LINKING UP THE EMPIRE IN THE EAST.

Hastings Standard, Volume XII, Issue 5846, 9 May 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

LINKING UP THE EMPIRE IN THE EAST.

RAILWAYS IN BURMAH. The completion of the extension of the Burniah railways Pegu to Maulmin brings the latter port—second only in impoitanco in Burmah to Rangoon itself—into direct railway communication with Rangoon and the rest of Burmah. Hitherto Maulmin has been practically only accessible by sea. The new line (says the "Sphere"), which is now open for general traffic, is 121 i miles long. Passenger and goods traffic is already developing, the country throughout the whole length of the line being rice-bearing land." The rice will be carried to Rangoon or Maulmain for export. The country traversed by the line is inundated by an annual lainfat of from 10()in. at Pegu to S-iiOin. a! Maulmain. almost during tho \vlv>!-,'o! which falls during the monsoon - r n'om May to October. Beim; near ft-i.* sea coast throughout its whole Vufglh, the largo rivers hid generally to bo crossed near th>*ii- iik :''■; ' lent!.* the amount oi hridgi: . ■ >■. <1 was very heavy. /

Gi the largi biilgis the most iidddi taut is that i tin Sittin„ Ri\n( il lustrated on tins paf,t) which ni crossed by a budge ot 11 pin of s girders, suppnUd on pins of ti cylinders, each 10ft di tint t i span of the bridge bung i > 100 ft. from c< ntio to oi ti > pier. The total length ti< id therefore, 170 Cft oi i > c i 1 mile. The budi i_ it • i 'k i * son ted some i 1 rr>t i in Indian bri i/ ft t l i f HI i 15; full o l ' iv a i (i 'nil to 1- iil throughout t i ear J- f i ptu m tilt main channel iu v ' ' Uiin2>tt at, the 1.-i-.vest yt'dfs, ranging to 3Cft. during the flfo'ods. A t.v.;irjA>rary woodi-n bridge was first ru.as!" from «»n<-h shore as a base from wlreh to work, leaving a gap of 4.30 ft. only in the deep-water channel. At the proper distances wooden stagings were made in which to enclose the cylinders for the sinking operations, and on which to support the gantries for working the dredgers. The cylinders were then floated into their positions

ind sunk iccoidn or 10 +' i j ti (i in ' i tuim i i ink ' i _n M i illv b i < n nl tin I \< i ink u <!i t nl i h t in i i 11 i ] r> mn t n (■)((_ f c cid o tir i vlinciti sunk to a depth of 90ft". below gh « ltd level a hoidna> ol 20iz under the, bridge at high-flood level 111 ii piovidid Ims mil <■«. i totil lin„th of 110 ft foi oich cvliidu 11k girders, which were all brought out from England in small pieces, were some of them, built up on stagings in place, and others, for the deep-water spans, were floated into position on a high staging built upon pontoons. The whole of the labour of tlie cngineening work was done by men known as Bombay khmallassies (or sailors). These men are experts at any work involving tho use of ropes and pulleys in dangerous positions.