The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-06 00:00:00

DOCKS.

This event is looked forward to with considerable
interest, and every arrangement is in progress for
conducting its celebration with becoming splendour.
The extensive warehouses, the opening of which will
be a striking feature in the day's proceedings, are
twelve in number, and will each hold 4,000 bales of
cotton. The extension line of railway runs in a
diagonal line, by means of an open excavation, across
the town, from the Grange-lane station, through
Oliver-street, Conway-street, Price-street, and Cleve-
land-street, to the dock warehouses ; having branch
lines communicating with the docks, so that goods
may be at once hoisted from the vessel's
side on the railway trucks, and dispatched
into the interior, or from the ship into the
warehouses, without the least hazard or
delay from exposure on the quays. After the cere-
mony of opening the dock, the company will proceed
to the deliner, and this part of the proceedings
being completed, the next object of interest will be
the opening of the new park, which has been com-
pleted at a cost of 127,7781. The celebrated proprietor
of the magnificent marquee, which is fitted up on pub-
lic festivals in Greenwich-park, will there pitch his
refreshment tent, 170 feet long; and various other
booths, camps, &c., will be erected. Cricket, foot-
ball, and other athletic games, rural sports, and
divers amusements, will occupy the holiday throng
in that vast and picturesque arena. The beau-
tiful new market, on which a sum of 26,0001. has
been expended, will likewise present its attractions.
On the east quay of the new docks, facing the river,
six pieces of ordnance will be placed, for the purpose
of firing salutes; the guns being under the manage-
ment of a detachment of the Royal Artillery from
Chester Castle, kindly granted by their commanding
officer, Major Robe. As we intimated last week
there will be no procession, but the quays of the
docks will be lined with pensioners, clubs, and socie-
ties of various kinds, with flags, music, &c., and after
the docks have been opened, they will repair to the
park to be in waiting to receive Lord Morpeth. Four
of the warehouse rooms, each 140 feet long and
50 wide, are beautifully and most tastefully fitted
_
and are most indefatigable in promoting the arrange-
ments. The suite will include reception, withdraw-
ing, ball, and banquet rooms ; in the former of which
a magnificent cascade will throw forth its silvery
streams, amidst a profusion of choice conservatory
plants, flowers, and other decorations. The dejeitner
and supper will be provided by Mr. Hillier, of the
Monk's Ferry Hotel ; all the orders have been given,
as it is proper they should be, to Birkenhead trades-
men. After the ball there will be a special train to
Chester, and the Woodside boats will continue run-
ning during the whole of the night. All the work-
men employed at the docks (2,000 in number) are to
have the gift of a day's wages, and the various con-
tractors have come forward most liberally as regards
this part of the proceedings. Mr. J. Laird tfas given
his men leave to take part in the festivities, and they
will be paid their wages for the day. We understand
that all the principal builders will give their men a
holiday, and the day is expected to be one of general
rejoicing.—Liverpool Mercury.

