The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-10-10 00:00:00

PORTRAIT OF MR. WILLIAM RATHBONE

PROPOSED PURCHASE OF THE HARRINTON DOCK

The CHAIRMAN then introduced the subject of pur-
chasing part of the Harrington Dock Estate. He said
that, on a former occasion, he was authorised to commu-
nicate with the Chairman of the Harrington Dock Estate,
and to offer 31s. 6d. for 50,000 or 60,000 yards. This
offer was positively refused ; but after several interviews
since had, the company had offered the whole of their
land in that quarter, 120,000 yards, at the price offered by
the committee for the part alluded to. He, therefore,
brought the matter before them. He himself had no in-
terest in the matter beyond the good of the town. He
had before informed the committee, upon good authority,
that the land might be made to pay four and a-half to five
per cent. until it is wonted for docks ; and as they could
borrow money at 31 (and he was prepared to offer for a
friend of his a large sum at that rate), they shoud in the
meantime, be gainers by the purchase, and when wanted,
it would be found cheaper by a great deal than if bought
afterwards; and that this land and that to the north would
be wanted was clear, both from Mr. Hartley's letter and
the increase, the rapid increase, of the trade of the port.
He left the matter in their hands.
Mr. Nicol, then addressed the committee at consider-
able length. He dwelt upon the necessity that existed
for more extended dock accommodation. That necessity
had existed for many years, and was now as urgent as it
had been in 1830. Last year when the Salthouse and
Canning Docks were run dry, the extensive incon renience
to which the coasting trade was put was very great, many
vessels being obliged to discharge their cargoes in the
dock basins ; and it would be found that the same incon-
venience would arise now that he understood some of the
other docks were to be run dry. Should westerly winds
prevail, too, they have many more ships to find room for;
therefore, it was evident there was a great want of dock
space, and Mr. Hartley did not expect much relief even
when the Albert Dock was finished. Something was said
by some one about the Albert Dock being capable of
doing the work of two or three docks. That might have
its effect out of doors, but he was quite sure the gentlemen
around that table could not be misled by a statement of
that kind. But empty ships required dock room as well
as full ones—they could not put them in the river, and
many of them waited long in the docks for cargo. The
increased facility which it was said the Albert Dock
would afford to landing cargoes would only form a very
small item in the length of time ships would lay in the
docks. Of course, then, it became necessary for the
committee to look before them. Provision was also
wanted for the steam trade, which was rapidly increasing,
and he thought the large steam-vessels could be best ac-
commodated at the north end. The timber trade, too,
though for some time stagnant, was somewhat reviving,
and would, no doubt, bs considerably extended. In con-
structing their docks they ought at all events to prepare
foundations for warehouses, so that they could be erected
at less expense when required. He thought now was a
favourable time for the undertaking, as money was plen-
tiful and could be obtained at not too high a rate of inte-
rest.

The CHAIRMAN said he had an offer to the committee
of a loan of £50,000, at3i per cent.
Mr. Nicol. resumed.—lt was also a favourable time for
treating for the land at the north end of the town. With
respect to the offer made by the Harrington Company, it
appeared to him as far from being unreasonable, knowing
as he did what it cost—having taken an active part in the
formation of the company—in which, however, he had
now no interest whatever. He thought the opportunity
favourable for the purposes suggested, and that no time
should be lost, as it would be necessary next month to
give notice of their intended application to parliament for
powers to enable them to purchase, and a good deal of ne-
gociation would previously be required. He begged,
therefore, to move—
" That the chairman be authorised to negotiate with the
Finance Committee of the Corporation for the purchase
of the land north of the Clarence Graving Docks, and for
the new purchase of land and strand recently made by
them on the shore north of Beacon Gutter. Also, to ne-
gotiate with the Directors of the Harrington Dock Com-
pany for their land at the south end of the Liverpool dock
estate, preparatory to an application being made t.) parlia-
ment by the trustees for power to construct new docks
north and south. That the surveyor be instructed to
prepare plans and estimates of a dock calculated for the
admission of large steamers, at the north end ; and of a
dock for ships engaged in the timber trade, at the south."
Mr. TOBIN seconded the motion.

Mr. HOLMES said the trade of the port had doubled
every twenty years, and, therefore, if it went on as it did,
it was absolutely necessary something should be done.
Mr. EVANS considered much of Mr. Nicol's remarks
irrelevant. He (Mr. Evans) considered that the comple-
tion of the Albert Dock and warehouses would do much
to relieve all the immediate wants of the port. He felt
certain it would do the work of two or three docks. With
regard to the Harrington Dock Company, the offer was so
high that the committee could not afford to give such a
price for land on which to erect a timber dock, for they
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price given for land before the Albert Dock was 17s. 6d.
per yard. That was for the Prince's Dock, and it was
purchased by the corporation at 125.6 d., and sold by them
to the dock trustees for the price he had named. He was
of opinion that the land offered by the Harrington Dock
Company was totally unfit for a timber dock. They would
have to give 31s. 6d. per yard for it, and he did not think
the return would exceed £1 a yard. There was, beside
the land which had been used as a mahogany dock, the
trade in which had gone in a stream out of the town, and
on that a dock might easily be constructed. That would
give them great accommodation, and could be connected
with the Brunswick Dock. That would be the means of
liberating a great many vessels now lying in the Brunswick
Dock with brooms at their mast heads, as being exposed
for sale. By this plan they had land of their own, which
would obviate the necessity of borrowing money. Be-
sides all, taking into account that the Harrington Dock
Company were bound, by their act, to construct a parade,

