The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-02-01 00:00:00

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OPIOMMI
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TIIE I_ONDON DOCKS.
as Tuesday Tuesday everting last, preparations were made
reT,,•.,g the vessel, whose head and stern posts,
I; t rig
into a groove us the walls of the entrance
l".-i ' a Docks from the River Thames, had
Ithe Lan on
re& and can hereafter be replaced to serve, as a
p.gate .ig tine the tide ; some difficulty attended
operation, owing to the swelling of the wood
ce the vessel was -built, in the situation above de-
oed; and the aid of screws was necessary, be-
so the amazing buoyancy of the vessel, 23 feet
~0 in the water, to free her from the grooves in
Visalls. The tide serving about eleven o'clock,
water was pumped out of her, she rose, and was
li':red to the North-east corner of the entrance Ba-
p, where she now lays.
Yesterday morning, at nine o'clock, one hun-
ted and fifty trading vessels in the vicinity of Her.
pt age Bridge, hoisted their flags and pendants
on a salute announcing the opening of the Dock ;
.1, at ten, the vessel destined to the honour of
'O4 t!ie first to enter this noble work, began to
es' cierself in her most splendid style. At half
ten this business was completed, and she
splayed fifty-seven different flags, being the trad-
g colours of every port and nation expetled to use
is Dock, and store their merchandise in the depo-
Aries prepared for their reception. In this num-
r we observed the following :
The flays of the East India Company upon the bowsprit..
Of the West IndiaCempany open the yard-arm.
Arsenous colours.
Rums, Prussia, Denmark, Swedes. Norway, Naples, &c.
item the suibaard.
Malta, SaelaMa, &e. tuber&
At eleven o'clocicohree boats from the shore,
' h the Band belonging to the First Regiment of
opal London Volunteers, came on board ; being
ated in the boat, they continued playing loyal
•rs• •
About the same time Captain Walton and Cap.
'n Owen, principal dockers, .went on board,
d gave Captain Stouile, the master of the
ssel, the necessary instrutlions for the cere-
ony, and accommodation of the company in-
:ted. The vessel was, we understada, the Loa-
is Packet, and not the Persewnsiece, .as. was re-
ted, a beautiful two-masted vessel, laden with
ine, from Oporto ; and the Company being on board,
he proceeded, under the care of Mr. Marshall, the
'yer pilot, to the entrance of the outer lock, where
e quitted her, and Captains Walton, Owen, and
uddart, took charge of her. The swivel bridge was
town open with the assistance of eight men only,
12 o'clock, and at one she entered the Lock,leading
. . • the River, to the entrance bacon : on board of
were, the band of the Ist London Volunteers,
• . Rennie, the k.ngineer, under whom these amaz-
i works I,ave been constructed, and a large party
oblemen, Ladies, and Gentlemen; several guns
•ere, at the same time, fired by the ships, to wel-
come the event. The London Packet proceeded
majestically across the entrance bacon ; and, at
tbirty.five minutes past one o'clock, entered the
great Dock, the immense concourse of spettaiors,
who lined the banks of the Locks and Docks, saluting
her with nine buzaas. Immediately on her entering
the Dock, the band on board struck up a Rule Ms-
Sameish"
Alum the company upon the quays were, the
Duke of St. Alban's, Earl Temple, the Porte vise
- • • up
vrbassadors, Sir Andrew 1-fkisnd
• 3. B. arrem Aldermen Rowero
1/141111stier, the Directors, Ac.—Five more ships
ll be towed this day.
The Dock was nearly covered with a thin ice, the
Mild Ming intense, and a considerable fall of snow
411 *a at the time, together with the miserably
Amy ate of the hanks of the Dock for want of
; all these circumstances contributed to
1= itiedieft and the ole.isure of this truly grati-
fying wee. Ropes were previously laid across the
Dock fir towing the ship to the opposite bank, where
the was greeted by the buzzes of an immense con-
course of-spectators of the most respectable class; the
band of the East India volunteers •• es stationed there,
sad played several excellent and appropriate pieces
of :ethic. The London Parkes was towed along
the north bank of the Dock, to the upper or north-
east corner, where she was about two o'clock moored
for the pus pose of unloading her cargo. About
three o'clock it was high water, and the tide flowed
Rifest above the cil of the outer lock
We sball sow give an account of the works.
