The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-08-29 00:00:00

DOCK COMMITTER

THE weekly meeting of this committee was held on
Thursday, Mr. C. Turner presiding.

The sub-committee of works recommended that the
offer of Messrs. Weber and Co., to furnish wrought iron
shutters for the windows at Huskisson Dock, be accepted ;
that the tender of Messrs. Jones and Jump for stages for
loading and unloading vessels, and of Messrs. Haigh and
Co., for weather guards at the shed of Collingwood Dock,
also be accepted.—Agreed to. The estimate of Mr.
Duncan, the water-works surveyor, to supply hydrants
and pipes to the Albert and Stanley Dock warehouses, the
former at £l,OOO, and the latter at £5OO, was adopted.
The sub-committee also recommended that the Dock
Committee should be their own insurers of property to
the dock estate, and that they should open an insurance
account for that purpose, and debit the dock account with
the sum they would have to pay for the same. After a
conversation, the recommendation was adopted. An ap-
plication was read from Messrs. D. and C. river, for
land at the north-west corner of Huskisson Dock, for a
coal-store for the supply of their steamers, at the proposed
rent of 3s. 6d. per square yard per annum.—Complied
with. The marine sub-committee produced a chart of the
last survey of the Liverpool bay, and recommended that
the channel be buoyed as suggested by the marine sur-
veyor, and that the chart be engraved.—Agreed to.

DOCK EXTENSION-A.DJOL

NED DEBATE.

The general business having been concluded
Mr. SMITIL said, after closely investigating
it appeared to him that it ought to be divid

lie subject

.ed under three

heads, Firstly, to consider whether there is a necessity
for dock extension ; and, secondly, if that be admitted,
whether the scheme, submitted by the sub-committee, was
a judicious or a wise one; and, thirdly, whether the
recommendation of the sub-committee, to expend a sum
of money to the extent of three and a half millions
sterling, was calculated to benefit or to injure the
interests of the present bondholders ? After minutely
going into the question of the amount of accommodation
and the facilities for working which were presented by
the different docks, Mr. Smith contended that the details
showed clearly that an absolute
creased dock accommodation A

necessity existed for i:

_... AS a member of the Har-
bour-masters' Sub-committee, he (Mr. Smith) would state
that not one, or two but three or four deputations, had
waited on that committee, from combined associations, who
sought to obtain increased accommodation for their vessels.
Most of those gentlemen were connected with lines of

steamers, which-were accommodated as much as possible
in the Nelson and Colliugwood Docks. Those gentlemen
complained of want of accommodation, but the committee
knew very well that it was utterly out of its power to do
anything towards acceding to the request. On a recent
occasion, the Brazilian Company's steam-packets had to
r go into the r 1 Docks; but, not 1-hat plan

-Arkenheau _ finding
convenient, room was being sought in the docks on tins
side, yet it was found impossible to appropriate to that
company the berth it required. It was considered proper,
^^eommodation in the Cobourg
-1 that that would do

howeve
Dock

r, to give it ssme

1 hopes were entertain

something more sufficient could be got. These foreign-
going steamers were on the increase. Messrs. M`lver
expected two new and very large steamers ; and, before
twelve months passed away, it was sanguinely anticipated
that the growth of the foreign steam trade would be such
that demands would be made which could not be complied
with, if there were not increased dock extension.
11r. SHAND.—That demand is already made.

Mr. SMITII.—WeII, there can be no doubt of the fact
I have stated, that before twelve months pass over our
heads—

