The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-11-26 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

DOCKS ON THE CHESHIRE SIDE OF THE RIVER

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—I resume the subject of the construction of docks
_ _

on the Cheshire side of the Mersey oppdsite the town ; and
after pointing out what I conceive to be an eligible site,
with its advantages, I shall revert to some of the remarks of
"Vindex," not noticed in my former letter.
I will, doubtless, have been anticipated by many who are
acquainted with the localities of Birkenhead, in suggesting
Tranmere Pool, and the embayed shore to the southward, as
an eligible situation for a range of docks. Here a line of
sea-wall might be run from the slip at Birkenhead ferry
across the mouth of the pool, and thence to the lime kiln a
little to the north of the Rock ferry, should the whole of
that open space be hereafter required. The pool itself would
make a noble dock, and might be extended to the westward in
the direction of the valley, on the other' side of the old road
to Chester, which crosses it,—so that vessels might load and
discharge close to the Chester railway. Nature has here left
the solid freestone rock for a foundation, and the cost of a
sea-wall would not, probably, exceed one-half what would
be required for a similar structure to enclose Wallasay-pool.
Comparatively little excavation, too, would be required, and
that stone, which would be available for some portions of
the dock walls, seaward or interior, or, if not used for that
purpose, might readily be disposed of for building purposes.
A good foundation may be found, I am informed, all the
way to the suggested point near the Rock ferry, and to that
extent might docks be constructed of any required size,
without the slightest interruption to the flow of the tide, or
the injurious withdrawal of any water that noy.- serves to
scour out the rivere—for the whole site alluded to forms one
of these bays in which the water lies thin, and runs in an
eddy with tied coming or retiring tide, and its enclosure
would tend to deepen the main channel. A contrary opinion
was, I believe, "paid for," some years ago, by the Corpo-
ration, when some private individuals commenced building
a sea wall to enclose a ship-building yard on part of the site
of Tranmere Pool; but, the Corporation (or the govern-.
ment), may be readily satisfied on this point by employ-
ing " disinterested" practical mene who have directed
their attention to estuary navigation; to survey the spot
pointed out. The great basin that cleanses the Mer-
sey, and maintains its depth, is high up the river, where it
expands in breadth, and extends far to the southward ; and
the cutting off of a small bay, at the top of what may be call-
ed the pipe of the funnel, by a Straight line of sea wall, all
practice and experience (as well as the encroachments of a
similar nature made on this side the river by the Corporation
themselves) go to prove, would giVe additional Scouring power
to the retiring tidal water.
" Vindex" starts some objections to the construction of
docks on the opposite shore, which. are to nee not a little
surprising. One of his objections is, that it would improve
the property of Lord Shrewsbury, Mr. Price, and others,
" who are in no way connected with the town," and " dete-
riorate the property of the corporation."- But if the trade
of the port require such additional docks, is the idea of con-
structing them to be abandoned, and the public interests
consequently to be neglected, merely because individuals
would bedienefitted ? This appears to me to be a doctrine
much more selfish than politic. The public good should
be alone looked at by a public body, and if, in prosecuting
improvements, private individuals be enriched, so much the
better : both parties are benefitted, and why not be thankful,
and not jealous. I never knew of any great public work be-
ing accomplished without advantage accruing to individuals.
Oh, but, says " Vindex," those whose property would be
benefitted in this case " are in no way connected with the
town." I differ materially from him on this point. Birken-
head (and consequently its proprietors) is so closely connect-
ed with Liverpool, that it may be considered an integral part
of the town. It now contains upwards of 6000 inhabitants,
and the town and adjoining villas, inns, ferries, &c., have
been built almost exclusively out of capital from Liverpool.
Most of its respectable inhabitants, too, are from this side ;
and as it offers us a readily accessible and healthy place of
resort from the smoke of the town, and the turmoils of
active mercantile life, and also promises, throtigh its rail-
way, greatly to increase the profitable commerce of the
port, I do not see why, though it be in anotheecounty, sepa-
rated from us merely by a mile of water, we should enter-
tain towards it or its proprietors any feeliegs but those of re-
ciprocal good will. Liverpool, too, is muGh indebted to the
enterprise of those who maintain the ferry communication
with Cheshire, by boats admirably adapted for the transit
both of goods and passengers, and which have tended greatly
to improve and increase our supplies of agricultural, and gar-
den produce. If new docks be constructed on this side, in-
dividuals will be benefitted. Let us, therefore, hear no more
of rather paying a larger amount for increased dock room on
this side, than on the other, lest we should " benefit the pro-
perty of individuals in no way connected with the town!"
With respect to deterioration of the dock property on this
side, the argument appears to me to he equally untenable.
The corporation would still retain the power in their own
hands of maintaining the dock rates and town dues on both
sides of the river. As well, indeed, may " Vindex" say that
a new dock on this side would deteriorate the value of the
others. If this opinion were carried out, it would he good
policy to fill up a dock or two, to increase the value of those
that remained ! Such an enterprise would, howevbr, be ra-
ther hazardous, at a time when not only the want of dock
accommodations is loudly complained of, but the heavy
amount of dock charges, which, to a considerable extent, has
checked our commerce, and driven no small number of ves-
sels to resort to other ports, the charges at which are com-
paratively small. It is therefore the duty of the corporation
to provide additional dock room at the cheapest possible rate.
Vindex" apprehends that the transit of clerks, porters,
and other workmen hence to the other side would be neces-
sary, and would be extremely inconvenient and expensive.
He also thinks that parties who might have vessels on both
sides the water, would find it impossible to exercise that
" surveillance so necessary to ensure success." Now, rea-
soning from all past experience, I would say that no sooner
would a dock be built, than there would be found a sufficient
number of porters and others about it, residing at Birken-
head, which has become a considerable market town, with a
rather abundant working population, many of whom would
be glad to avail themselves of the employment which a dock
would supply. There would be no need of exporting porters
and other workmen, when they could be got at probably
a cheaper rate in the same locality. Improved cranes and
machinery would also be employed to expedite the operations.
As to the surveillance of principals, many of the merchants
reside on the other side, particularly in the summer ; and,
though the greater part reside in the town, the facility of
transitfrom the Exchange and its neighbourhood, where most
of the merchant's offices are situated, is as great, and as
rapid, as to the preeent doeks at the extremities of the port
on this side. In other words, the average distance_ of mer-
chants or ship-owners from their vessels is about as great to
the northern and southern docks, and as inconvenient as
would be the distance to the proposed docks in Cheshire.
If any one doubt this, let him walk from the Exchange to
the Brunswick dock, particularly at this season of the year;
let him use what diligence he may to get along through the
passengers and the mud, and to keep clear of carts, cabs, and
other machines, and when he has completed his " voyage"
out and back, lie will, I venture to assert, readily admit,
that he could have gone to Cheshire and returned in less
time, and with more convenience and comfort,—provided the
boats crossed more frequently, so that he would not be de-
tained, which would, doubtless, be the case were docks
there constructed.

