Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-15 00:00:00

DOCK POAPD.

The weekly meeting of this board took plate at one
o'clock yesterday, Mr. Brocklebank presiding,. The other
members present were—Messrs. Shand, Evans, Langton,
Bushell, Rankin, Inman, Lockett, 11toss, Boult, Anderson,
Farnworth, Hubback, M'lver, Littleaale, Hutchison.

*ORKS COMMIttEE

The committee recommended that the tender of Messrs.
George Forester and Co. be accepted for cast iron sheet
piles. The resolution of the water committee, with
reference to the supply of fountains along the Flock walls
with water, having been read, it was resolved 'that .a
deputation, consisiting of Messrs. Brocklebank and Bushell,
wait upon the water Committee at their next 'Meeting. A
deputation from the timber trade waited von the

committee upon tie subject of the accommodation to be'
provided for 'that trade in the event of a 'portion of th
la,tid upon 'the east side of the Ilttskisson 'dock, hithetto
occupied by 'the trade as a temporary arrangement, being
taken for 'Vac site of the new steam dock. After the
,deputation had retired the committee 'proceeded to the ,
tottsidefation of the question, rad it ivits resolved' thnt the
timber 'trade be informed that there rre now it their
occupation upon the east side tgangliisstitraockl7,ot square
yards- df land, from which the roposenock 'woad require
7,560 square yards, leaving 40,40 t) 'yards still in the
occupation of the trade, in addition to whielmn area of

-about 11,900 square yards could be Trovided fit,- their use ;
and it was proposed also 'to 'fare, With als practicable
despatch, at and to the -north of' the land east of the
Auskisson-dock, an area about aril to the'att-a to be taker
away from the trade..

Mr. Rankin moved Ant' thertizteeediaggta confirmed.
The Chairman stdtea Alrit 'l3tighill and himtdf
waited upon the water tomMittee last Moiiday in reference
to the supply of the fountains, but in consequence of the
council being then -itting, rtin nYeeting of the eoratiittee

was postponed for'u eek. 'ke'did not know, laokkg at
the temper in WhiCh the tnitter-Was received by the-council
on Monday, whether it "Wrald be adiisable to-parene the
thing any further. He felt amidst intlined to rectmmend
that the BeardAtould'contult their own dignity by telling
the council that they -would 'pay 'for the -water they
required. He vas'satiSfied himself' that there 'Wes a very
erroneous impresSion 'on' the minds ofsome of themembers of
the water committee, and amcitiglitt rest of the chairman,
to the effect 'that•the'toCk tosid wanted the water for
dock purposes. 'lt "Was not-'reqiired 'them for dock
purposes, but Tor public purposes. An argumett was made
use of by the 'Chairman of the "water coirtroltee, that the
fountains'supplied the Wan, with. water' were them-
selves supplied .at the expense of the 'heath committee.
But as thesettwdbtiairs.were alike part' and'-parcel of the
council, it 'was only %plifting the money out of one pocket
into another. If therwohld oily supply Ite dock board
upon the same terms, he shOuldvoe very glad. (Hear, hear,
and laughter.) :The dock' beard did' not' aspect the cor-
poration to supply' them•with.waterin their enclosed docks
—such as the Albett.7dockaPall.
Mr. Farnworth -said 'there seemed to be considerable
difference,of oPitian in the'vrbler committee as to what the
dock board were -really- a-sioing. for. 'fie had been told
distinctly by several meMbers of the water committee that
they understood the Ddcklioard to require the water for
the use eft the driek- workmen; and they stated distinctly that
they eagultlnot,supply'them.gratuituirsly. He had no doubt
that if the deputation Wreited upon the 'committee, and put
the inatrterinia;ightlight4tl.ll objection-would be removed.
_ _

Mr. M Iver did not -see' why -the 'Board should supply
water to the -public at all. It was. a ,charitable act upon
the part of theloard' ti:P put up the' fountains, but he did
not see why they should pay continuously for the supply of
water. lle thought it-was for the town council to do so.

Mr. Anderson thought many persons looked at the ques-
tion in a wrong iight•when they regarded the Dock Board
merely as a.prirate body; -end not as a public trust.
It was filially agreed that the' deputation should wait
upon the we.ter comMittee next Mondfiy.

