The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-01-12 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STINDA RD.

THE NEW

NORTH DOCKS

A considerable time has elapsed since we had an oppor-
tunity of noticing these new and extensive works ; and
though on a recent visit we could, from the inclemency of
the weather, and other causes, glean but a few particulars,
we trust that a slight "report of progress" may be accept-
able. The operations are of much greater magnitude than
is generally supposed, and the whole of the nine new docks
are in course of rapid completion. They will, when fi-
nished, and the barriers around them are thrown down,
so as to expose them to the view of the public, present a
splendid exhibition of the foresight, intelligence, and per-
severance of our Dock Committee, who have been silently
but surely working on for the advantage of our commer-
cial community.
These docks cover an immense area parallel with
the river, on the west side of Regent-road, extending
northward from the Clarence Dock Graving Docks to,
ire may say, Bootle Sands, nearly the whole of which has
been reclaimed from the strand of the Mersey, or is, in
other words, " made land." At the south end of this
new range of docks, there are three of them running east-
ward from the river; and these (as we heretofore stated)
will form a chain communicating with the Leeds and
Liverpool Canal. The eastern dock of this range is on
the east side of Regent-road ; and it is probable that
another may be fornfed between it and the canal on the
east side of Great Howard-street. The Docks are not yet
named, but merely numbered for convenience. Opposite
No. 1 (next to the river), and nearest to the Clarence Dock
Graving Docks, there is a main entrance, or rather
double entrance, with an island in the middle, built of
granite, and similar to that at the Canning Half Tide
Basin. This dock, and Nos. 2 and 3 inland, from it,
are apparently more forward than the others. The walls
round them are nearly at their full height from the bottom
of the excavations, out of which, however, large masses
of material have yet to be removed, chiefly of good red
free-stone, the quarrying of which will, we should think,
go far to meet the expenditure. The walls are
built up to about the level to which the water will rse, of
this stone ; and above this they are of gray granite, in
irregular blocks and pieces, presenting a patchwork ap-
pearance, like the outside wall of the Albert Dock, but of
great strength, the 'mortar being milled, from the Halkin
Mountain limestone, which sets rapidly and becomes as
hard as the adamantine rock itself. The discovery of the
excellent properties of this cement has already saved
much expense to the Dock Estate, as it appears that it is
not requisite to hew the stones into square blocks as
heretofore,—pieces of any size or angular shape being
applicable, provided they show a smooth outward surface.
The whole, in fact, becomes a solid, imperturbable mass,
which nothing short of a fulminating explosion can dis-
turb. The landing steps in the outward wall and the
tops of the quays are of chiselled granite, and there is a
vaulted or tunnelled passage at one of the landing-places
for the conveyance, as we learn, of cattle, sheep, &c.,
from on board ship, without the inconvenience of driving
them along the quays.
In drawing out the excavated material from the several
new docks, four engines—formerly railway locomotives—.
are employed, fixed at the top of the respective inclines,
and there is a fifth of a different construction. The
working of these, dragging up by chains, immense loads
of stone or soil, is peculiarly interesting. A vast number
of horses are also employed in drawing the waggons on
the more level ground to their several desti nations
Running east and west, large embankments are formed of
blocks of sandstone, resembling huge rockeries. This ma-
terial (or rubble) will be partly used up in forming the lower
walling of the northern docks at the north end, and partly
sold to builders and others. The quays can scarcely be said
to be yet formed, but on the sites which they will occupy,
there are paved and macadamised roads, over a great
length of which, including the margin of the sea-wall, a
carriage may be driven. There are several large mortar
mills worked by steam. The lime is ground with fine
clean sand, in circular revolving iron troughs, beneath
huge circular grind-stones, shod with iron. The opera-
tion is remarkably speedy, and the well-tempered cement
is rapidly carted off, in a smoking state, to the several
parts of the works where the masons are employed.
There are numerous temporary huts, sheds, smithies, &c.
over the ground, and the whole area of the works forms a
world of industry and skill within itself.
The greater part of the land, and all of it at the north
end, being taken from the river, some of the original
strand, with its rivulets, is yet to be seen within the
embanked endosements. At one part the bed of a brook
is still left in state quo—probably what was called
" Beacon's Gutter ; and here, in excavating the soil,
appears to be peat moss, and at one part of it the remains
of an ancient forest have been partly dug up. Trunks
and branches of trees of considerable size are thrown up,
with the bark upon them ; and though they are decayed,
the grain of the wood is still perfectly developed. We
conjecture that these trees were alders, but those knowing
and curious in geological research may satisfy themselves
by an investigation.

The severity of the weather and the haze, during our
visit to the works, precluded our obtaining a detailed or
precise account of all that is going on ; but we shall
recur to the subject, noticing the new fort, yet almost in
embryo, at the extreme north of the ground, and trust
that we shall be enabled to afford some statistics of ,the
whole which will gratify those of our readers who take
an interest in the maritime progress of " the good old
town."

INCREASED RELTEF AT THE PARISH OFFICE,
INFLUX OF IRISH PAUPERS.

