Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-03 00:00:00

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last, and, at a meeting of the Birkenhead Dock Commit-
tee, on the 24th August, in anticipation of that event, the
committee instructed their engineer to consider and report
to what extent works beyond those already contracted for
could be advantageously proceeded with prior to the Ist of
January next, when the ne,v Board would come into effico,
and whether any and what preparation could be made for
entering iuto further contracts.

On the 7th Sept. following, Mr. Hartley reported to the
committee as follows :—I am in receipt of a resolution of
your committee, on the 24th of August last, to the effect,
" That the engineer be requested to consider and report
to what extent works beyond those tow contracted for, can
be advantagEowly proceeded with, previously to the Ist of
January next, when the new board erne into office ; and
whether any, and if so, what preparations can be now made
for entering into further contract?.

I have given the subject of this resolution much con-
side7atien, and now beg to inform you, that from not
being in possession of any of t'.e detailed drawings of the
authorised plans of 1853, and as before I could prepare
such drawings as would be necessary, and take such other
steps as would permit of this work being let by contract,
the new board wou'd have commenced its functions;
and bearing in mind also that the clause in the act of last
session, referring to these works supposes, from the
use of the word "substantially," that s )me modification
of the plans, as now designed, would be necessary, I
think it would be the wiser course not to enter into any
contract for works connected with the authorised plans
that might trammel the new board in their consideration
of the whole question, The only portion of the auth--
rised plan, so far as regards the outer works, and suppos-
ing no alteration of those plans contemplated, that I
could be in a position to let by contrast previous to the
Ist of January, would be the portion of the river wall
opposite to the south reserve. This might be prepared
and let so that the work might be commenced upon by the
beginning of November ; but it must be remem-
bered that little, if any, progress could be made with a
work of that nature during the winter months, the com-
mencement of the construction of which could be proceeded
with only at good spring tides, and must depend entirely
upon the weather; neither do I think it would be wise, in
point of economy, to let this work in a separate and dis-
tinct contract, irrasmech as any contractor, who had no
other work in conn,ction therewith on which to employ his
men during neap tides, or such other periods which he
could not proceed at the river wall, must necessarily have
much higher prices to repay him for such great loss of time
and delay.
With reference to the works inside the Great Float, the
walling upon the north side might be let by contract and
proceeded with as set forth upon the authorised plans ; but
entertaining, as I do, a etrong opinion, that in any applica-
tion that may be made to Parliament during the ensuing
session, it would be a wise policy to seek for powers to
place the whole of the north margin of the Moat, with a
proper width of lend f)r plays, and the formation of a road
in connection therewith, in the hands of the new board, so
as to vest the whole of the management, ownership, and
power to levy rates in the Birkenhead Decks in one body,
and being of opinion, that if this was done, it would be
advantageous to the general working of the !hat if the
line of the north wall was to some slight extent altered,
and a bridge communication formed between the quays
on the north and south sides,. I cannot, therefore, advise
you that it would be well to enter now into any contracts
for work that might have to be altered within a short
period, or would in any way fetter the action of the new
board which is in so short a time to take the management
of these works.

2nd. A 3 regards- the inner works, that is to say, those
which in a certain sense were independent of the plans
before mentioned, and whist consist principally of wailing
and excavating the Flo-it, the proceedings of the Corpora-
tion have been as follows :

So early as the month of November, 1855 (the liability to
resume the works not arising until ne Ist of September,
1856), the committee of the Corporation directed their
attention to the expediency of deepening the Great Float,
so as to make it available for trade with as little delay as
passible, and the Town Clerk was requested to ascertain
the powers in that respect, and also in respect to the
building the wharf walls in front of the land on its margin,
contained in the various Dock Acts, and conferred on the
Corporation by the Act of 1855. Finding these very con—
flicting; and uncertain, partly in consequence of the numer-
ous Acts of Parliament being frequently contradictory in
their provisions, and partly from the expedients to which
the Birkenhead Dock Trustees, by reason of their insolvency,
had occasion to resort, it was resolved that the owners of
land whose wails had not been constructed should have
notice of the intention of the Corporation to proceed with
this excavation, and of their willingness to con'truct the walls
while the float was run dry, so that the additional expense
of cofferdams might be saved to them, and to invite them
to meet at the Town-hall, on the 16th of the same month,
to take-the subject into consideration. This, and several
subsequent in-etings were held, but it was not until the
31st day of October, 1356, that arrangements were made
in which it was thought all parties would acquiesce, and
by which the numerous difficulties which beset the busi-
ness would be avoided.

