The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-01 00:00:00

`441 ,

'Te w A-

STEAM-BOAT PIERS 'ON THE -.
THAMES.

Yesterday a Court of Common Council was held Thr the
dispatch of public business. The principal business of the
day was, the consideration of the report of the Navigation
Committee on the petition of the inhabitants in the vicinity
'of Blackfriars-bridge, for an improved pier for landing from
and embarking on board steam-vessels. The Court was fully
attended.

THE PIERS'OP THE RTVER THAMES.
• Mr. Melts (the Chairman of the Navigation Committee)
brought up the report relative to steam-boat piers, and ex-
' pressed his earnest hope that the Court would be as unani-
Min as the Committee had been in its adoption. The fol-
' liming are the principal paragraphs ;in the report :—" That
We have duly proceeded in the examination of the allega-
tions in the petition, and upon inquiry it 'appears that the
subject of the erection of a steam-boat landing or pier at
Blach(riars-bridge has been for some time under considera-
tion. That in December, 1841, a conference was held by us
With the Blackfriars-bridge Committee when the plan of Mr.
Walker, the engineer, for a pier of two arches on the north-
west side of the bridge, was examined, and this Committee
expressed an opinion favourable thereto, but urged a hope
that any plan, before being finally agreed upon, should be
rendered subservient to the proposed general embankment of
the river. That when the Blackfriars-bridge Committee
closed their labours, the matter was by this Honourable
Court referred to the Bridge-house Estates Committee, who
en the 30th of March, 184.3, presented a report for authority
to obtain plans and models, which report was read, and the
consideration thereof adjourned, since which it does not ap-
pear to have been resumed.—(Hear.) That your Committee
are of opinion that some such erection as the one proposed
by Mr. Walker, modified with a view to the eventual carry-
ing out of the general embankment of the river, would be a
great accommodation and security to the public ; and that
we should accordingly be empowered forthwith to take such
steps as we may deem advisable, to enable us to lay before
this Court a plan for a safe and suitable pier at Blackfriars-
bridge." 'The Chairman moved that the Court should agree
with the Committee in the report.
Mr. ANDERTON said he hoped the Navigation Committee
would not sleep upon the subject, but would fellow the ex-
cellent example set by the Lord Mayor, in visiting all the
piers under the conservancy of the City of London, and
taking care that every construction of the kind should be
liable to no objection of instability or incommodiousness.—
(Hear, hear.) He particularly called the attention of the
Court to the Southwark-bridge pier, the Cadogan pier, and
the pier at present being formed at Vauxhall-bridge, all of
which he considered to be models of utility, and the last of
which would be a very great ornament to the neighbourhood.
He concluded by repeating his hope that the Committee
would not sleep in the business, and declaring that he had no
wish to continue the excitement occasioned by the calamity
which had occurred at Blaokfriars-bridge.—(Hear.)
Mr. OBBARD said the former Committees against which
such strong censure had been expressed at the last Court,
ought to be released front the imputation of neglect, as the
Court was, in its collective capacity, really reprehensible.
Mr. HALL agreed with Mr. Obbard that the blame did not
justly lie with the Navigation Committee. It was impossible
not to see what embarrassments must have arisen from
erecting a permanent pier pending the great question of a
general embankment of the river contemplated by the Go-
vernment.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. GRESHAM could not see how any immediate remedy
was applicable by the terms of the report proportionate to
the immediate urgency which existed.
Mr. Mots said that, if Mr.. Gresham would wait until the
report should be agreed to, a paper would be submitted to
their consideration, containing a comprehensive statement of
the important plan upon which it was intended to act.
Mr. GRF.SHAM observed that his apprehension was that
*something might be proposed to which the Court would de-
mur for eighteen months more.
• A MEMBER added that after the present excitement should
be abated, the report might just drop into the oblivion which
had been the fate of numerous other recommendations.
Mr. Lorr said there was one thing to which it was neces-
sary to call the attention of the Committee. The owners of
steam-piers, and the captains of steam-vessels, entertained