Mr. AIKIN repeated his opinion of the dispatch in dis-
charging which the Albert Dock would secure. As to
sending vessels afterwards to oilier docks to be loaded,
that was not necessary in many cases. Many of theta
could haul into the middle, and receive salt, grain, &c.,
from lighters, a practice now frequent in many of the
other docks. The cause of so many large ships remain-
ing for months in dock had been the depression of com-
merce, and this, he trusted, would not last ; and even
now they had more room than they had had for the last
three or four years. He was friendly to a portion of the
Harrington estate being added to their docks, to the ex-
tent contemplated at a former meeting, but not more for
the present; as he thought the docks could be extended
northward at much less cost, and that the accommodation
would be ample for many years. He deprecated haste;
and said the wisest course the committee could pursue
would be to call on their surveyor to furnish them with
plans and estimates for additional dock space, whether at
the north or south of the town, and to deliberate after-
wards upon such of those plans as appeared to afford the
greatest amount of public convenience and the greatest
benefit to the town. He did not a.ree that the price of
the land at the south would rise as had been stated.
Some portions of it had indeed increased, but other parts
had decreased in value. He thought the price exceedingly
high. If the north docks were proceeded with the land
at the south would fall. He strongly advised that they
should not again hurry into parliament, on such loose
data as those yet afforded, but should have their sur-
veyor's estimates and plans carefully made, and showing
how they could best and most cheaply extend the docks
for all the present requirements of the port.
Mr. BOLD quoted the opinion of Mr. Locke, the en-
gineer, as to the desirability of the south end of the town
for dock accommodation in preference to the north.
There was more water there than below. The stone ex-
cavated, too, would do for the inside of the dock walls,
and the interior of the river wall. He (Mr. Bold) was
favourable to the purchase in the south as well as to that
at the north end of the town.

A discussion ensued as to the present rental of the land
On the south.

Mr. BRAMLEY MOORE thought the question resolved
into this : whether the price was a proper price, or whe-
ther they were not going to pay too dear for the land at
Harrington; and he also thought, that with the view of
fairly deciding upon such a question, they ought to have
some value put upon the land by their surveyor.
Mr. HARTLEY, the surveyor, declined to give any
opinion as to the price of the land, it being, as he said,
altogether out of his province to do so.

Tile CHAIRMAN said, the Committee of the Harrington
estate had told him, that they had offered it at the very
lowest price; that Mr. Stewart considered it very cheap
for 31s. ad. per square yard; and that Mr. Samuel Holme,
(whose estimate he had not with him,) as well as he could
recollect, had valued it at a little higher than 31s. 6d.
Mr. BRAMLEY MOORE said, there was certainly a ne-
cessity for more land for dock space, and repeated he
should be in favour of the purchase if it were shown to
him by competent parties that the price was not too much.
The demand of 31s. ad. appeared to be high, when it was
known that only 225. a yard had been asked for the land
of the adjoining dock.
It was explained that the increase was accounted for by
the new sea-wall being already erected to a considerable
extent.

Mr. EVANS said, the price was not exactly the principal
question in the case. It might be very cheap for some
and very dear for other purposes. He then proceeded to
put a variety of questions to Mr. Hartley, with a view of
eliciting the many advantages possessed by the north over
the south end for all purposes of dock accommodation.
Mr. Hartley stated, that, in his opinion, the Harrington
property was not adapted for a timber dock, but that it
might answer for deals, and that they might make as many
graving docks as they pleased at the north end of the
town. Mr. Evans then contended, that to make the pro-
posed purchase would be an act of reckless wildness. He
proposed the following amendment :—" That the surveyor
be desired to prepare plans and estimates for the best ap-
propriation of the land on the North Shore, the property
of the Corporation, and of the land offered by the Har-
rington Company at the south, for dock, graving dock,
and warehouse purposes."

. .
Mr. BRAMLEY MOORE proposed, as an amendment,
an adjournment until they could ascertain the surveyor's
opinion of the price.
Mr. AIKIN though this would place their surveyor in
a delicate position, and the motion was withdrawn. Mr.
A. then proposed another amendment, to the effect that
Mr. Hartley be instructed to prepare plans, showing how
additional dock space night be obtained with the greatest
advantage to the trust or convenience and accommodation
to the trade of the port.

Upon a division this amendment was lost by a majority
of four; the numbers being, for it seven ; against it eleven.
The original motion, with a slight verbal amendment
(that the new dock might be adapted either for timber or
other purposes), was then pressed to a division, after a
brief reply from Mr. NICOL, and was carried by a major-
ity of four.
The following members voted for it :--Messrs. Middle-
ton, Chilton, Bold, Tobin, Sandbach, Smith, Royden,
Bramley-Moore, Nicol, Molyneux, and the Chaiman.
Against it :—Messrs. Moon, Holt, Aiken, Barclay, Evans,
Holmes, and Bulley.