Star.
London, England, 1828-05-05 00:00:00

ST. KATHARINE DOCKS.

On Saturday last, being the anniversary day of
laying the first stone, the Directors of the St. Katha
tine Dock Company, accompanied by a few private
friends, assembled in the Long Room in the Dock
House, which room is intended sto a general office for
the accommodation of the officers, clerks, &c. &c.
and proceeded thence to inspect the warehouses,
vaults, quays, and works. Twelve months only
have elapsed since the first stone was laid of this really
stupendous and useful undertaking, so important to the
commercial and shipping interests of the port of Lon-
don ; since which the site of the western dock, basin,
and lock, originally covered with nearly 950 houses, has
been cleared. The walls of that portion of the works
are thirty-six feet high ; one of the locks is completed,
three-fourths of the warehouses, buildings, and vaults
to surround them erected, whilst, from the unexampled
progress which has been made, no doubt exists, but that
the portion of the works named, with the entrance lock,
dock-house, and offices, with warehouse and vault-
room, equal to about 100,000 tons of merchandize, will
be ready for the reception of ships and goods in the
month of October next, and that the remainder of the
buildings anti works will be completed in the course of
the ensuing year.
The manner in which the buildings and works have
been executed reflect the highest credit upon the en.
gineer, architect, and contractors. Mote than ordinary
attention appears to have been paid to the solidity of
construction, durability, and convenience of accom-
modation. The novel mode of arrangement in the for-
mation of the warehouses, by which a quay frontage
will be provided, equal to 4,600 feet, of from 50 to
120 feet in depth, arid under a c. lonnade 18 feet high,
with the care which has apparently been taken to fur-
nish every liossible accommodation in the landing,
housing, and delivery of goods, deservedly excited ad-
miration. After the goods have been landed on the
spays, they will not be exposed to the weather, as
provision has bet n made to raise them to the re-
spective floors, through shafts which have been
constructed in the interior of the warehouses. The
fosse side stack of warehouses, which is a specimen
of the building, is a fine elevation, and, with the vaults,
affords prrof of the advancement in architecture. The
entrance lock will re 195 feet in length, and 45 feet
wide, and at spring tides w ill contain 28 feet depth of
water. By the application of hydraul cs, the lock will
afford the means of docking ships and craft every half
hour, during nearly ever y period of the tide, without
wasting any water from the docks or basin; and a ship
drawing as much as eighteenleet water, may, by these
means, be taken into dock !riarril;bk rivnr with perfect
safety, three hours after high water, We understand
that arrangements have also ben bribe Dock Company
for locking ships and craft in the night time, as well as by
day, which will be a great accommodation to shipping.
When the Dick buildings and works have been com-
pleted, they will afford accommodation, within the
walls, to from 120 to 140 ships, besides craft, at one
time, and of upward. of 200 000 tons of warehouse and
vault room. Complaints having, during many years,
been made of the rasstructions which exist I. the navi-
gation of the Pool, &c. from coll.ers and other vessels,
we understand that the Trinity Corporation, and Cor-
potation of London, with a view to remove those pie.
vous impediments, have determined upon buoying off
a clear channel in the middle of the river, of not less
than 300 feet wide ; so that ships of from 600 to 700
tons will be able to turd) the St. Katharine Docks with
,perfect security. The Lord Mayor, Deputy Master of the
Trinity Corporation, and Harbour Masters, accom-
panied by. the Port of London Committee, &c. have,
within these few drys, marked out the channel, and
bye-laws are preparing to enforce an arrangement, of
such vital importance to the best interests of the. Por t.
The total quantity of foreign goods imported annually
into the Port of, London, amounts to upwards of one
mill on and a half of tons. The Wes I .dia Docks and
London thick: (being the only wet d ck accommoda-
tion with bonded warehouses on the north side of the
river, the former indeed situated at a distance of nearly
four miles from the Royal Exchange), afford accom-
modation only for about 360,000 tons of metchandize.
Additional wet dock accommodati nearer the seat
of business is, therefore, required on the north side
of the Thames, and will, but to a limited degree, as
compared with the wants of commerce in that part of
the metropolis, be provided by the St. Katharine Docks.
The measure has also been productive of great pub-
lic advantage, as the rates of other dock establishments,
and of the East India Company, have in some instances
been reduced 50 per cent. since the undertaking received
the saoction of Parliament. The East India Dock
Company have also lowered their rates from 12s. 6d. to
about 2s. per ton Register, and as a proof of the in-
creasing commerce of the port, it may be observed,
that the London Docks and Warehouses have never
been so full as they are at present, and that,- notwith-
standing the great reduction which has taken place in
their rates, their income has increased. B •sides, the
Directors of that establishment, convinced of the neces-
sity of still further accommodation, have recently con-
structed another Dock with Shed Warehouses, and have
~ow a Bill before Parliament to empower them to raise
400,0904 more towards the construction of additional
works, &c.