half the height to the eaves.
The Isolation Hospital. etch plans were prepared for this building in July and August and the final drawings were approved early in November and the work has been commenced. The new block will unally allocated for building will be three stories in height, all floors being exactly similar in plan and each capable of being divided at the centre thus forming six subdivisions the possible segregation of different di eases, if at any time found desirable. Each' floor contains two large wards for six beds, four wards for two beds, and six private rooms: all these rooms face south overlooking the hospital garden. The large wards and the private rooms all have verandahs.
During the year permits were issued for the erection of 6,892 structures as against 8,824 in 1914 and 4,435 in 1913. Of the new buildings erected last year 6,134 were Chinese houses.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.