-Mr. Boult'begged-leave to put • a, question, of which he
had given notice, with regard to low water basin at
Birkenhead. One of the, leading features of the Birkenhead
docks was & large low,,wi.ter basin of fourteen acres, to con-
tain a floating landing-stage, and to be excavated to some
fabulous depth,-so that-ships might enter at all times, which
was a very !fine scheme to lay before a parliamentary com-
mittee, or to pour into the ear of a fdendly president of the
Board of Trade. Bat the value of-the basin depended en-
tirely upon their being able to Maintain a sufficient depth
of water. And he believed 'their. engineer made no secret
of his opitiimr that;it-would be found impracticable to keep
the basin ppen--i-in fact that it' would silt up.

The Chairman Chairman thoughrMr:Boitit was going a little too
far in making these statements. (Hear.) The engineer
had not given any Kroh opinion as Mr. Boult was expressing
to the corsinittee•of.,works. This was a very important
question, more important perhaps than Mr. Boult was aware
of, and required•to 'be dealt .With very carefully. There
ought to be no statements ,made which were not borne out
by facts.
Mr. Boult saidheitad•not.tnade any statement which was
not borne out.by facts. If beLhad stated anything of the
kind he should ,be very sorry. .The engineer was present,
and could correct;him if he-was Ivrong.
Mr. Shand objected •to • any discussion of the question as
to the low water basin. The committee were bound by an
Act of Parliaroentto.execute certain works. He suggested
that Mr. Boult should 'cGtrfine himself to putting the ques-
tion of which 'he :had given ndtice, and. which he had no
doubt the chairman,could very.easily answer.

Mr. Boult then put the -question, which was—whether
the attention of thocomniitteelad been directed to the pos-
sibility of converting the large-low water basin at Birken-
head into a dock, 'With the view,of avoiding the expense of
sluices. &c.; and 'whether anr•communication had been
made to the railway,companies upon +the subject.
The Chairman said 'the ,committee had never contem-
plated, nor in his judgment and 'belief would they contem-
plate, any deviation whatever from the plan of the
Birkenhead dock works prescribed to them by the existing
act.. If the parties 'w'ho were-instrumentabin 'obtaining the
enactment with reference 'to that particular portion should,
from becoming doubtful of its expediency, or from any
other cause become desirous of the change, any proposition
coming from them would of course receive the attentive
consideration of the committee. (Hear, hear.) But the
committee had only the one intention, namely, to carry out
the present authorised plan in its integrity. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Boult asked whether, provided that the Board car-
ried out the Act of Patiliament, and.nxecuted that part of
the plan as they were bound by law, would they be obliged
afterwards to expend one farthing•upon• that basin, unless
they saw fit ? Supposingitshould and should
silt up, as many apprehended, besides the engineer,, could
any parties then compel them to expend any mouey upon it ?
The Chairman : I thinktbe Board .Will-consider with me,
that it is very undesirable to enter into any discussions
:upon suppositious questions. (Near, hear.)
The proceedings were confirmed.

WAREHM;SE .00ASZOVIT1'EE

Mr. aubbaelt moved the confirmation of the proceeeings.
Mr. Lockett asked whether the warehouses of the estate
were.all full.

Mr. limhback said they were not quite ,fuil, but they
expected tae Stanley dock warehouzes would he full next
week. The Albert dock warehouses were rthree•fourtbs
full.

The proceedings were confirmed.

MARINE COMMITTDE,

The committee had had under their consideration
the subject of the management of the badge
porters, and resolved to recommend to the Board
that the control and management of these ,porters
on the landing-stages and pier-heads should not be
assumed by the 'Board, the committee being of opinion,
thatsuch a duty being closely connected with the police of
the 'town, could be more conveniently and efficiently dis-
charged by the watch committee. The letter written by
Mr. Bancroft, with regard to the olive oil supplied to the
lighthemses, had also been considered, and the committee
were of opinion that, as the statement of Mr. Bancroft, that
the oil was not refined, was at variance with that of Mr.
Hewson, analytical chemist, and others, the board could take
no further steps in the matter, unless Mr. Bancroft furnished
independent proof in support GI his assertion.
Mr. Inman moved the confiryeation of the proceedings.
Mr. Anderson said, he was glad to hear that the watch
committee were again about to &same the management of
the badge porters.
Mr. Inman said, the committee hall received no official
intimation as yet that the watch comre;ttee would under-
take the management.
The Chairman said, it would be a very say` Ci.ctory solution
of the question, if the watch committee did take the manage-
ment of the porters into their own hands. (Hear, hear.)
The proceedings were confirmed.
The proceedings of the docks and quays, piletafce, and
master
concluded the general business,