" Vindex" argues as if the whole, or nearly the whole, of
the cargoes of vessels, resorting to the proposed docks,
must necessarily have ,to be , carried across the river in
lighters. A great quantity, no doubt, would : but lighters
adapted for that peculiar trade would be built, of large ton-
nage, with suitable purchases, which would be towed by
steam across the river, and worked at a much smaller ex-
pense than ordinaay flats. Besides, many vesselsfrom
the East of Europe, after discharging their cargoes here,
could with a great saving of expense go across for their
return cargoes,—particularly salt, iron, slates, flags, and other
materials, now taken into the docks in flats. Depots for
those might be formed on the other side,—and above all large
salt warehouses, so constructed that Dutch, Belgian, Baltic,
and other vessels, which carry home this article almost ex-
clusively, might haul up against them, and receive their
supplies with much greater convenience, rapidity, and cheap-
ness, than by the .present tedious and expensive process by
flats.

At present flats laden with salt and coal are not
allowed to enter the docks except under certain regulations,
and are therefore compelled to remain frequently for days in
the river, exposed to the winds and weather, with their
cargoes on board. How great would be the accommodation
to them of a refuge on the Cheshire shore were given, either
as a dock or a large basin ! The use of a small dock would,
I am convinced, be gladly paid for by their proprietors, now
that the Brunswick Basin, their place of refuge on this side,
has been taken for the proposed dock for the large steamers
of the port. The Liverpool docks would moreover be greatly
disencumbered by the salt vessels receiving their cargoes on
the Cheshire side,—the number of flats entering the docks
here to discharge that article (as well as coals &c.,) being.
so great that the shipping is greatly incommoded by the space
they occupy. This would be remedied to a great extent by
the proposed depot for that and other articles in Cheshire.
In proof of my position on this point 1 submit the following
official return relating to one of the docks, by which it will
be seen that the number of flats entering the dock was,
within the stated time greater than the number of vessels :