great objection to the placing of planks as a protection to the
public. He suggested that an attention to such a means of
security ought to form an item in the list of safeguards.
Deputy STEVENS said he thought that too much stir hid
been-snade about the accident.—(Cries of "No, no.") Upon
looking at the circumstances of the accident he found that
although the erection had not been made to hold seventy
persons, it had been sufficiently strong for the purposes for
which it had been constructed. He did not see how the
Court would be justified in incurring a large expense at a
.time when the general embankment of the Thames was under
consideration. He trusted that it would not for a moment
be supposed that he did not feel as much as any other person
in that Court on account of the accident which had occurred,
but he could not see why there should be such alarm
amongst the members, as if they were all chargeable with
the consequences.—(Hear.)
Mr. PEWTBESS was much surprised at the total insecurity
of the piers on the river, and considered the Court to have
been culpable in granting the power to individuals to erect
piers for their own profit, without demanding that stability
should be one of the principal conditions of the grant.
Upon the motion of Mr. STACY, the important paper to
which Mr. Hicks referred, as containing the elements of the
remedy Sir the evils complained of was read. It was as fol
lows :
" FLOATE‘G Prem.—The Corporation of London, acting
under the advice of eminent engineers, as well as their own
officers, have been hitherto unwilling to 'grant licenses for the
construction of temporary landing-places for steam-boat pas-
sengers, in the belief that some general plan for improving
the banks and bed of the river would be adopted, in which
the better accommodation of steam-passengers might be pro-
vided for, by the erection of strong and substantial perma-
nent piers.
" The recent melancholy accident at the floating platform
at Blackfriars, has, however, impressed upon the Committee
the conviction that the public safety demands the immediate
exercise of the authority of the Corporation, as conservators,
to avert the dangers attending the insecure and unstable
floating piers and platforms as they at present exist on the
river. When the Committee consider that several hundreds
of thousands of persons weekly avail themselves of these
landing places to make use of steam-boats for purposes of
business, health, or recreation, it is manifest that, in the ab-
sence of some general plan of embankment (which it may
require a series of years to accomplish), the continuance of
some such temporary expedients in an amended form, is ab-
solutely necessary to afford present accommodation. The
Corporation have, therefore, given directions to their officers
to inspect and report upon the state and condition of every
steam-boat pier within their jurisdiction, with a view to the
application of the following rules and regulations as speedily
as they can be brought to bear upon the numerous piers
already existing, as well as upon those which may be here-
after erected.
" The Corporation will have to regret, if in the, discharge
of the duty they have undertaken, they should be obliged in-
juriously to interfere with private interests or private conve-
nience; but they rely upon the good feeling of the proprietors
of existing piers, by a speedy and cheerful acquiescence in
these reasonable rules, to spare them the necessity of resort-
ing to strong measures. The Corporation rely with equal
tonfidence upon the force of public opinion to sustain them in
their endeavours to give additional security and accommoda-
tion to steam-boat passengers, and to prevent the recurrence
of accidents similar to that which has so recently taken place.
" For the purpose of carrying the foregoing objects into
execution, the Corporation have resolved—
" That no pier or landing-place for steam-boat passengers
be allowed on the River Thames within their jurisdiction as
conservators of the river (viz., from Staines to Yantlet),
'without a license in writing from the Navigation Committee
under the authority of the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor.
" That no such license be granted except upon a certifi-
cate from the Clerk of the Works, or other officer of the
navigation, appointed by 'the Committee, to the following
effect :
" Ist. That such pier or landing-place does not project
from the bank beyond a line laid down as the limit for tem-
porary piers, and that such pier is so constructed as not to in-
terfere with the navigation of the river beyond what the
necessity of the case absolutely requires.
" 2dly. That such pier is constructed of good sound ma-
