The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-26 00:00:00

NORTHELBET DOCKS.

A public meeting of the inhabitants *of Graves-
end was held yesterday afternoon in the Town-hall,
for the purpose of giving the directors an oppor-
tunity of explaining its nature, and the important
results which are anticipated from carrying the
undertaking into effect.
Mr. GREGORY, the Mayor of Gravesend, occupied
the chair.

The Mayor having briefly opened the proceed.
ings,

Yr. J. DANIELL, chairman of the Blackwall flail:
way, observed that the material point affecting the
scheme which they had in view was to carry out
properly-works which were greatly favoured by the
geological character of the ground. It was not their
purpose to start a new scheme to injure other docks,
but to supply a want occasioned by the shipping
and the magnitude of the craft. The want of privat e
dock accommodation in London was well known,
and if this scheme were carried out; it would supply
that want, and while it would do so without injury
to the docks, it would relieve the river of a portion
of the present traffic. If these docks were esta-
blished, they would introduce a description of craft
which now went to the Mersey and other ports. It
would be a most useful scheme to the town of Graves-
end. He could recollect when the East India ship-
pinglay off Gravesend; but great as were the advan-
tages to Gravesend from that shipping, they would
be as nothing compared to the advantage which would
be derived from the establishment of the Northfleet
Docks, which would enable cargo to be landed,
and depots to be formed, so that eventually Graves-
end would become a place for the embarkation of
troops, and a general mart for commerce. Ships of war
would be able to come in and out of the reserve or
Government- docks at any state of the tile, which
would be a great national advantage. (Hear, hear.)
Every precaution had been taken to secure integrity
to a scheme which would be eminently useful in a
national point of view and very advantageous 'o
Gravesend.

Rear-Admiral LAIEBERT observed that there
could be nb doubt, in a seafaring point of view,
that the construction of the Northfleet Docks would
be of the greatest importance. No one could go up
and down the river and see the enormous number
of vessels lying in the Thames without being con-
vinced that further dock arrangements were abso-
lutely essential. An immense amount of money
was annually expended in steam tugging alone,
and many vessels could ill afford the expense.
This was no new scheme, for he, remembered that
the late Lord Melville was most desirous to avail
himself of so admirable a site as Northfleet for a
naval arsenal, but his recommendations were re-
jected, and the consequence was that the Admiralty
went to Sheerness, and, at an enormous expense,
constructed docks that would not admit our large
steamers.

Colonel LIDDELL spoke of the great facility
which the construction of these docks would afford
for the disembarkation of troops, many of whom
returned from foreign service invalided. The
billeting system in this country was an evil which
was greatly felt, and no one felt it more than the
soldiers, but in time of war it must continue. It
would, however, when these' docks were con-
structed, not be necessary to billet troops in Graves-
end, for they would be sent at once on board the
ships. _ _

)..fr.. TAVERNER said that in a commercial point
of view he thought that the
advantages offered
could not be over estimated The foundation of
the docks would be both firm and durable, and
therefore economical. The undertaking had un-
dergone the most ri°o''ld scrutiny. They had got
the only spot on the Thames where they had the
'
work more than half done for them, for the enor-
mous excavations which had been already made
would have cost an enormous sum of money.
They proposed to give facilities for the
protection of the shipping interest, on a scale
which was unprecedented. This they would
do at a cost of £2,000,000. The St. Kathe-
rine's Docks, 11+ acres of water, cost £3,500,000,
and the London Docks cost £6,000,000 or
£7,000,000. The East and West India Docks cost
about £13.000,000 or £14,000,000. What had been
the secret of the success of Liverpool P—why the
facilities afforded to the shipping. They wanted
dock accommodation which would not interfere
with the expedition of commerce. They would have
three docks unequalled in the world, including a
river quay.of nearly a mile long. Their waterway
would be unequalled, for they made the river itself
a dock. An objection had been raised to their
scheme on the
.gt wand of its distance from London,
but that objection was quite obviated by the rapid
means of transit on each side of the liver' and b' v
means of the river itself. On examining the scheme
it was evident that it must prove highly
remunera-
tive a
ra
tive to then shareholders, whether as
regarded
im-
port or export trade ; and. considering that with
the present limited facilities of the melvepolitan
docks; they paid hetwqm 4 and 4 per. ecnt., there
was a ileazonahle pre.specl, with
the
ties given by the construction of thelsiCeredaoscekdsfaacinidi.
the vast and general ithpulse their construction
would give to the coal trade and the coasting trade,
thattheir returns uvon this nu
„„geTt4ine, )(mild be

