The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-04-24 00:00:00

THE PRINCE'S DOCK.

This dock, whether as regards the size of the vessels gene-
rally that enter, or the value of their exports and imports, is
the most important belonging to the port. It was com-
menced in May, 1816, and was opened by a splendid proces-
sion of the corporation and the trades' societies, &c., on the
coronation of George IV. on the 19th July, 1821. A beauti-
fully-rigged ship, built by a mechanic, of about a yard long,
was the first received within its walls, and its sails being ad-
justed, it crossed it In admirable style,—a miniature and inte-
resting emblem of the future utility of this tine dock, the area
of which, with its locks is nearly 12 acres. On the east, or
townward side, lie nearly all the large line packet-ships of
the United States, those of New York being the largest, and
for the most part the most elegantly fitted up in cabin ac-
commodations. The larger class of these is the " dramatic
line," and amongst the ships are the Roscius, the Garrick,
the Sheridan, and the Siddons, &c. They are most
beautiful vessels, and are upwards of one thousand tons
burthen, and commanded by men who have earned them-
-selves " golden opinions" from all classes. The other line
ships are equal to them in almost every respect, but a little
smaller, though still large vessels. A stranger is bewildered
on entering one of their spacious cabins, in which the most
beautiful and valuable wood, marble, and metal in the world
are wrought up with surpassing richness and effect. The
furniture is of corresponding magnificence, and all is " costly
though not gaudy." A visit to any of the dramatic line, or
to the " Patrick Henry," now in pott, will bear me out in
my opinion. I would not, however, be understood to show
a preference to American over English ships. Though the
first are tine in workmanship, the latter, I think, are superior
in durability of materials ; and those who doubt the fact may,
at the same side of the dock, step on board of the ." Thomas
Sparks," a handsome vessel of upwards of 500 tons, recently
built at Workington. The produce landed at the quays of
the Prince's Dock comprises the products, vegetable, mineral,
and " animal," of the whole world, and partieularly. of the
regions within the tropics—including the major articles of
cotton, sugar, rum, rice, dyewoods, copper ore, ivory, hides,
horns, palm oil, gums, and drugs. There are, besides the
New York line ships, a line to the same metropolis of the
west, called " The Merchants' Despatch Line,". and many
other private vessels, all of the best construction, and of
large tonnage. Similar packets sail to Philadelphia, Balti-
more, and other parts of the Union. As at most of the other
large docks, there are excellent large sheds on the east and
west side of this dock. Amongst the interesting yet somewhat
painful scenes of yesterday, was the departure of an emigrant
ship from this dock, with her deck crowded with men and
women, young and old, girls, boys, and infants. They were
for the most part Irish, the remainder being chiefly from the
interior of this county and Yorkshire. The anxiety of many
of those poor creatures, who had been delayed to the last
moment, to get their few shattered boxes, probably contain-
ing their all, and their bags of potatoes, and smaller quanti-
ties of other provisions on board, as the vessel hauled out,—
together with the ill-suppressed sorrow of mink of them even
during the bustle in taking leave, probably for ever, of their
humble friends, was generously sympathized with by the nu-
merous spectators on the quays, not the rudest of whom of-
fered the slightest jeering remark on the woe-begone looks,
or quaint attire of these poor emigrants.
While this vessel was hauling out, in came into the gut,
just arrived, the Oxford packet-ship, from New York,—her
crew, while at the capstan warping her in, singing a peculiar
song ; the ship Sandbach, from Demerara ; the Montezuma,
from Philadelphia ; the Patriot Queen, from Calcutta, and
some others.

Several fine ships were towed out of the gut by steamers,
including the emigrant ship named, and the arrivals and sail-
ings of large vessels at the other docks were, from the appear-
ance of the river, numerous, Proceeding northward I soon
reached

THE WATERLOO DOCK, ,
which is upwards of six acres in area. Opposite to the dock
on the east is the Rotunda, an inn, of conical shape, formed
out of the bottom stories of what was once the north wind-
will. Immediately in front of this building, and a few an-
cient detached cottage houses in a line with it on the south,
was, only about 18 or 20 years ago, the river bank—or sea
beach,—the resort in the summer of thousands of bathers,
from the town and the neighbouring country. The site upon
which they disported is formed into quays and docks, to
within a short distance of Bootle Bay, nearly the whole
ground having been reclaimed from the river, and secured
by strong sea-walls.
In this dock another ship, the Alhambra, full of emigrants
to America, was about to sail. The vessels it receives are
chiefly American, and the quays were strewed with cotton.

THE VICTORIA DOCK,
the next on the north, is about the same size—apparently a
little larger, and is also devoted to the accommodation of
large vessels. The mural masonry of all these docks is
highly creditable to the Dock Trust. There is a continuous
line of communication, by locks and basins, from the Prince's
Dock Basin, on the west side, between these docks and those
to the northward of them ; and the stonework, chiefly of
granite, is beautiful and most substantial. From this dock
a fine ship, the Richard Anderson, was towed out, on her
voyage with emigrants to New York. The entrance to this
dock from the river is beautiful—the wall on the west termi-
nating near it, on each side, in a lodge or office, built in the
Egyptian style of architecture, and of fine gray granite.

THU TRAFALGAR DOcK
is a little further north, the intermediate space between these
north docks being occupied by quay-room and sheds, and
the whole enclosed within one circuit of wall. This dock is
almost exclusively occupied by steam-vessels receiving their
engines, or under finish or repair. On the north side there
is a handsome and powerful crane, for the depositing of heavy
pieces of machinery on board of the largest steamers. It
was made by Messrs. Fawcett and Co.. engine-builders,
of this town, and is in itself an admirable specimen of
the science of the proper and useful application of iron
by tension. When a heavy casting or boiler is hoisted
by this machine to the requisite height, the whole being
on wheels, it can be propelled to the brink of the quay,
so that the pending mass may be deposited perpendicularly
in a vessel's hold, though the hatch were 40 or 50 feet from
the wall. I, yesterday, saw one of the cylinders of the steam-
ship United States, weighing upwards of 8 tons, hoisted up
by a few men, and safely placed in the vessel in a few minutes.
Had the Pyramids of Egypt again to be built, the time and
human labour would by such means be reduced to a fraction
of what was expended upon them.
In friendly proximity to the United States, lies the still
larger steam vessel—The President, which has already re-
ceived on board all the heavy frame-work, cylinders, &c., of
her engines. When the United States has received her own
proportionate quantum, she will, this week, 1 learned, give
place to her larger rival, and each will successively take in
manger, and I hope and trust that this
their boilers at the crane. Here we have two noble horses
eating at the same
mkicking" at each
early
left,—for these. sir, are phrases _ ertaininin to •
es apt, g portions of
intimacy will prevent them from " '
other as long as either has a saddle, a stirrup, or a bridle
a ship and her head gear.
i st
h ien 20th forward
.
state, and will probably be ready
were on board. They
A number of visitors, including ladies,
1 beautiful con.
and aSbohuet
I went on board of the Presidenbty.
by the polite struction of the ship, and highly gratifiedwere, in the hurry of
atten-
tion which the captain and officers
were all much struck' by the great size
• , but with a
business, enabled to bestow upon them. .No
.money is allowed
to be received at the gangway for admustOn