The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-28 00:00:00

PROGRESS OF THE IMPROVE-
MENTS AT BIRKENHEAD.
T
On Saturday last we took a raieble through the
town and township of Birkenhead, in order to ascer-
tain, by personal inspection, whether the public works
commenced with so much spirit a couple of months
since were proceeding with equal vigour.
On landing at the Woodside slip, we found that the
first thing that engages the attention is a long double
row of solid piles, one row driven into the bed of the
river, and the other into the pier, forming a stage for
the laying of the blocks of stone for the addition to
the pier. The work is proceeding very expeditiously;
it is now nearly half finished, and when completed
will add greatly to the comfort and satiety of pas-
sengers, by furnishing a shelter from the wind and
waves in all kinds of weather, and from whatever
point the wind may blow.
To the north of the landing slip there are similar
evidences of activity. A great number of workmen
are employed in excavating the 16-acre basin and
beaching ground, in cutting the foundation of the
walls, and in excavating the new cut into Wallasey
Pool, so that vessels may have a temporary pas-
sage up and down until the low-water basin is
completed. To facilitate these operations, an enor-
mous embankment of clay and rubble-stone has been
thrown up. This keeps out the tide, and enables the
men to proceed with their work uninterruptedly,
The wharf walls on the west side of the 16-acre
basin are also building. Further north, and at the
termination of the embankment above alluded to, a
still larger, though only temporary work is in pro-
gress. This is the construction of an enormous cof-
fer-dam, which will inclose a space of about 75 acres,
within which the main body of the works will be
erected. This coffer-dam will run from the termi-
nation of the embankment down to low-water mark
in about an easterly direction, and in a northerly
line up to Wallasey Pool. The huge piles are
driven into the soft bed of the river by a steam-
engine ; the opposite piles are connected by an iron
rod ; on the piles are nailed strong planks, and within
the space thus formed, which is several yards in
breadth, clay from the adjoining land is thrown. This
clay, saturated every day by the inrushing waters,
as it is deposited, settles down into a solid mass,
which will, when sufficiently lofty, be impervious
to the waters of the Mersey, and enable the men to
carry. on their operations undisturbed by the flow of
the river. Commencing at the south-west corner,
two lines of the coffer-dam, one running towards
the river and the other towards the pool, have already
been carried to a very great length, and the work
is conducted with all possible vigour and expedition.
Altogether, we believe, there are about 2,000 men
employed on the docks ; but it will be seen, from what
we have stated, that a large portion of the work now
going on is only temporary, and intended to enable the
contractor to finish the docks in the least possible space
of time. Mr. Tamer, son-in-law of Mr. Tomkinson,
the contractor, superintends the works. Admission here
is, of course, denied to those who are not on business;
but even though this were not the case, we would not
advise any one who has not the habits and costume of
a " navigator" to plunge into this strange, but slip-
pery, sloppy, and comfortless-looking place. It is,
no doubt, very interesting to watch the progress of
such vast works, and observe the means by which they
are accomplished; but it is not very pleasant to walk
on sodden clay, or in the slimy bed of the river,
where nothing but a pair of navigator's boot will keep
out the water.
To the west of this scene of activity there is another
of a ome what different character. Along the fielyis
lying between Corpration- road and Wallasey I' ol
and forming the sire of the range r f warehouses pro-
posed to be built by the Birkenhead Dock Warehous-
ing Company, about 200 men are employed in Jigging
and preparing clay, wherewith tv make the bricks for
the contemplated warehouses. Cky is found here in
great abundance, and close to the surface. Jr. some
places the men have already cut to the de th of about
seven feet, and still meet with solid clay. Huge b;iis
ef it, already excavated, lie scattered about, for an
immense distance up tie road. In other parts sf the
township, also, great preparationc for brick-making
are going on, and in some places large kilns are
burning.
In passing along Bridge-street, the visitor will see
on his right hand, nearly opposite the end of Lord-
street, what he will no doubt regard as a rather
singular structure. It is a large building, constructed
altogether of iron, and the men are now engaged in
fixing up the iron roof. The length of the building is
about 180 feet, and its breadth about forty feet. In
the west front there are two rows of windows, thirty-
six in number, and part of the lower row are filled in
with iron strips, so as to form an imitation of
Venetian blinds. This structure, we believe, is
building by Messrs. Fox, Henderson, and Co., of
Birmingham, for the Messrs. Sandbach, of this
town, and is intended as a sugar refinery and rum
manufactory.
