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

PROPOSED PURCHASE OF THE HARRINTON DOCK

The CH AIRMAN 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 bad 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 wanted 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 shoul.d 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 inconvenience
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 tile 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 be 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 intend&J 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 3 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. Tonrx 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. ETANs 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
would not get an adequate return for the mosey laid out
without they raised the dock dues. The very highest
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
e
the return would exceed £1 a yard. There was, beside
the land which had been used as a mahogany dock, _
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this plan they had land of their own, which

he was of opini

,e land was not worth one-half what

they required for it. I.le then proceeded to shovv that the
north end of the town was the only proper place for docks.
There would be a difference of £25,000 in the expenses

..--iy to taking the excavations from the scuth to the
north end, besides, they had a river wall at the north end
already built, and, taking all the circumstances into con-
n, he was sure the land at the north end would
st only one-third the amount of that at the south.
Mr. ATKIN took the same line of argument, contending
that the Albert Dock would do the work of two or three
of the others. It was found that the sane mode of con-

struction save such facility in London that a vessel could
be discharged there in 18 hours, which in Liverpool would
take 18 days. The average time it took to discharge an
East India ship in London, of 300 or 400 tons, seldom ex-
ceeded two or three days, whereas it was very rare one of
a similar kind could be discharged in Liverpool in less
than three weeks. The Albert Dock would be open for
ships to discharge their cargoes—then they must remove
into the middle of the dock, and go somewhere else to
load. In that dock, he was convinced, as much might be
done in a day as would take a week in any other. The
average number of vessels coming into the docks in Li-
verpool was 50 per day. In the Prince's and George's
Docks the average was not more than 20. The Albert
Dock would afford the means of discharging, he would
not say 50 vessels per day, but if it did for one-half tha
number it would be a great deal.
After some further discussion, the further considera-
tion of the question was adjourned until Saturday, at 12
o'clock.