The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-11 00:00:00

DOCK COMMITTEE.

The usual weekly meeting of this committee was held
yesterday at the Dock offices. C. Turner, Esq., occupied
the chair. The other members of the committee present
were Messrs. Gregson, Chaloner, Smith, Bold, Brockle-
bank, Hubback, Hoiden, Monsdell, Anderson, Lockett,
Rankin, Holme, Evans, and Barber.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
The sub-committee of works recommended that the
tender of Mr. IL Gardner, for repairing the bridges lead-
ing to the landing-stage from St. George's Dock, and also
for the repair of the whole of the sheds at the east quay
of the Salthouse dock, should be accepted.
THE FORTIFICATIONS.

The correspondence which had taken place between the
surveyor and Lieut.-col. Servante, of the Royal Engineers,
relative to the sites for fortifications along the docks was
then read. That dated the 28th was from the surveyor
to the Lieut.-Colonel, and was written by the direction of
the committee, as agreed to at their previous meeting and
reported in this journal. The next letter was from the
colonel to the surveyor, and without acknowledging the
receipt of the prior letter, asked, on behalf of the govern-
ment, for a site near the Seacombe ferry. In answer to
that, the surveyor had stated that the dock committee
did not possess any land on the Cheshire side, but as it
belonged to the town council he had referred it to the
committee for conducting the affairs of the Birkenhead
docks. A subsequent letter from the Lieut.-colonel to the
surveyor stated, in answer to the first communication,
that he had not received any official notification from the
government of their intention to give up the works of
fortification contemplated in the year 1855.
The Chairman said he had no doubt but that the com-
mitttee would recollect that in the year 1855 it was in the
contemplation of the government to erect certain works
along the dock walls for the purpose of defending the port.
The committee had assented to certain propositions, hut
from that time until last month they had heard nothing
more of the matter, and the committee had supposed, as
the war was at an end, that the government had aban-
doned the project.
A Committeeman : It was stated that the government
had actually abandoned the scheme.

The Chairman said if it had not been officially announced
it was generally supposed that the scheme was abandoned.
Mr. Chaloner did not see the necessity of discussing the
question.

The Chairman: Perhaps the subject had better be
' postponed. As the government did not accept the offer
at the time, they might not feel it right to give up the
land, but if it was required the committee would, on being
applied to, be ready to give it up.
Mr. Gregson thought the committee should not put any
impediment in the way of the government for defending
the port.
The Chairman : The committee presumed that the
government had given up ti.eir scheme, except as to that
of the north end; the question then before them was as
to the other sites.
Mr. Chaloner : Let the matter pass over. I dare say
we shall hear no more about :t.
The Chairman : But I thought it my duty to bring the
subject forward, in order that the committee might say
whether these communications should be further answered,
stating that the committee had supposed that the govern-
ment had abandoned the whole scheme. The question
before the committee was whether the recommendations
of the sub-committee of works were to be adopted.
The tenders were agreed to be accepted, and no further
I,
discussion of the other motion ensued.

THE GRAVING Dams,

The Harbour-masters' Committee recommended that the
graving clocks, No,•. 1,2, and 3, in the Sandon Docks,
should be appropriated to the use of steam vessels, and
that the time to be as the entry should be ten weeks ; that
the remaining graving docks should be for sailing vessels,
the time as entry to he four weeks, and that when the
docks appropriated to steam vessels should not be occu-
pied, that if necessary sailing vessels take their places,
and vice versa..

Letters were read from Mr. Maclver, and also from Mr.
M'Elroy, complaining of the present want of graving dock
accommodation, the latter gentleman pointing out some
improvements which he conceived might be made in the
proposed new arrangements, but which he thought would
only aggravate the present complaints.
Mr. Lockett, as chairman of the committee, explained
that I hey had on the previous day, at some considerable
length, discussed the matter, and he thought that if the
present propositions were carried out, the evils complained
of would be remedied.
Mr. Brocklebank said notwithstanding that the proposed
system might work better than that which had been pre-
viously adopted, he was quite sure the time had arrived
when it was absolutely necessary that the committee
should take into their serious consideration how they were
to give increased dock accommodation. He thought that
they had no right to shrink from going to Parliament to get
the necessary powers. He concluded by suggesting that
the works' committee and the Parliamentary committee
should immediately take into their serious consideration
the want of graving dock accommodation, and get some
scheme to go to Parliament with a view to obviate the
present inconvenience.

- Mr. Locket, said they had been to Parliament last year,
and it was of no use.
Mr. Brocklebank : Although we could not then get all
we asked for, there was no reason why we should not apply
next year for some graving dock accommodation. From
the daily increase of the trade, he conceived that it was
not their duty to shrink from going to Parliament, and
getting what really was required.
Mr. Barber wished to know, whether or not Mr.
Brocklebank was in order in making such a motion,
without first giving notice,
The Chairman : It is only thrown out as a suggestion.
Are we to adopt the resolution of the harbour masters'
committee ?

The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Barber, however, said that he did not conceive that
this was the time for going to Parliament, as he thought
now that the war was over, and they had two additional
graving docks in the Q teen's dock, there would be suffi-
cient accommodation.

Mr. Holme agreed with Mr. Brocklebank, that the pre-
sent was the proper time to apply to Parliament for power,
if they were to go by the docks at the north end of the
town, for he had been yesterday informed, that it would be
two years before that dock would be completed, conse•
quently, if they were not to take any steps this session, it
would be more than five years before they could increase
their dock accommodation. The trade of the port was so
increasing that graving docks would be required, but he
should oppose any extension of the dock northwards for
that purpose, for it was his belief that they would require
every yard of land they possessed for carryinZ on the trade
of the port on this side of the water.

• --a •
Mr.-Rankin did not see any necessity for making any
additional graving dock,

Mr. Br alebaiik
docks are full.

At the present time all the graving

The Chairman said he had no doubt but that the
request would be take❑ into consideration by the com-
mittee,

The matter then dropped.
Some communications were referred to the Harbour
Masters' committee, and the committee adjourned.