These were reduced into writing, in the form of an
agreement between the frontagers and the Corporation
of Liverpool, bot, as it was si4ned only by a portion of
the landowners ao action could be taken upon it.
Pending these negociatioas, the committee recommended
that the excavation of the Float should, at all events, be
proceeded with, and in tho month of September, 1856, a
contract for this work was entered into by the Corporation,
the completion of which is fixed for the month of June,
1858.

It should bi added that before the Corporation could
enter into this contract, vary great delay and expense
was incurred by them on the subject of the deposit of
the spoil, which might probably have been awdded, as
well as the difficulties from the obscurity of the Birken-
head Dock Acts, had they been permitted to carry their
bills in Parliament, and to proceed simultaneously with the
outer works, the plan of the last session.

The excavations of the Float have not yet proceeded so
far as to admit of the construction of the wharf walls,
'except on a limited aortion of their entire length, and
from the report of Mr. Hartley it will be seen that a
material alteration in the line of the wall is recom-
mended, es well as the purchas', by the new board, of
a considerable extent of land behind it. Under these
circumstances, little can be done as regards these works,
but the Corporation have given directions for the con-
struction of the wall in front of their own land, and have
intimated to the Isndowners, whose walls will not be
affected by the proposed alterations, their willingness to
construct them also. Wax. SMUITLYWORTII.
Town-hall, 24th Nov., 1857.

It was ordered that as the roport was so• important, as a
reply to the charges recently made against the Corporation,
the committee should be empowered to have it printed
and circulated.

Mr. &WART moved the eonfirmation of the proceedings.
He observed that the resolution just adopted by the
Council, rendered it unnecessory for him to make any
observations on the subject of the report. The allegations
which had been made, were fully and fairly dealt with in
the report. He did not know whether it would be neces-
sary to make many observations regarding what the
Council had just heard about the ships containing wool.
The answer to that charge was contained in the Harbour.
Master's report, which stated that the ships were all
berthed, at all :events, before the Bth of October, which
they were told was time enough. The last ship was
berthed on the eth of October, some on the 2nd, and the
majority in the Wapping dock, which he believed was the
very dock where the wrol sales took place. He should
make no further observations upon that subject, except to
express his sincere regret that a gentleman filling an
important position in Liverpool, should, without saying a
word to the committee, who could have given him a fall
explanation, have allowed charges Of that kind to be
brought forward at a meeting of parties who took hold
of everything they could to vilify Liverpool. They all ad
mitted, and they were proud that the admission could
be made, that the docks of Liverpool were overcrowded,
owing to the amount of trade they had to accommodate.
The trade was so large and so ex ensive that they could
not affird at preAent sufficient dock accommo
But they all knew that the proceeding with making further
dock accommodation in Liverpool had been stopped.
(Hear, hear) He objected to the extension of Liverpool
dock accommodation being fettered by Birkenhead.
(Hear, hear.) He did not desire to lower the importance
of Birkenhead but, on tho contrary, he would support, as
far as he could, the carrjing out of all the works on the
Birkenhead side in all their integrity, yet, at the same
time, he could not admit that Birkenhead, and Birkenhead
only, was to be taken into consideration. (Hear, hear.)
He did not think any further observations were necessary,
and should merely move that the proceedings of the
committee be now confirmed.

Mr. Alderman HoLmn seconded the motion.
Mr. ALDERMAN PARKER condemned the purchase of the
Birkenhead docks, and declared that the Council had, in
two years, lost £30,000 by them.
Mr. PICTON reminded Mr. Parker that the Council were
to be repaid every farthing they expended, on Birkenhead,
with interest. He contended that the purchase was the
very best. Were it not for it their Town Dues would
have been taken from them without any compensation
whatever. If Birkenhead bad continued to exist as a rival
port, did any man believe the legislature would have
allowed that Corporation, no matter what the merits of
the case might be, to levy town dues over there? There
would, unquestionably, have been an act of Parliament

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