The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-01 00:00:00

DOCK COMMITTEE.-YESTERDAY,

The usual weekly meeting of this committee was held at
one o'clock yesterday. Mr. Charles Turner in the chair.
The other members present were, Messrs Shand, Robinson,
Evans, Gladstone, Barber, Holden, Mendell, Hubback,
Bold, Rankin, Smith, Gregson. Lockett, and Holmes.
The following tenders were accepted on the recommendation
of the committee of works—Messrs Jones and Jump, for
slides required for the sheds on the north and south quay of
the Wellington dock, to be finished by the Ist of October
next ; Messrs J. A. Haswell and Co, for iron castings for the
sliding doors of the sheds, and Messrs Richard Alster and Co,
for fine dry pure rod led for paint.
It was agreed that Thomas Morgan, assistant examiner at
the Albert dock offices, be dismissed, he having been absent
without leave since 28th Juno, and that a successor be appointed
in his place.
The tender of Mr. Edward Jones was accepted for twelve
cotton bearers for the Wapping warehouses.
!4- A resolution of the Finance Committee of the town council
was read, along with a letter from the conservators of the river,
giving consent to the erection of a gridiron outside the river
Wall, in front of the tobacco warehouses.
Mr. Lockett stated that the Queen's dock would be open
for the reception of shipping on Monday next.
Mr. Hubback drew attention to the fact that a great many
large American vessels, loaded with grain, experienced great
inconvenience in having to discharge their cargoes at open
quays. During the late storm very serious damage had been
done in this way to large parcels of flour and grain. The
question was one which ought to be considered by the harbour
masters' committee, in order, if possible to find a remedy which
would prevent such losses to the owners of property. There
appeared to be only the one remedy, which was, that sheds
ought to be erected at the north docks, which now had no
sheds, and where the vessels were berthed. Until the sheds
were provided, he thought the harbour masters ought to be
instructed not to berth vessels, with perishable cargoes on
board, at places where such losses occurred.
Mr. Lockett said he understood a good deal of the losses
occurred at the Huskisson timber quays, which the dock
tommittee never intended to shed at all. If ships would
berth there when there was an opening, the committee could
not help it.
The Chairman said if ships would throw out their cargoes on
the quay, however impr,per it might be, the committee could
not prevent them. They were doing all they could to provide
sheds. He understood from the surveyor that they had
expended from L 12,000 to L 15,000 in new sheds and
altering old ones during the past year. They were making
great progress in that direction.
Mr. Hubbuck said there was great room for progress. The
losses did not all occur at the Huskisson timber quay. On
the west side of Bramley-Moore dock, and the west side of
Nelson dock, the same thing occurred.
The Chairman said they were going on as fast as they could
improving the docks. The Queen's dock would involve, when
finished, nearly £lOO,OOO, new works and old.
The subject then dropped.

A letter was read from; Messrs. Tapscott and Co., thanking
the committee for the permanent berth appropriated to their
steamers on the north side of the Bramley-Moore dock.

A letter from Messrs. Pappiani and' Mu-sabini, renewing
their application for a permanent berth in the Queen's dock,
was referred to the harbour masters' committee.

A letter was read from Mr. John Laird, requesting that the
Turkish frigate might be allowed to remain in the graving dock
until her alterations were finished, without opening the gates
to admit other vessels, on condition of the owners paying for
the use of the entire dock, as the work to be done would be
most retarded by having the gates opened, the scuttling of the
ship being necessary.
The letter was referred to the harbour masters' committee.
This was the whole of the general business.