Mr. RANICIN.—One company alone will want it.
Mr. SMITH observed that he wanted the fact to go before
the public as distinctly as possible; for it formed a parti-
cularly strong reason with him for desiring dock exten-
sion: But he also had another reason ; for a most influ-
ential deputation, representatives of the corn trade, had
had an interview with a special sub-committee on the
subject. They pointed out that that trade was the most
important of any connected with the port of Liverpool,
for the import of grain amounted to 650,000 tons, which
made the other trades contrast most unfavourably. They
pointed out that, under the present system, great damage
and loss were occasioned in consequence of want of accom-
modation. They represented their losses on that account
as perfectly inconceivable. But, in addition to the rea-
sons already urged in favour of dock extension, there must
also be added the fact of the changes that had been and
were gradually wrought in shipbuilding. Some years
ago, a ship of 1,200 tons was considered a monster, but
now there were 2,000 or 3,000 ton ships ; and none of the
docks, with the exception of the Huskisson Dock, had
entrances .of more than forty or forty-five feet in width.
And a class of ships were coming that could not enter any
of the docks, except the Huskisson Dock. Thus, beyond
all doubt, there existed au absolute necessity to provide
for the future wants of the port. He (Mr. Smith) had
avoided saying anything on that much-vexed question, the
timber trade, as Mr. Holme had said so much on that
point. But, when he came to speak of the second point
in his argument he would have, of necessity, to speak of
the timber trade, as it was connected with considerations
of the purchase of land from Lord Derby. There had
been a meeting some time ago of parties interested in the
timber trade, and that meeting resulted in the formation
of a committee to consider that much-vexed question, the
transference of the trade to the northern end. Mr. Greg._
son was on that committee. and. indeed, was one of the
most active and prominent members of it. tie never
missed visiting a sub-committee. And what were his
arguments ? He showed that there would not be depth
of land enough at the north end to give sufficient accom-
modation to the timber trade, and argued so strongly on
that point that he was mainly instrumental in inducing
that committee to come to the opinion that the trade
ought not to be carried there. Mr. Smith then proceeded
to define the scheme as being a most desirable and proper
one. He afterwards adverted to the projected purchase
of land from Mr. Leigh, which he considered advisable, as
it was contiguous to the present docks. He considered
that it was a positive necessity to purchase that land, in
order to provide accommodation for . that large class of
ships whose arrival he had anticipated. He then entered
into other financial calculations in order to support his
arguments, and finally concluded by expressing a hope
that the committee would unanimously decide on the im-
portant project then before it. If it should decide
adversely, he (Mr. Smith) would have the consolation of
thinking that he had relieved his own conscience of all
responsibility.
Mr. EVANS, after a pointed allusion to the observations
made by Mr. Bigham at the last meeting when the subject
was discussed, proceeded to criticise and condemn the plan
adopted by the committee, in reference to the Harrington
Dock Scheme. He next insisted that the Dock Committee
are in possession of land which would enable it to extend
the dock accommodation very materially. He proposed
that the extension should be gone on with cautiously, and
only in accordance with the real requirements of the port.
Mr. ROYDEN remarked that although considerable
promise had been held out relative to accommodating the
shipbuilding and boiler. makers' interests, no portion of
land had been marked out as for their use on the plans.
He expressed himself as in favour generally of the scheme,
but objected to many of its details.
After a discussion of some length, in which several
members of the committee took part, the chairman took
the votes, first upon an amendment, moved by Mr. Evans
and seconded by Mr. Barber, referring. the consideration
of the plans back to the committee, with instructions to
take the old plans of 1849 as a basis, rejecting the proposed
canal and dock, and limiting the immediate works at the
north to about twenty-eight acres, to the graying docks,
and the docks on the land east of Huskisson Dock.
For the amendment—Messrs. Healing, Evans, and
Barber.
Against—The Chairman, and Messrs. Shand, Lockett,
Chaloner, Rankin, Brocklebauk, Bigham, Smith, Rounth-
waite, Tobin, Holme, Palmer, Langsdale, Robinson, Little-
dale, Gregson, and Royden. .
Amendment negatived by 17 to 3.
Mr. ROBINSON then proposed, as an amendment, that
the purchase from Lord Derby and Mr. Leigh be approved,
and that the powers be limited thereto, and to the pur-
chase of the land from Mr,3lolyneu.s.

y...... 7, ~.. „,................. _.._._ _ _..., _ __ .
Mr. Gregson seconded this amendment.
For—Messrs. Robinson, Gregson, Healing, and Barber.
Against—The Ctiairman, Messrs. Shand, Locket, Chalo-
ner, Evans, Rantiin, Brocklebank, Smith, Rounthwaite,
Tobin, Bighair., Holme, Palmer, Langadale, Littledale, and
Royden. Amendment negatived by 16 to 4.
The ori44"nal motion for the adoption of the report of
the speciP.i sub-committee was then put.
For the resolution—The Chairman, Messrs. Shand,
Lackr,tt, Chaloner, Rankin, Brocklebauk, Smith, Rounth-
waite, Tobin, Bighani, Holme, Palmer, Langsdale, Robin-
Bora, Littledale, and Roy den. Against the resolution—
l:lessrs. Gregson, Evans, Healing, and Barber. Majority I°.
After ordering the plans to be lithographed, and a copy
Ito be sent to each member of the Town Council, the com-
mittee pawed a few accounts, and then separated.