The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-01-13 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE

' At the weekly meeting of the Dock Committee, held yes-
terday, the following members were present :—Messrs.
Sands (chairman), Horsfall, Barclay, Holt, Holmes, Smith,
Molyneux, Bulley, Royden, Bold, Shand, Martin, Evans,
Aikin, and Tobin.
The Sub-committee of Works had nothing to report to
the General Committee.

The Sub-committee for the Department of the Marine
Surveyor, produced several returns, the first of which was,
of the number of vessels which had passed in and out of the
various channels, during the year 1842. From this document
it appeared that there had passed through the Rock channel,
inwards, 6.259 vessels, and 7,025 outwards—total, 13,284;
and through the Victoria and Northern channels, 17,822.
making a total of in and out, of 31,106. It further appeared
that the number of vessels which passed in and out of the
Victoria and Northern channels in 1835, was 6,134 ;
in 1836, 8,208 ; in 1837, 12,100 ; in 1838, 11,946 ; in 1839,
13,202 ; in 1840, 14,032 ; in 1841, 17,707 ; and in 1842,
17,822, being the largest number yet known. The next re-
turn was a statement shewing the number of gallons of oil,
and number of wicks consumed, monthly, at the several
lightships and lighthouses, duriug the year 1842 ; it appeared
that 5,053 gallons of oil, and 9,319 wicks had been consumed
during the year. The third return was a statement of the
casualties, during the year 1842, to the lightships and buoys
in Liverpool bay : this return was unimportant. The last
return was an abstract of the services rendered by the life-
boat and their crews during the year 1842, from which it ap-
peared, that the Liverpool lifeboat had assisted three vessels;
the Magazine lifeboat had assisted four vessels, and saved
five lives ; the services of the Hoylake boat did not appear to
have been required ; the Point of Ayr lifeboat had assisted
two vessels, and saved four lives ; and the Formby lifeboat
had assisted one vessel. Total, ten vessels assisted, and nine
lives saved.

The Sub-committee for the Department of the Harbour
Master reported, that they could not recommend the com-
mittee to allow the damage which was done to the Isabella
American packet some months ago.
The number of stages used in the north division, during
the last three months, was reported to be 269, and in the
south division 191, being a total of 460 for the quarter. It
appeared, in answer to Mr. Bold, that £230 had been re-
ceived from this source : he complained that the charges
were too high, and that the estate had no right to make a
profit out of the use of the stages. He moved that the
stages be allowed to be used free of charge, which was
seconded by Mr. Aikin. An amendment was moved by Mr.
Horsfall, and seconded by Mr. Holmes, to the effect that
the matter be referred to the Harbour Master's Sub-com-
mittee, to ascertain what the cost of the stages had been,
what the charges for their use, and what reduction could be
made therein, so as to indemnify the estate from loss. Upon
a division the amendment was carried, and the subject was
accordingly referred.

The question of the made of measuring vessels was
brought before the committee, by a letter from the American
Consul, who pointed out the differences in the charge for
dockage and the Trinity dues, and he prayed for an early in-
vestigation into the same, with the view of reducing the ex-
pense upon foreign vessels. Mr. Capper, measurer to the
committee, and Mr. Lockhart, measurer to the customs,
were called in, and they described the mode of measuring.
It appeared that the measurer for the docks followed the act
of parliament. Eventually, after much discussiou, of a
technical character, the whole subject was referred to the
Harbour-masters' sub-committee, and also to the solicitor.

Messrs. M`lver and Co., agent to the Glasgow packets,
requested that the shed on the quay of Clarence-dock, oppo-
site the berth occupied by their vessels, might be provided
with slides, as the situation was much exposed to the north-
west.—Granted.

A letter from Mr. Joseph Mallaby, law-clerk to the Bir-
kenhead Commissioners, proposing to purchase some land at
Bidston, the property of the trust, was referred to the Sub-
Committee of Works.

An offer from Messrs. J. Nicol and Sons, proposing to
supply patent anchors for the new iron light-ship, The
Prince, was referred to the Marine Surveyors' Sub-Com-
mittee.

The committee then separated