much larger. The advantages to the port of Graves-
end were too apparent to require any argutnent on
his part. There could be no doubt that the northern
fleet would then be victualled there, and there was
a reasonable prospect that the large engineering
works now lying idle in the neighbourhood would
be set to work to the great advantage of Gravesend.
In reply to a question from Mr. BEETON,
Mr. TAVERNER stated that independent of the
13d. coal tax imposed by the corporation of the
City of London, which that corporation would have
no pretension for imposing on coal landed at these
docks, the saving on coals would not be less than
3s. a ton, and eit would be their bounden duty to
use their utmost exertions to obtain the repeal of
that objectionable impost.
Mr. DOBSON then moved a resolution to
the effect that this meeting having heard
the statements of the directors of the North-
fleet Dck Company, is of opinion that the
construction of the docks would be not only
nationally advantageous and useful to the mer-
cantile marine, but would at the same time produce
the most beneficial results to the town and neigh-
bourhood, and the meeting pledged itself to give
them their support. He enlarged upon the advan-
tages which Northfleet possessed over Sheerness as
a place of defence. If their somewhat dangerous
neighbour over the water chose to pay them a visit,
which some persons seemed to think not very im-
probable, they might chance one fine day to see
the shipping of Sheerness in flames from the long-
range shots of the enemy, whereas if any attempt
was made to reach Northfleet the vessels of the foe
would be completely riddled by our long-range
coast defences. Independently of the importance
of the docks in :a material point of view, the scheme
would give a chance to Gravesend to become a most
important commercial town, instead of being, as it
had that day been termed in the council chamber,
" a genteel watering place." (A laugh.)
• Mr. DITCTIBILRN seconded the resolution, which
was carried by Acclamation.
Mr. E. BRYANT then moved, and Mr. COOMB
seconded, a vote of thanks to the directors of the
Northfleet Dock Company, for their enterprise in
bringing this great national undertaking before the
public, which was also carried unanimously, and
the proceedings terminated by a vote of thanks to
the Mayor.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH FROM POISON.

Last evening Mr. Wakley, the coroner, and a
jury, resumed an adjourned inquiry at the Golden
Lion public-house, High-street, Fulham, touching
the death of Mr. Charles Edward/ White, aged
seventy years, the proprietor of the extensive pot-
tery works in Fulham, who was found dead in his
counting-house, on Saturday, the 14th inst., under
the following singular circumstances :
From the evidence taken on the -first occasion, it
appeared that the deceased was one of the oldest
inhabitants of Fulham, he having been born in that
place, and his father had carried on the business
before him. For some time past he had been very
low and desponding, arising from his connection
with a young woman with whom he had been co-
habiting during the last eight months. The last
time he was seen in her company was on the Fri-
day night before his death, and then she was at the
works, where some high words passed between
them. He was seen about the premises on the fol-
lowing day, and as late as at half-past five o'clock.
At six o'clock his men were waiting to be paid, and
upon his foreman going to the counting-house he
found the door locked on the inside. Upon looking
through the window he saw the deceased sitting in
a chair apparently in an insensible state. The door
was broken open, and a strong smell was experi-
enced. The unfortunate deceased was quite dead,
and he appeared to have vomited. Mr. Gillingham,
a surgeon, was called in, and afterwards made a
post mortem examination of the body, but was un-
able to discover any cause of death. The foreman
also asserted that he discovered neither bottle nor
paper in the counting-house, and the deceased's
sister in her evidence stated that she had not the
remotest idea of his having poisoned himself. The
supposition was that he died from a. fainting fit, but
the jury were not satisfied, and resolved upon the
inquiry being adjourned for the analysis of the
stomach.

Mr. Gillingham now stated that Dr. Richardson
had made the analysis, and attributed death to cor-
rosive sublimate, which he said he found in large
quantities.

- William Roulton, the foreman, here stepped for-
ward, and said he wished to mention two cir-
cumstances which he omitted to state on the last
occasion. One was that the last time the deceased
was seen in the counting house there was a wine-
glass in the window, but when the door was broken
open it was found in the usual place. On the
Sunday morning he found a piece of paper in the
stove, upon which was written the words " strong
poison.'_ •

The Coroner asked the witness the reason he did
not mention these circumstances on the last occa-
sion, as he distinctly said he found no paper.
The witness said it was because he did not like
to hurt the feelings of Miss White by mentioning
them in her presence. If she had not been present
he would have stated them.

The Coroner said it was a pity he did not mention
them, as it might ,have prevented the jury from
important
evidence, that day. He had given very
evidence, as it released any person from the impu-
tation of murder. He then asked the witness for
the paper he found.
The witness said he handed it over to Miss
White.

The Coroner then requested him to obtain it from
that lady.
While the witness was gone, the coroner observed
that if this was a suicide, it would make the sixth
he had held since Monday—three on Tuesday and
three that day. It was extraordinary the number
of suicides that took place in the neighbourhood of
London, and it was really thought nothing of.
They happened more frequently in the hot months,
and it was an error to suppose that they chiefly
took place in November.
The witness here returned, and handed the coroner
some paper; but he and the jury were unable to
discover the words.

The Foreman said the piece of paper was scorched,
and when he picked it up it came into two pieces.
However, when he put them together he could
distinctly read the words " strong poison."
Some of the jury examined the paper more
minutely, and said they could distinguish the
letters " S" and " n."

Mr. Gillingham said the deceased was in the
habit of dosing himself with medicine, and might
have taken the poison by mistake.
The Foreman said he had seen packets marked
poison" in the counting house.
A gentleman present said the deceased had been
brought up a chemist.
The Foreman said the deceased always attended
to the fancy part of the work, and he did not know
whether he used poisons in glazing.
A Juror said the deceased stood very high in the
business as a glazed body-pipe manufacturer.
After some conversation,
'The jury returned an open verdict tllatthteherdee-
ceased died from poison, but how administered
was no evidence to show.