The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-22 00:00:00

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4 work- efgreaten m nitude than ours? Theyp may be
Vlarger docks.—(2•ies of "None!" " Liverpobi!" and
" No, no.") I ens told that there are no larger docks
-than ours, but I was going to say that, thodgh there
might be larger docks, I believed that there was no
instance on record where a dock of equai magnitude had
been completed as ono work.—(Cheers.) Other parties
have not done all their work at one time, but we, having
undertaken the construction of a dock as large as any in
the world, have accomplished it by one greiit effort,
without waiting to see whaler it would prove pioduo-
tive or not.--(Cheers.) . My friend on my right, Mr.
Murray, the engineer of the docks, in the carrying out
of this notional work, has, by his untiring indritry, zeal
and talent, accomplished that which has not before been
accomplished in eny part of the world—(Cheeis)—and
that, ladies and gentlemen, in the face 'of great and
peculiar difficulties with which he had to contend. Every
man would be great and prosperous if he had noldifficul-
ties to overcome. If all .were smooth sailing men
would be able to undertake any work, but it seas when
there were difficultiesgtroecaotetaile,irdhs::thaith.lattat%hvaer,aaardscitheer
those nedertaking
work, the openine if which we have met this clay to ce-
lebrate, shove teat perseverance, resolution, end
indus-
try will successfully surmount all ditliculties.—(Checre.)
There is another point,, ladle; and
.geene„,e„,
tv
which I wish to call your attention, viz., the time is
which the veer!: nos °eel aetenneliehen. When yota look at the work aid relnct that it is only two e
and five months slime the foundation-steee was Juke pi(
will Le the better enehled to appreciate what has neieti
accomplistied.—(Cheers.) I sus sure thele is ne hat
or eculleman "pee.aent, cheaper a shareholder of Ott,
company or otberwise, who dces not Feel the greatest ni-
teiest in the success of this undertaking; whether they
*reside in tests borough or any of the neighbouring porta,
•'as independently of other considerations, its succees must
prove important, as stimulating the formation of similar
_works in other places for the protection of sea-faring
men, whose lives, under all circumstances, are exposed
to so much end such peculiar danger.—(Cheers.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I um sure that I need not remind
you that I take the deepest. interest in everything con-
nected with this - eistrice—(Cheers.) Thought I have
net enjoyed so lung a connexion with you as other men
have, I can assure you that, whether as your repreaen-
tive, or in my individual capacity, it will giver tee the
greatest pleasure to do everything in my power to pro-
mote the commercial enterprise of your town, in which I
cannot help feeling the deepest interest. I shall not,
in the presence of your engineer, endeavour to enter into
any description of the works already perfornied, as,
should it be necessary, I am sure he will be able:to give
you aMuah better description of those works than I can
' pretend to do. I may-be allowed, however, to .statie, what:
I am sure must.-prove most gratifyiisg, that the works
have so far been completed within the estimate—that we
have a dock of twenty-one acres in extent, the average
depth of which will be almost equal to that of any other
dock—and that, when:the -southern outlet is completed
(which I can assure you will be prosecuted with all
speed, and, from the manlier the directors have hitherto
proceeded with their work, may be sure they will
not stop until it is completed), we shall have a depth of
water equal to that eeesseescteby any dock in the king-
dom.—((sheers.) .. At present we have a depth of 26 or
27 feet, which is equal to the requirements of any ton-
nage which is,in the habit of coming into your harbour.
—(Cheers.). I trust that the opening of this dock will
prove the commencement of a new era in the history
of Sunderland, which Las such a large and
m increasing
population. Indeed, fro' the seeming population I
have seen this day, I almost doubt whetbereven London
itself could hove presented us, with a more gratifying
sight than that which we witnessed at the opening. of the
docks. Gentlemen,-that sight was one which 1' would
willingly have tra.velled 1,000 miles to see, and I can-
not but think my friend Mr. Murray Must have felt
highly gratified at it—(Cheers)—especially as it wits
graced by the. presence of so many of the fair sex,
by many of who'll I' am happy to see we are now sur-
rounnede—(Chters.). Daring the short opportunity I
had I could -not help pointing out to those by ihom I
was accompanied several beautiful specimens of woman-
hood; and I cannot but feel that, celebrated as this dis-
trict is for her commercial enterprise, she is, or ought
to be, equally celebrated for her beautiful daughters, who
are fair andscothely to look upon.—(Cheers.) lam
about to give you "Prosperity to the Sunderland
Docks," but this, I have been told, has been alreedy
answered, for, as we were entering them to-day, the' sun
suddenly broke out, which a lady who stood near me as•
sured me was an omen of complete success.—(Cheers.)
I almost feel.thut I have trespassed too long upon
your attention in proposing this toast, as I am sure it
will be at once responded to from your hearts, when I
give 'you " Prosperity to the Port and Docks of Sunder-
land"—(Cheers)—assuring you, as I do, that the dock
directors will lose no opportunity of endeavouring to
make Sunderland the first port ha the kingdom.
T. The toast having been drunk with three times three,
Mr. J. J. Vinicirr roar, and said that, having ex-
pressed their ardentevishes for the success of the Sun-
derland Docks—a success which lie trusted would be
speedily realised—he was sure that it would occur to all
of :them what toast should properly fallow that which
they hid just drunk, viz , health and prosperity 'to the
distinguished geutleinan to whose great energy they were
indebted for tire construction of the Sunderland Docks—
(Cheers)—without whose invaluable aid and attention
he felt assured they never could have been carried out.
—(Cheers.) In proposing the toast which he was about
to bring under their notice, it was his express determi-
nation to abstain from touching upon any political or
general subje.:t which might open the way to discussion,
or was likely, to lead -them into disputes.—(Cheers.)