terials of a proper thickness, and in a suitable form to afford
all reasonable convenience to passengers, and to secure the
safety of the public.
" 3dly. That the access to the pier from the land is pro-
tected by a suitable and sufficient gate or barrier.
" 4thly. That two red lights are fixed—one at each end,of
the extremity of the pier.
" sthly. That a suitable drag and man line are provided
and placed at a convenient spot on the pier.
" 6thly. That a suitable chain painted white upon a
dark ground, or black upon a light ground, has been
_securely fixed a little above the water-mark all round the
floating-barges and pier, as hold-fasts for persons falling over.
" That such license do continue only during the pleasure of
the Committee, and that such pier be removed in, either of
the following cases :
" Ist. If from any alteration of the current from the for-
mation of a permanent embankment, or from other causes,
the pier shall, in the judgment of the Corporation, become
an impediment er obstruction to the navigation of the river.
" idly. If any part of the barges, piles, bridges, chains,
platforms, or any other part of the structure shall from ac-
cident, injury, or decay, become unsafe, and if it shall not be
immediately repaired with good sound materials of a suffi-
cient thickness, sand rendered safe and secure to the satisfaction
of the Clerk of the Works.
"idly. If the gate or barrier at the entrance be not kept in
a sufficient state of strength to prevent the access of more
than a convenient number of persons, or if the person having
charge of the pier do permit passengers to remain upon or
over-crowd any part of the pier or platform ; or if he do per-
mit any other persons than passengers to use the pier.
"4thly. If the red lights on the pier be not kept in a pro-
per state, or if they be not lighted and kept alight from dusk
till morning light, so as by night to show the position of the
'pier and to define its extent.
" sthly. If a suitable drag and man-line be not always
kept on a convenient part of the pier to be ever ready in case
of accident.
6tlaly. If the chain above the water-mark of the pier be
alwayspot kept securely axed and in condition for use.
isms. If any steam-boat be allowed to moor or to remain
attached-to *ny part of the
a The Co
pier during the night.
reserve to themselves the right to make
such other eels,
regulations for the safety and conveni-
for the protection of the navigation,
may call for; and they will remove
tasehnecteipmiofeer taihfnecalupecubxhPellaeaste464cnanie
rules and regulations be violated,
in the same manner unathi
rated in, and formed a ay would do if they were incorpo-
ef, the foregoing regulations.'
The reading of the paper evidently gave general satis-
fliction.
Mr. COPE said there was a dicereaceful and most annoying
nuisance, to which the paper maa :I? reference. He meant
the touting for passengers, which
Wire resided near the
piers were constantly in the habit of
coactually fought for
not only took hold of passengers, witnessing- neasing- The touters
them, in order to secure them for the
for which
they exercised their rival zeal and activitr.
had spoken to the City Commissioner upon the Suaeble4,
law to
that officer did not seem to-think that there was
sanction his interference. He (Mr. Cope) thought thyereamwustot
be some error in that opinion. _

Mr. MArritEws concurred in the opinion expressed by
Mr. Cope.
Mr. WIRE condemned the course pursued in the Court
when the accident was discussed. If he were a member of
Parliament, and wanted to find arguments for depriving the
citizens of London of their privileges, he could have found
abundant reasons in the discussions which had taken place,
during which the Court cast the blame upon the Committees,
and the Committees cast the blame upon the Court. If, in-
stead of proceeding with useless and empty criminations and
recriminations, the Court had copied the conduct of the
Liverpool authorities, and taken the whole management of
the river, over which they had complete control, into their
own hands, there would be at the present moment no reason
for cotnplaint.—(Hear.) The Court was no doubt reprehen-
sible, for when plans for the erection of piers were presented
they were uniformly ordered to lie on the table. He did not
think the report of the Committee went far enough in the power for which they sought, and he therefore should move,
as an amendinent—" That the Committee be empowered
forthwith to take such steps, by and with the sanction of the
Lord Mayor, as they may deem advisable, to erect a safe and
suitable pier at Blackfriars-bridge, and that the 23d and 26th
standing orders be suspended upon the occasion."—(Hear.)