The, or ties, on each side of the first or
outer reek, proksit near 100 feet further into the
river than the line of the wharfs above and below it ;
intended, no desist, to increase the current in this
place, and keep the channel deep for the entrance of
ships. The lock-gates are most massive pieces of
carpentry, and have four shuttles or sluices in each
pair of gates, for letting out the water, which are
drawn by rack-work moved by handles ; ever each
lock-late, is a safe and convenient platform or pas-
ser for the sailors and other persons ; at the front
dead) gate is a brass roller to lessen the friAion of
the gate upon the bottom of the lock, which can be
adjusted from time to time by a screw, as the gates
wear or settle. Across the entrance lock, but
not exaelly in the line of Wapping-street, is a
east-iron bridge, intended to be open, at all times,
far the passage of carriages and persons, except
when ships are going in or out of the Dock. The
contrivance of this bridge does great credit to the
engineer & it is in two divisions, turning on centres
npon the opposite walls of the Lock, and shutting
into recesses on the top of the walls, while ships are
pa,sing. The top is covered with strong planks;
two ribs of wood owe to guide the wheels of carri-
ages, and leave a convenient and safe foot-way on each
side for foot-passengers, who are further secured by a
substantial railing of erought iron on the outside. This
bridge is composed of 14 ribs,about three tons weight
eaChshaving also several cross-pieces,and a circle, of
east iron, which tuns on a great number of rollers,
sapreeted by the masonry helot ; five tons and up-
wards of pirison are also stowed at the shorter, or
land end of awls division of the bridge, by which it
is air 'WILT balanced, as to be moved with perieft
thee Bat the principal excellency of this bridge
imaiiire ha a frame of cast-iron, moving on a joint,
abase three it from the top of the walls, on each
eyed the Mel, which, when the bridge is placed
lardy far the pseesju od carriages, is let down by
IIIMMII•glega, tumid by 4 winch, mid completes


16C aoutnienss _
perfeit manner, so that carriages do not make it
tremble in the least ; the same screw lakes up this
frame in a few seconds, when the bridge is intended
to be swung round, or off the Lock, for the passage
of ships. Oathe banks of the Locks are several
capstans, for opening the dock-gates, and hauling
ships in and out, which are composed of a strong
cast-iron shaft, of considerable length, *the bottom
of which works in a centre, at the bottom of a well,
iced working through a collar of iron," connelled
with the masonry at the top of the same, by which
the utmost strength is obtained, without any beam
or support above, and ropes can be hove over
there with the greatest ease.
In an elegant building, on the East side of the en-
trance bason, are two most capital ,team engines, of
Bolton and Watt's most improved kind, and which
are kept in the neatest order possible ; in the centre
of the building is a well, corn, y a
b range of
large cast iron pipes, with th river, at the level of
low-water, or nearly so; out of which well the
water is pumped by these engines, for supplying the
great dock ; which, owing to the rise in the ground I
towards Ratcliffe-Highway, has its bottom, and the
surface of the water therein, three feet higher than
the entrance-bason, at the ordinary height of tides
in the river. The pipes conneding the engine with
the river, and with the dock and bason, are three
feet in diameter ; and the connections with them are
opened or shut at pleasure, by means of three sluices
in the front of the engine-house. These engines
make about sixteen strokes each in a minute, and
consume about two bushels and a half of coals in

an hour.
