The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-07-31 00:00:00

CATTLE SLIPS.

One of the grand improvements as regards the new
docks, is an admirable contrivance for th safe and easy
debarkation of cattle and sheep, called " cattle slips" ;
one opposite the Bramley-Moore Dock, and the other
opposite the Sandon Graving Docks. From the river,
or the Cheshire shore opposite to them, these are indi-
cated to the eye, at low water, by three arched openings
in the sea-wall, one rising above the other, on the hypo-
thenuse of an angle of which the river forms the base.
With the flood-tide making, one, two, or the whole of
these arches may, of course, be hid from sight. At low
water, the cattle can be landed through the lower open-
ing ; as the tide rises higher, through the second, and so
on. When so landed, they have a firm footing, and can
readily be driven up a gently-inclined plane, within the
outer sea-wall, and parallel with it. They, in fact, go
through the interior of the outward quay, under archwork,
and emerge upon an open continuation of the inclined
plane at the top, which is neatly walled round, and forms
little or no obstruction to the continuous walk along the
margin of the sea-wall- The visitor will observe several
large circular erections over the spot, as if surrounding
wells, or pits. These reach the top of the arched part of
the inclined plane, and are purposed as air-holes, or large
valves, by which the wind, driven up through the exterior
openings in the sea-wall, and the inclined plane (or tun-
nel), and which form " caves," may find vent, without,
in gales, " blowing up" the masonry. The contrivance
is scientific, though simple. The wells, or eyes, serve
also to admit the light into the inclined plane. The
effect of the want of such air-escapements we witnessed
some years ago, at Kilkee, on the west coast of Ireland.
in company with the present worthy commander of the
Tron Duke. The lower rocks at the spot had become
excavated or undermined, and the force of successive
high seas in gales was such, that some years before, when
the waves ran high, under a huge ledge, they burst up to
the surface, at a great height, masses of the hard stone
of that coast (some of them several tons in weight), leav-
ing a large air-valve, which is still known as the " Kilkee
Puffing Hole," and from which the water bursts up, in
gales, to a height of many feet.. At the cattle slips al-
luded to there are also broad steps for passengers, wind-
ing over the top of the highest outer opening in the wall.
The whole is executed in hewn granite.

THE BRIDGES.
The swing bridges are (with the exception of one of
them) improvements upon former productions of this
kind. The Sandon Bridge (a highway viaduct) is an
example. It is of great span and width, with a
double line for carriages, and a spacious footwalk on each
side ; yet though thus consequently heavy, it can be
turned by one stout man at each side. Many of the other
new bridges within the new dock walls, built and fixed
on the same principle, will, it is doubted not, be worked
with equal facility, and they are of equally elegant struc-
ture, and in the segmental form. There is one of these
bridges, however, in daily requisition, crossing the gut
between the Salisbury and the Collingwood Docks, in the
construction of which the engineer has made a mistake.
This bridge is built of boiler-plate iron, and shows no arch
or segment, but a rather unseemly obtuse angle,—which,
however, is not to be complained of as regards strength in
the structure. Each half of the bridge, in place
of being placed on the metallic circle on each side, on
small trucks, or iron rollers, is poised upon six large and
ponderous wheels upright. The circle upon which they
move is of broad surface, and the tires of the wheels are
equally broad, without bevel, and so hung, without play,
or flanch, that they have a tendency to run in a straight
line only, (as on a railway), so that the friction is increased
to such a degree, that three strong men are required to
turn each half of the bridge, and cannot accomplish the
task without much exertion, and so slowly that great delay
is experienced to passengers and vessels. The Sandon
bridge (weighing 70 tons each half) is much heavier than
that under notice ; and the contrast between the respect-
ive working is obvious. It is clear, indeed, that the lat-
ter is a failure, and must be re-modified or superseded in
the machinery.
lt is worthy of notice that great part of the outer or
river-wall at the new docks is perpendicular, or rather
slightly overhanging the water, and not, as is usual, slop-
ing back. This, it has been ascertained by the Surveyor,
gives the tide a tendency to sweep away the sand ; and
the work is so strong in material and workmanship that
there is no danger of its giving way, even in the strongest
westerly gales.