ABSTRACT
In order to enable the harbour to deal with the increased trade of the port, the Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. in 1904 advocated the construction of two new docks and the reconstruction of wharves at a cost of $12,078,153. Approached for a loan, the Colonial O ce referred the scheme to their Consulting Engineers, Messrs Coode Son & Matthews, whose report was highly positive. Others believed the changes to be unnecessary and overly expensive and their various arguments are summarized in the following text, which also provides interesting information on the operation of the port. In the event, as discussed in the thematic introduction, the government the following year took over the Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. and work only began on the improvements in 1908. e 879feet wet dock (King’s Dock) and the wharves were built/reconstructed by Messrs John Aird & Co. and the graving dock (Empire Dock) by Messrs Topham, Jones & Railton. Papers relating to the project can be found in the Coode archive at the Institute of Civil Engineers, London (CO/SI 001-14).1
