The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-03-18 00:00:00

M:=MI iG PLACES AT GEORGE'S PIE le • strong tidal current both in its upward and downward flow, tend greatly to accumulate sand and silt in their wake, and thus injure the navigation to a great extent (it might be) along the sea-wall—while the great desideratum for many years has been to deepen rather than to shallow ; for if the water were deep enough at ebb of flood tides for steamers drawing six to seven feet to get along :side the wall, the difficulty now sought to be overcome would be removed, nothing being then required for easy landing but gently inclined planes. We are not, therefore, much surprised that the Dock Committee have been unable to satisfy themselves as to which of the plans presented—no fewer than 286—t0 select ; or, in other words, that they find themselves puzzled. We are of opinion that the question can only be properly decided for the public, who are mainly interested, by a board or committee of engineers and nautical men, who have fully acquainted themselves with the nature and circumstances of the locality We have privately seen only a few of the Plans and Models, but have had others described to us. The probability is that few or none of them are applicable in all their details, though if a really good principle be shown, it may be improved upon and adopted. With the opinions expressed we are not a little surprised to learn that one only out of the whole 286 has been selected as alone worthy of being sent up to the Parliamentary Committee for their sanction or rejection, though that one is not only " not adopted," but is stated to be at variance with the act. Is this meant as a specimen of the whole batch, or is the Committee above to be left to infer that not one of the rest is worthy of the slightest consideration ? The proceeding is somewhat strange. Of the favoured one we have obtained the principle or outline, and we apprehend that if it should be finally fixed upon, the result will prove either that we are under mistake in our premises, and have over-rated the difficulties which we have assumed to exist, or that the science of the country to meet them effectually has not yet reached the conquering point. We, however, premise in behalf so far of the Plan, which comprises piling, that we do not think it possible, in the peculiar locality in question—and which from its central position is the only eligible site—to form a convenient and safe landing place, that shall not seriously obstruct the navigation and tide way, and be available at all times and all weathers, without some projection or outward erection, in part or in whole permanent. PUBLIC BATHS. GEORGE'S PIER. RIVER MERSEY. George's Pier II ead and Landing Stage, showing the Projections on Iron Pillars into the River. II I LOW WATfUMARK. II I _,_,_,,,. I I Section of South Slip and Cast Iron Pillars from the Pier to Low % il e., Plan alluded to is No. 19, and we give above typographic diagrams and a section of it, which, to ugh not perhaps minutely accurate, approaches so nearly to reality as will enable those interested k a l i ll uge of its merits. It comprises nearly the whole extent of quay (opposite the Baths) from the eheste r basin to the basin of George's dock slip, about 500 feet, to which we see no objection. oe hr lv all excavated or reconstructed into two inclined planes or slips, which, too, appears to be all Atl i ,Well 'when the tide is up. The low-water projections are, however, the most important points. ir on 'e,,,south end it.is proposed to carry out a slip into the river at a right angle, to be supported on of B , l3 j li ars or cohnins, which last are to be elevated all along two feet above the level of high-water o lit ving tides, and braced together at the top by stringers or battens. This slip will reach at its ,„:Lard extremity a sufficient distance into the river to secure six feet of water for steamers at ebb Water. tide of springs. At the north end there is a similar projecting slip, also on iron pillars, but_with an elbow or angle at about half its length, giving its outward half a slanting position to the south west, which it is supposed will give the upward tidal current a direction in that way the better to protect within the two slips, by operating, so far, as a breakwater. These slips or inclines, of which we give a section, are to be covered with wood, and it will be perceived they will form a sort of embayment or basin for steamers when within them, though vessels will, we think, be limited for room in going in and coming out when the tide is up. At low-water they will, of course, get to the ends of or along side the slips. It is proposed, we learn, that the perpendicular pillars should be boarded up out wardly from the top down to within six feet of the sand-bank, so as to leave that depth (six feet) for a clear course for the stream. ~~a/}6'•~~~~iK ~.' _~.. ~. '•:{nsr~ ~:.: ~'i~ - .~ }~:. ~:sa~.: 1 } .ria ~w - +yam. •-• • • _ .: ... r , t l .. N! 16' I I ®I G ~ I~ g 4. • 15,-;?,. 100 4.1 (11 1 g Es . ,-, • te 0 • LAN DE and A clause was introduced into the last act of parliament affecting the convenience of the passenger 4 ,, other traffic between our town and the opposite Cheshire shore, requiring that the Dock Trustees within a given time, construct two flights of steps and a slip on an improved principle or r ts 'uoiples, at George's Pier—the utmost incline of the slip being specified. Advertisements were (as tiogenerally known) put forth by the Dock Committee offering rewards—X2oo and £loo—for the otl s t approved plans—the two considered the best, and the second best—and inviting engineers and a : l t e i r 3 B to compete, and affording a greater latitude than that prescribed,—the stage described in the th o eing deemed inadequate. Though the notice was short, the ingenuity of many individuals was eo„B.elicited—some sending in models (many of them costly) with descriptions, some plans, and a peet slderable number both. Many of these were very ingenious in their way, some, as might be ex eat e d , feeble in conception, and others, though clever, so complicated in construction and mechani iti;werhing as to be inapplicable. It must be admitted that, from the nature of the site where the p ee t nvement in landing places is purposed, many difficulties present themselves ; that we have a ext :uar shore o r san d b an k t o con t en d w ith, u p on w hich encroachment can proceed only to a limited (a at ; that th e r i se o f tid e ( a t s p r i ngs ) i s com p ara tively great ; and that unless the Public Baths 8 °l newhat unprofitable building, about 40 feet only from the sea-wall,) be removed or thrown back, b as reat indent ure can b e ma d e i n l an d. Th e s t r and is left dry to a considerable distance from the ti to ; _ (d ' the wall at low water of spring tides, and as these tides rise 33 feet any permanent projec textudo the bed of the ri v e r i n th e s hape of s olid stone slips or piers (as on the Cheshire side) is t 0 impracticable, as such would interrupt the navigation—vessels having occasion to come close to belm and others to approach the wall in landing and receiving passengers, or in entering or leaving ks at th a t quarter, at a ll t i mes w h en t h ey h ave su ffi c i en t wa t er . S uc h erec ti ons would, indeed, t i : o Bt equal t o carr yi ng ou t th e w h o l e li ne o f se a-wall skirting our docks to deep water, at all w oul es l or in other words to reach a depth of, say, seven feet for steamers, to attain which 100 feet v ess , have to be taken in ; for i s olated piers, where there is much shipping to pass, would subject ea b l e 's to constant difficulties : they would be liable to get against or upon them if they parted their or were otherwise thrown near them, this side being generally the lee shore during heavy gales. uther objection to solid projecting piers is that they would, in all probability, by interrupting the 20 40 SLIP. 80 100 SCALE OF SIXTY FEET TO AN INCH ozoaGE'S VZILIWY Ground Plan of