A Treatise On The Principles And Practice Of Dock Engineering

THE PORT OR LIVERPOOL. 9 The available space in the higher reaches of the river was now becoming very restricted, and, moreover, the congestion of traffic caused much inter- férence with, and even prevented, any rapidity of navigation. Accordingly, the next group of docks, the Tilbury Docks, were built lower down the river, opposite Gravesend. They consist of a main dock with three parallel branches, in addition to a tidal basin, entrance locks, and graving docks. By this group, opened in 1886, the port was enlarged by .57] acres. The water area of the port now amounts to about 570 acres, exclusive of shallow timber ponds, and it is being added to by important improvements at the Surrey Commercial Docks. These docks, which are situated on the south side of the river, consist of two groups—the Commercial Docks, dating back to the Howland Dock, reconstructed in 1807, and the Surrey Docks, opened in 1812. They are mainly used for cargoes of timber and grain. The présent position of London as a port cannot, however, be regarded as satisfactory. The navigation of the river is impeded by tortuous channels beset with shallows, while trade is hampered by insufficient dock accom- modation and diversity of management. The docks in London are the property of several distinct companies, with conflicting interests and indepen- dent jurisdictions. They are under the necessity of paying dividends, and their capital is insufficient to meet the growing demands made upon it. The amount of interest earned can only be described as meagre, so that there is little inducement to find additional capital for investments of so compara- tively unremunerative a nature. Yet, without this expenditure the docks must rapidly pass into a state of inefficiency and disuse. How to provide funds for the purpose is a delicate and difficult question. Shipowners complain that port charges and dues are already excessive, while other sources of revenue are not available. Radical constitutional changes are impending, including the formation of a Port Trust, with the absorption of all interests in one body. This will undoubtedly lead to considérable economy in management, and a solution of the financial difficulty will, no doubt, be forthcoming. The matter has little interest from an engineering point of view, and concerns but indirectly the province of the dock engineer. Hence, we may with advantage leave so thorny a topic for debate in other and more appropriate quarters. The Port of Liverpool. The second port in the kingdom, has a history dating back to the year 1338, when it was first made an independent port. Up to the beginning of the 19th century, however, the docks, for which it is now famous, did not cover a greater area than 18 acres, nor in 1816 were there more than 34 acres ; but in 1846 the water space had increased to 108 acres, and in 1857, after the inclusion of the Birkenhead docks, to 209 acres, until at length, in 1901, the combined system comprised no less than 558 acres, with a quayage