His remarks, therefore, would be principally confined
to a consideration of the accommodation which the
docks would give to the trade of the town, and to the
part which the chairman heel taken in procuring their
construction. He might crate that the remarkable gen-
tleman who filled the chair had long been before the
country and before the world, and he was sure that
those who had witnessed what he had accomplished by
his indefatigable energy and talents would agree with
him (Mr. Wright) that Mr. Hudson ought riot only to
be put in the first rank among the most remarkable
characters of the age'--ranking as the best friend which
that town,ever possessed—but he had almost said that he
ought to be ranked amongst the most eminent bene-
factors of the human race.—(Cheers.). They wore met
that day to celebrate the opening of a great and useful
work, which he was sure they would agree with him,
were calculated to make that town as prosperous as any
in the British ezapife.—(Cheers.) He had no intention
of entering-into the dispute of the railway world, but he
Might be allowed to observe that he had recently at-
tended a railway meeting where those docks which they
all so much admired, were denounced as a flagrant job
:—.(Cries of " No, no!")—as a great sin to be laid at the
door of their worthy chairmau.—(Cries of " No, no!")
He would not then dilate on the advantage -which
the docks would be to their town, but he- would
repeat that ho had heard them denounced as a flagrant
job—a political device—almost a public robbery. He
would say no more upon that point, knowing, as he did,
how fully the inhabitants of that town appreciated the
*slue of .the docks,' but merely remind the gentlemen
present that the *uaderland Docks did not present the
only claim wirieh Mr. Hudson had upon the gratitude
-uf the locality: They must not forget that the noble
bridge -over the Tyne, which presented such an inte-
resting entrance into Newcastle, owed its origin and con-
struction to the enterprise of Mr. Hudson.—(Cheers.)
They might place whet monument they chose upon that
bride, betels() bridge itself would ever be a great mo-
nument to the genius and perseverance-of George Hud-
son; aud, as long as it lasted, his name and public
services could never be forgotten. (Cheers.) lie
trusted also, that they would not forget that, through
the exertions of Mr. Hudson in promoting those wores
which had extended themselves throughout the country,
a large supply of labour for the working classes had
been provided at a time when it was most. peculiarly
needed, and he believed that it was owing In a great
measure to that circumstance that they had remained
free from thop disturbances which bad plunged the
continent into revolution.—(Cheers.) He had himself
been fur twenty-five years endeavouring to have these im-
provements in their docks carried into effect; but he felt
convinced that, hod it,,not been for the exertions, in..
flencr, and energy of Mr. Hudson, no min, or no body
of men, could have secured , the construction of these
great and magnifident works.—(Cheers.) In conclusion,
he begged to propose health and prosperity to George
Hudson, Esq.—(Cheers)—who having accomplished the
great work, the success of which all so ardently desired,
was entitled to their w armest gratitude.—(Cheeri.) He
would now give them ‘4 The health a • Geaige Hudson,
Esq., M.P.," with a Sunderland nine times nine.
The toast • was drunk most rapturously;
at the can-
elusion of nine times nine, one cheer more being given
for Mrs. Hudson and one for the family.
The lIItIMIIAN, in rising to return thanks, said that
it was always to hint a most difficult and painful task to
speak of himself, -but that difficulty and pain
klnasd
re-
'doubled on the present occasion
frometcheeivveedryHis and
hearty Mattlley in which he badi
beenenofvhim ine manner fur
excel-
lent friend, Mr. Wright, had
expression for the depth 'of which he could not giveldexforjaw the example set him by
gra-
titude felt.
in the course of the few remarks
hiswh ieexhcehlelesnhtoforlidelinsded,sah
dridu.ss to them, endeavour to say no-
thing which could offend any person:—(Cheers.) And
ahne
any one.—(Hear,
s(aHetewareThldeabre.)conHs construed
r hadue d
that he felt the greatest
shoetth:otpbedgitvhea‘tffneontcheintgo
• t in' the prosperity of Sunderland, and he could
interest
them that the events of that day had tended to
assure
stated in the course of the day
strengthen that feeling—(Cheers)—and so long as he
should exist it would never be his wish to sever his con-
flexion With a town where he had always been received
with the utmost kindutis.—(Cheers.) It
_was not only
to his friends that he was indebted, but he must be'
allowed , to observe that his political opponentetia'
always treated him with the utmost kindness', andlte
had never had a single harsh expression eeideessestite
him in that,' town.—(Cheers.) He, therefore,' killed
that if ever he should forget the town of Sunfleriand
that his right hand may forget its conning.—(Bear,
hear)—and he could assure them that he should at
all times be prepared to • make' the greatestaacrifices to
show his grateful feelings to the inhabitants of the town
of Sunderland.—(Cheers.) He trusted thaV,When their
southern outlet was completed that the docks would be
graced by the presence of Royalty, and that her Ma-
jesty would have an opportunity of seeing the great and
noble work which had been accomplished by the exer-
tions of the people of Sunderland.—(Cheers.) He could
not but fuel proud for the' very cordial reception be had
met with that day, and he assured them that ho felt his
whole life was:bound up with the duty of endeavouring
to promote the prosperity of Sunderland, to the inhabi-
tants of which be felt he was indebted for asecond exist-
ence in this world.—(Cheers.) If he had consulted his
own inclinations—if he had acted on the impulse of his
own feelings—he would not have been there that day,
faringthat, amidst the jarring elements by which he
was surrounned, he might not find .the reception with
which he bad been honoured. He, felt, however,
that be had done theta an o,inati9ev-110--At.begg"