•
We have more than once called attention to the im-
mense drain upon our parish funds, created by the
great number of Irish poor crowding into our town, and
the increasing destitution of the Irish already located
amongst us. The evil continues to increase at a rate
quite alarming. Every day the doors of our parish offices
are compietely blockaded by starving objects, or by pre-
tenders to destitution, seeking relief, the distribution of
which occupies all the force that can be spared from their
ordinary duties. On Monday, the 4th instant, of casual
poor, chiefly Irish, and many only just arrived, there
were relieved, (with bread and soup tickets) of men, wo-
men, and children, 3,233 individuals ; on Tuesday,
3,237 ; on Wednesday, 4,511 ; on Thursday, 4,692 • on
Friday 5426, and on Saturday, the 9th, 8362, making
for the week 29,417 cases. The money relief thus admi-
nistered is £123 3s. 10d. In addition to this, we paid in
money, for the relief of casual: sick, on Monday 4th,
£l6 2s. 6d. ; on the sth, £3O ss. ; on the 6th, £29 19s 6d ;
on the 7th, £l4 ss. ; on the Bth, £ll 18s ; and on
Saturday the 9th, £43 16s. If we may judge from the
crowded state of Fenwick street yesterday, the number of
cases would be still more. At the time we write—a late
hour—the relieving officers are busy at their work, and
have plenty of it before then. The total amount paid
for casual poor, relieved in money, bread, and soup, ac-
cording to the above account, was for the week ending
Saturday, the 9th instant, £269 9s. 10d.
By way of showing the increase of the out-door relief,
which is being administered, over that of last year, we
may state that in the corresponding week of 1846, 3280
cases put down as regular poor, were relieved at a cost of
£3Bl 3s. There was no administration of relief in bread
and soup in that ygsk The amount, however, includes
the casual sick. BillEing the same week this year, the
poor relieved, also including the casual sick, have been
4497 cases, at a cost of £546 10s. 10d. ; and, adding to
this amount, the casual relief as above £123 3s. 10d.,
the total amount during the last week is £669 14s. Bd,
being an increase of £2BB lls. Bd, for the week over the
corresponding one of last year. Deducting the casual
Irish relieved with bread and soup tickets, £123 35. 10d.,
the increase of Liverpool poor, and casual sick for the
week, appears to be £165 7s. 10d. This increase, we
believe, will involve an additional rate of at least sd. in
the pound, putting out of consideration the increased
number of cases of the poorer classes of housekeepers,
who will have to claim exemption on the ground of ina-
bility to pay. In addition to this, we must bear in mind
that our workhouse is crowded to excess ; and that the
drain upon us for casual relief seems only to be at its
commencement. Our prospects therefore of a moderate
poor's rate next year are not very flattering.

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It affords us great pleasure to announce, that the Rev.
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EXAMINATION OF MASTERS AND MATES.-At a meet-
ing of the Board of Examiners, held on Saturday, Capt.
Harrison of the steam-ship Acadia, Mr. George Little,
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second officer of the steam-ship Britannia, both belonging
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Packet Company, and Captain William R. Giffney, of the
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granted them.
INQUESTS, YESTERDAY, BEFORE P. F. CURRY, ESQ.
BOROUGH CORONER.—On view of the body of Richard
Glennon, aged three years. The mother of the child went
out of the house, in Pall-mall, on Saturday, leaving him
alone in a room, when his clothes caught fire, and he was
so much burned that he died on the following day from
the injuries.—On view of the body of Mary Jones, aged
22, who resided in Soho-square, Soho-street. Deceased
was subject to fits, and on Saturday, while she was in a
room by herself, her clothes took fire, and she was so
much burned that shedied in the Infirmary on Sunday.—
On the body of John Smith, aged two months. Deceased,
who resided with his parents in Concert-street, was acci-
dentally overlaid.—Verdicts in accordance.
CHURCH FOR FOREIGN SEAMEN.—The church for
foreign seamen in Rathbone-street, which has been li-
censed by the Lord Bishop of the diocese, for the esta-
blishment of which Liverpool is indebted to the indefa-
tigable exertions of the Rev. Joseph Baylee, is now in
active operation under the ministration of the Rev. J. D.
Hirsch. Divine service is regularly celebrated in the Ger-
man language ; and we are most gratified at being able to
announce, that the attendance of the class, for whose
benefit it is designed, is numerous and increasing. On
Sunday, the Rev. Mr. Baylee pleaded the cause of this
church before the congregation of St. Jude's, taking as
his text the 6th and 7th verses of the 14th Revelations.
The rev. gentleman gave a history of the introduction of
the new means of bringing the knowledge of salvation to
the numerous foreign sailors frequenting the port, and of
the eminent success which had attended its progress.
The Italian schools, he stated, which had been unavoid-
ably suspended, were now resumed, and were in success-
ful operation. A most earnest appeal to the congregation
resulted in the collection of about £36 towards the reduc-
tion of a debt of £4OO for stipends, fittings, and rent.
We hope soon to hear that the whole amount is liquidate&