The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-11-14 00:00:00

THE OUTER HARBOUR,

This will comprise an area of thirty-seven acres, and it
is considered will be of incalculable advantage from its
being on the windward side of the river with reference to
all our prevailing gales, and having a depth at low water
of spring tides (the lowest water level) of 12 feet. Pro-
tected from westerly storms by the high land of Bidston,
and also from its windward position having the advantage
of smooth water, it will form a harbour of refuge in bad
weather for vessels that have now to lie at anchor in the

Amongst other advantages stated are the following :
Facilitating the communication by railway from the
dock side to London, Birmingham, the Potteries, and
general manufacturing districts ; and all parts of Wales,
Shropshire, &c. The Dublin mail (by accelerating the
train as proposed, per Holyhead, and employing first-
class boats) may be brought this way, and delivered in
Dublin in sixteen hours from London, and the passengers
may step from the railway carriages on board the steamer.
The north mails from the metropolis may also be delivered
in Glasgow in 22 to 24 hours, by this way—say 61 hours
from London, and ]6 to Glasgow. This can only be ac-
complished by having the railway to run down to the
water's edge; and it may supercede the necessity of the
expensive line of railway to Holyhead, and that north of
Lancaster as well. To obtain this advantage, a tunnel is
to be made under the town of Birkenhead, from the
present station in Grange-lane to the margin of the
docks.

The Irish mail steam-ships, that have now to lie at the
Sloyne, or in the river opposite George's Pier, will find
constant accommodation, with ingress and egress at any
hour ; and river steamers will be found with ample power
and speed to convey their passengers to or from Liverpool.
The grand objection to the running of the West India
mail steam-ships—namely, secure harbour accommodation
immediately on their arrival, will be removed; and it is
anticipated that the whole, or at least a large portion of
them, will be appointed to run to and from the Mersey as
the most eligible station by way of the Irish Channel that
can be selected. _

The ferry steamers plying regularly across the river, at
the small charge of 2d. a head, will make the new har-
bour much easier of access than the north or the south
end of Liverpool, and more particularly the south.
Numerous small craft that now lie on the shore at the
mouth of the Pool,where many of them are left high and dry
at low water, may be accommodated afloat in the outer-
harbour. The project of a steam life-boat, recently en-
tertained, and highly desirable to avert the calamities that
may occur through the stranding of vessels on the out-
ward sand-banks or lee shores during gales, may be car-
ried out with much greater prospect of success, inasmuch
as she may be kept in safety and readiness to proceed at
any moment to the point of relief. At present, during
the height of our heaviest gales, no such vessel could be
put out from this side ; and the opposite shore, even
without a harbour, has for many years been found to be
the most eligible and practicable in this respect, from its
windwardness for the smaller life-boats employed,—as has
been shown by the success of late years of the Magazines
Life-boat, housed, and difficult of launching between
Wallasey Pool and the Rock. The difference of the dis-
tance to be sailed or steamed between the Pool and Ma-
gazines, considering that, in such cases, Cheshire is a
weather shore, with comparatively smooth water, is not,
we think, worthy of notice. This item is a suggestion
which we throw out ourselves ; but it is one irre-
spective of the opinions—many of them doubtful and
others antagonist—as to the new docks, which we venture
to advance on the broad and simple ground of humanity
and general utility, whether as affecting one shore or the
other.

THE INNER FLOAT OR HARBOUR.
The Inner Harbour or Dock, in its uninterrupted length
from the Outer Harbour to the village of Poulton, will
comprise a water surface, or float for vessels of all bur-
thens, of 130 acres. The total dock accommodation of
Liverpool, supposing the Albert Dock to be completed,
is 1061 acres, according to the report of the Dock Sur-
veyor in September last. Adding to the space in the
Cheshire dock (130 acres) that of the Outer Harbour (37),
which, from its smoothness and depth, may fairly be con-
sidered as so much wet dock, we have 167 acres of float-
ing surface for shipping ! The dock, which will be of
commodious width, will► admit of a vast number of
vessels proximate to the quays, as well as in the centre of
ample space for their removal out and in, and from place
to place as may be required. It will be particularly
adapted for the timber and other bulky trades. Vessels
may readily discharge, and ave the timber rafted f. om
them. _

The sides will be appropriated by the various owners of
the propety, (who will be admitted to competition by pur-
chase without restraint on the manner of conducting their
business, or the formation of central canals—saving in so
far as is consistent with security from fire or other da-
mage) for wharfs, slips, warehouses, sheds, &c., as they
may deem proper.
The gates from the Tnner Harbour to this immense Dock
will be made sufficiently wide for the largest steamers
afloat, or likely to be constructed ; and as the banks of
the Pool are extremely favourable to manufacturers con-
nected with shipping, it is expected that the Liverpool
engineers will form establishments, with wharfs, where
they can have vessels fitted alongside their own premises,
—thus saving immense expense in cartages, loss of time
between ship and works, &c.
The ship carpenters may also have yards, (more out-
wards, and on the margin of the river,) with cheap graving
docks attached, which will enable them to repair vessels
at much less cost than under the present system of public
docks ; and the present space at Liverpool occupied by
graving docks may be appropriated for more goportant

accommodation as wet-docks for the shipping, and dis-
charge of merchandise of less bulk and more value.
The plan is susceptible of any extension that may be
hereafter required, either out on Bidston Marsh,—the upper
part of the land belonging to the corporation remaining
unsold, and at their disposal either by sale to others, or
as joining themselves in the general plan,—and the whole
may be appropriated with advantage, as it is either on a
dead level, or below the level of the Pool at high water.
The general result will be (it is anticipated) to make
Liverpool the cheapest port to come to in the kingdom
for dock accommodation, warehousing, ship-building, and
repairs of vessels, engine making, &c., &c., from the great
facilities afforded by this intended adjunct to the port.