The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-10-02 00:00:00

THE KING'S FERRY.

It will be remembered that our Welsh neighbours came to a
determination, some time ago, to improve the navigation of the
River Dee, at the King's Ferry, (the link which connects this
county with Flintshire and the principality,) by means of a
large and commodious boat, to be worked by an endless.chaiu,
moved by horse or steam power, and traversing the bed of the
stream from shore to shore. The boat had been in course of
building during the last three months, on the Flintsh.ire side,
under the superintendence of Mr. James Boydell, of Dee Cot-
tage, the gentleman to whom the public will be indebted for
this new mode of crossing the river at all periods of the tide.
She is 60 feet in length, with 29 feet of beam—an amazing
width, calculated to increase her buoyancy and to bear up an
immense weight—probably from 60 to 70 tens, a burthen much
larger than will- ever need transition across the Dee at that
place at any one titne. Her model, which we believe was
drafted by Mr. Ackcrley, known to many individuals in this
neighbourhood as a clever naval architect, resembles some of
the American river boats, propelled by horse-power; and mak-
ing a little allowance for the Immense width, which has been
preserved in the beam for the sake of safety, she appears very
unique, and quite calculated to answer the purposes for which
she is designed.
Friday last was the day selected, on account of the high tide
to launch this novel creature, on the Wizard Dee, and the wea-
ther, fortunately very fine, caused a great concourse of spectators
to assemble—we should think 1400 or MOO. There were a va-
riety of flags, colours, and union jacks floating in the air, and
among the rest, the Hawarden arms were heard and seen to
rustle in the breeze. Among the company present were Lord
Willoughby de Brooke; Sir Stephen and the two alias GIN-tines;
William John Banks, Esq., Sutton Hall; C. B. T. *Roper,
Esq., Plas Teg; Major Jones; the Rev. Mr. Burnsfloyer, Al-
dershaw; Rev. H. Jones, Northop; Rev. Henry Fitzmaurice,.
Hawarden; Rev. Mr. Crompton, Buckley; Mr. Sergeant At-
cherley ; Jas. Boyden, Esq. ; W. Williams, Esq.. Garegiwyd ;
William Rigby, Esq., Holywell; John Rigby, Esq., Ha war-
den ; Leigh Rigby, William Hancock, John Smalley, and S.
Hancock, Esqrs., Hawarden; Jonathan Hancock, Esq., Mold;
Captain Thomas, of the Hon. East India Company; Mr. E.
Bate, &c. About half-past one the note of preparation was
sounded by the malls of the workmen, who commenced remov-
ing the fastenings that kept the bark on the stocks; the deck
at that time held about thirty individuals, among whom were
Sir Stephen Glvutie and Mr. Boydell, the former provided with-
a bottle of good old wine and stationed at the bow to perform
baptismal duties in the usual manner at the proper' time. Some
apprehension was felt respecting the lurch she might snake on
slipping, broadside first, front the planks, which were a foot and
a half above high-water mark; but all fear was unnecessary, for
she glided (if her station without the least accident, amidst the
deafening cheers of the company and the roar of guns. The
briny element welcomed her to its bosom as the Hawarden
Castle, amid loud acclamations, which resounded through the
air.

In a few minutes 277 individuals got on board of the new
boat, which was towed some hundred yards up the river by the
Dairy Maid steamer, that happened to pass by at the time. She
then returned with the tide to her mooring-place, and the com-
pany were landed. - •
It is worthy of observation that this boat does not draw one
foot of water, and that the' 77 individuals on board, whose col-
lective weight would probably amount to twenty tons, did not
depress her more than three inches ; awl when they were all on
one side they did not cause her to sway more than two inches
and a half. No fear, therefore, need be entertained as to her
upsetting or swamping, in the worst of weather.
The company retired from the launch. highly gratified with
what they had 'seen, and about seventy ladies and gentlemen
were refreshed with an excellent cold collation and wine at Dee
Cottage, the beautiful residence of Mr. Boyden.
In the afternoon about thirty individuals celebrated the
event by dining together at Hawardeu Castle, the worthy host
of which inn provided everything necessary, good, and sub-
stantial for the occasion.

Since the above was in type we have heard that the new boat,
with the whole of the apparatus, will be in complete readiness
for active operation in about three weeks from this time. The
modus operandi we have described in a former paper, and, there-
fore, need not repeat it here; but we would observe that it is
now intended to have an endless chain on each side of the pier,
one of which will he used on the rising anti the other on the
ebbing of the tide. By this contrivance the widening of the
landing places will become necessary, as the boat will always
travel on the same line, whatever may be the force or direction
of the stream.--Chester Courant.