The great Dock, and the immense ranges of ware-
houses which are upon its North and East banks,
do not, at first sight, strike the mind with that
wonder and a:ma:meat, which a further investiga-
tion and view of them are calculated to inspire. The
immen.e expanse of the water takes of the effea cf
the height and magnitude of the buildings. , At
the east end of the great Dock, which ranges east,
and parallel with the River (being about twice as
long as it is wide), are the surprising large ware-
houses, intended fot the use of Government, instead
of the tobacco warehouses now used at the old
Viaualling-office, on Tower-hill ; beneath are spa-
cious arched vaults, intended for the stowage
of goods. In the centre of each of the three
large warehouses, which are but one story high,
above the ground, is a large well, extending from
the sewers below the building. quite up to the roof,
intended for containing the snow which will be liable
to collet on the many acres of roof which there here
Are, and by chocking the gutters to flood the building
below when the snow melts. In this well, privies
are very properly construfted for the use of the per-
sons employed. Between each of these three large
warehouses are double doors of wrought iron, and
strong at 4 tall party walls for security in case of one
of them taking fire In the south entrance of these
warehouses are a kiln for burning all the damaged
tobacco, and a room or cellar for stowing the ashes
therefrom, which are very valuable. At the north
end of the tobacco warehouses, the entrance bacon
to another Dock.. intended to be hereafter made
further to the eastward, is completed. as far as the
high but temporary wall which bounds the premises
on that side at present.
Along the northern bank of the great Dock,
within a few feet of its edge, is a surprising long
range of sheds, open from one end to the other.
with cranes at proper distances, to be worked by
men walking in a wheel, for loading goods into
carts. but not for hoisting them out of the ships,
the ship's tackle being intended to be need for such
purpose, and the goods to be placed on trucks fitted
to the railways, which conned with each ware-
house. At the back, or more northward than this
open shed, is a most magnificent range of buildings,
comprising five warehouses of immense size and
height, and behind these other ranges of warehouses
are intended, the fronts of which are carried up as
-high as the first story, and which, with a proper
view to economy and safety, are at present bricked
up in a temporary way, where the doors and win-
**, are intended, so as to form a high and strong
All on all the north side of the premises.
At the principal entrance into East Smithfield, at
the north-west corner of the Docks, the fronts of
the warehouses are in like manner begun, forming
a most noble circus. and the openings of the doers
and windows bricked up to form a temporary ex-
ternal wall.
The whole of the east end of the premises are
bounded and defended at present, by a high, but
temporary wall; and at the south-west corner of
the great Dock, the entrance baton, intended to
conno!l with the Thames, through Hermitage
Dock, is completed as far as the temporary wall.
On the south-side is a similar temporary wall, which,
like that on the west end, will be removed, when
the intended grand range of warehouses, which are
to be built without it, are completed. By these
most judicious arrangements, the trade, which will
begin immediately to be carried on upon the Docks,
will be secure from depredation.
All the stair-cases leading to the grand warehouses
on the North side of the Dock are of stone, with
wrought-iron balustrades and doors, for security
from fire. Ir. the upper story of each warehouse
are two cranes of excellent construaion, intended to
be worked by men walking in them ; :he wheels are
about fourteen feet diameter, open at each side, for
the men to jump out in case of accident. and with
circular hand-rails in the centre ;by means of lines
conne.ting with the different warehouses, the crane
can be cast on or off at pleasure, and a brake, or
friaion-wheel. applied to lower goods ; near the jib
of each crane is a fixed iron at m, standing out from
the building, with a block at the end, by means of
which, and a small rope extending to the ground,
the jib can be traversed at pleasure.
The posts of timber which support the several
buildings, rest on stone bases. except in the long
open shed, where, to give st.bility to the building,
several of them are set into the ground ; in those
cases, the lower ends of the posts have been char-
red, and afterwards driven full of small iron
nails with large heads, as the most effeaual way of
defending them from decay.
Six large mooring chains and buoys are fixed in
different parts of the great Dock for the mooring of
vessels, but since the soaking of the wood as the ad.
missies of die water, it bas Woo found dim they
wasted more deal isbar onsebed to this to Soot
this, which as. aiding.