Passing a little farther on, in the direction of the
Pool, the ears are saluted with the clang of a hundred
hammers. This noise proceeds from the iron ship-
building and boiler-making establishment of Mr.
John Laird—a most interesting place to visit even on
ordinary occasions, but at the present time particularly
so, as there is now in course of erection in the yard
a first-class iron steam-frigate, the frame-work of
which is fast approaching completion. The length of
this vessel is 210 feet, its breadth 37 feet 6 inches, and
its depth 23 feet. Viewed externally, its size is very
great, but on mounting the scaffolding that surrounds
it, and looking from its bow down into it (there
being nothing to intercept the view from stem to
stern), its magnitude seems surprisingly great. The
view, too, from this point is most interesting. In the
midst of this huge iron valley (forsuch it seems) a num-
ber of fires are blazing up, the blast being communicated
to them by an air tube carried through the vessel,
and worked by a steam-engine in the yard; whilst
ever and anon white hot rivets are snatched from the
fire by the Cyclopean workmen, and inserted in the
rivet toles of the plates, and then there is a ceaseless
clang of a hundred hammers, beating them in, making
altogether a din which, reverberated from the sides
of the iron vessel, is for a time nearly deafening.
What would our forefathers have thought at such an
enormous mass of iron floating on the seas ? and how
would they have marvelled had they been told that
such a vessel was lighter] than one constructed of
wood ? The frigate, above her water line, is built
flush, which, of course, adds to the elegance of her
appearance, and it does not deteriorate from her
strength, although it adds considerably to the amount
of the labour. Her engines, which will be the com-
mon beam engines, will be of 550-horse power.
They are being constructed by Mr. George For-
rester and Co., of this town. She is intended
to carry two enormous guns, 220 pounders, one
forward and one aft. In the interior of this
establishment other processes are going on,
such as the preparation of plates for the frigate
by sinking and counter-sinking, &c., which is
done with astonishing facility by the means of power-
ful machinery—the construction of boilers, and of
iron boats for the shallow rivers of India, similar -to
those which were built by Mr. Laird a short time
ago. An iron steamer for the South-Eastern Rail-
way Company intended to ply, in connexion with that
line, between Folkstone and Boulogne, is also about
to be built here. Her model shows that she will be
an extremely swift and beautiful boat. Her length
will be 150 feet, her breadth 22 feet, and her depth
11 feet. Her engines will be of 140-horse power.
Turning off from this establishment, where every
facility and information was cheerfully afforded to us
by the manager, we passed through several newly-
laid-out streets, well designed as to direction, of ample
width, macadamised in the centre, and. having good
footways, and saw at nearly every step workmen
occupied in the finishing or erection of houses—all,
apparently, quite as neatly and substantially built
as those of Liverpool—and, getting into Conway-
street, entered the new park at the road leading
from the corner of Park-street East. This is a work
which, as much as any other undertaken by the
commissioners of Birkenhead, indicates a wise
forethought and attention to the health and
recreation of the inhabitants, and it is one
whieh will increase in utility and be more highly
appreciated as building extends and population in-
creases. In the park, notwithstanding the frost, a large
number of men still find abundance of occupation,
chiefly in the formation of the ground, so as to give
to it a diversified and picturesque appearance, in the
making of carriage and cross roads, and in the lay-
ing of drains. The site was originally a gently rising
flat, having scarcely a single undulation of any bold-
ness in its whole extent; and the visitor who, remem-
bering this fact, plunges across the park, so as to
include in his course the two lakes, will have good
reason to admire the skill which has been displayed in
the laying out of the ground. When standing in the
bed or on the frozen water of the site of the great
lake, the earth works in its neighbourhood appear to
be of vast dimensions, and even when rambling
among what appear to be chains of hills, the height
of some of them appears to be very considerable The
object sought has been obtained—that of making a
considerable undulation of surface, so as, when
planted, to make a pleasant landscape--to afford pic-
turesque views, and provide that charming variety of
open and secluded walks which will entice even the most
indolent to exert themselves, and the most listless to
admire the combination of artificial skill and natural
beauty. We could see, even in the depth'of winter,
and having within view nothing but heaps of bare
earth, spots that will be most lovely and attractive
when grass has grown, when flowers, and plants,
and trees are springing up, and a glorious summer
sun is shining above. Returning from the second or
smaller lake to the central road, which leads in a
slightly curving line up to Mount Claughton,
you come to another range of hills, which
line the road for a considerable distance
up, on the left-hand side. Some of these
are of considerable elevation ; others sink so as to