. a
OPENING OF THE DOCKS.
Yesterday was a memorable day on the banks of the
Mersey, having been chosen for the triple purpose of
opening the new docks at Birkenhead, the splendid new
park, and the extension line of the Chester and Birken-
head Railway to the docks. The docks to be opened on
this occasion were the Woodside and Bridge-end, the
joint accommodation of which is equal to the Prince's
Dock at Liverpool.
Immediately adjoining these docks are tho extensive
warehouses of the Birkenhead Dock Company ; twelve
of which, each capable of storing 4,000 bales of cotton,
are already completed. These warehouses are two
stories in height, and when finished will form three long
tiers, running rectangularly from the shore.
The extension line of railway to the docks affords
facilities and advantges which few railways or docks
enjoy. Frorn'the main line branches run along each
side of the warehouses: one side will be made available
for the storing of goods by vessels just arrived—the
other for conveying goods to vessels loading for sea.
The rails run so close, that the goods can be hoisted
direct from, or lowered into, the trucks, and thus all
confusion and necessity for carting will be avoided ;
neither will there be delay nor hazard from exposure on
the quays.
The docks were opened in person by Lord Morpeth,
Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests. His Lord-
ship arrived in Liverpool about ten o'clock in the fore-
noon. A special train, with Lord Lincoln, Lord Mont-
eagle, and other visitors, left London about six o'clock
in the morning, and arrived in Birkenhead at twelve
o'clock. Shortly after that hour the Lords Commis.
sioners, with other distingushed guests, the Birkenhead
Dock 'Commissioners, the Birkenhead Improvement
Commissioners, the Directors of the Birkenhead Dock
(Warehouses) Company. the Directors of the Birken-
head, Lancashire. and Cheshire Junction Railway., . and
the Directors of the Chester and Birkenhead Railway,
embarked at Monk's Ferry, on board the Lord Warden,
a handsome new iron steamer. Six pieces of artillery
were posted along the quays ; and the steamer, which
was beautifully decorated, started amid music, the roar
of cannon, and the cheers of the spectators. After
steaming about a mile up the river, the boat returned,
and, similarly saluted in its progress, slowly entered the
new docks, and moored alongside the south wall of the
Bridge-end Dock ; after which the party repaired to the
new warehouses to partake of a dejeuner, at which 800
ladies and gentlemen sat down.
The weather was serene ; flags and streamers floated
from every available spot - the ferry steamers were
crowded : Liverpool poured its throng to the opposite
bank. A more animating spectacle than the river pre-
sented it would be impossible to conceive.
Four of the warehouse rooms, each 140 feet long and
50 feet wide, were beautifully and tastefully fitted up
for the festival with pink and white drapery. The walls
The Lo
will have to extend
and roofs were lined with fluted drapery. The recep-rds of the Admiralty
rckYe nvoiwu
e a
will, su m
in
choice tion-room was adorned with a magnificentcascade, Lheir tour, on their next visit of inspection, to the various
i 'arbhlee E a
totyi tauldSeurtrheaytDpo ih e airodi a
which poured out a crystal jet amidst a profusion of
such ti
yaafrodrsm.d
choice conservatory plants and flowers.
Joseph Bailey, jun., Esq., M.P., occupied . . the chair ; all probability, feel compelled to write another pamphlet.
John Land and William Potter, Esqs., chairs. Wetand dry
the vice-
After the toasts—the Queen, the Queen Dowager, building, and all the bustle and activity of a dock yard of
Royal Family, the the first
Prince Albert, and the rest of themagnitude on the eve of
.n. war. Seriously, the
f the Diocese "
Army and Navy, the Bishop and Clergy -.) . 9 preparations making at the Royal Surrey Zoological
and the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, had been given, Gardens, for the siege of Gibraltar, are on such a gigantic
with the usual honours, scale few persons have any conception of, and we are
The CIIAIRMAN proposed the health of _ Lord Viscount warranted in asserting that the forthcoming represents.-
Morpeth. He thanked the Noble Lord, not only in the lion will exceed anything yet attempted.
name of the two boards of directors and the dock com- THE LAINIPLIGIITERS ON TILE FAST DAT.—The
missioners, and those who had taken a direct interest in lamplighters of Manchester, resolving, at the suggestion
the prosecution of these works, but also in the name of of their superinenses, o urn
the public, for having given his sanction to the pro t d, t t t to some account the late
ceedings of that day by his presence. The Noble Lord's
" general fast, made a small subscription through the force,
amountinet to 1/. 7s. ed , with which they purchased
public career had now been of some considerable twenty-two .
6 dozen soup 'tickets, and distributed their
duration, and his public character was so well known
that it would be needless for him several proportions amongst the destitute pour in their
to enlarge upon different localities. Thus were they enabled, at a trifling
it. Ilis private worth was also as conspicuous sacrifice to themselves, to afford temporary relief to at
as his public virtues, and he felt great pleasure in least 100 of their less fortunate and suffering brethren. 4,
doing honour to them.—(inn' It might not be inn' This is a gratifying illustration of the good that may be
p pro-Late to remark, as they were on the shores of the effected, even on a small scale, where there is a disposie
Mersey, that the Noble Lord had recently visited a lion, and an example worthy of imitation.—Guardiam
country which was the most intimately connected with The cost of a passage in the forecastle from Cork
us by commerce, and from which we were now drawing to America is raised to 4/. 10a and 5/., that is 20s. to 30s.
largely our necessary supplies of food. In that country over the usual charge.
the Noble Lord had had the opportunity of witnessing ;The Northern Whig states that Antrim is the only
the energies of that great people the Americans—(Hear)
county in Ireland which has not touched a farthing of
—of seeing the fertility of their soil, and of judging to
Government money.