The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-15
Report Of Eagineer-ir-Ch.ei, on the Improve
ment Ut Water Front, April 10, 1871.

rnent Ut Water Front, April ID, 1871.
DEPARTMENT or DOCxs,)
ENUiNEEE'S BUREAU, \
New YORK, April 70, 1871.
TO THE HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS OF Docgs:-
GE:;rLaAEN-lhe system OF construction best
adapted 10 facilitate tie rapid and economical hand.
lag, loading and unloading of vessels, and the
transportation Of freight and passengers TO anu from
the Immediate waUer front In particular narbor,
VIII depend upon me nature Of that harbor and lis
approaches, rs Wei as upon the character and ex-
tent oi the Commerce 10 be accommodated.
For Wen sheisered port, where the water 'front.'
Is extensive lii proportion 10 the commerce, where
the bottom sne.ves ripiiy, and the daiy variations
OF the tiue ar; noe great the simplest ana most APP
proprIate form Of construction IS quay or river
wai, 80 located that the largest vessels can noat
Alongside VI II ~ extreme low water. Where the
bottom shelves very gradually, 1t becomes necessary
to extend pers 30 far out that the water near the
cnds wi DC deep enough 10 aodt vessels,
Piers are also necessary III cases where, even
when tue water dccpcns very rapidly, II Is neces-
sary TO accommodate large commerce. along o
comparatively limited water mont, as wen as when
IL rs desirable 70 AFFORD projection against rapid cur.
rent, nOJfing Ice DC.
IN cases wher lho rise and fall OF the tide Is very
great, and where the wafer front Is limited III x
tent large commerce can DC aavanlageonsly
accommodated ony 10y some sGcn systenl rs the
wet or tldai cccss 80 extensively u5eu III Europe,
and o which me DOCKS oi Liverpool ana London
arc the Lest examples. .
Ia arranging system Tor the city OF New YORK, 1t
Is proper To examine the systems that nave been
adopted In oiner ports Of corresponding CONNER
oIai importance. Inc magnificent COCKS % Liver.
pol and London. constructed by suCh distinguished
engineers rs kcnnie Tel ord, Hartley and others,
accommodate the largest commerce OF the world,
and, inefciCTc Naturally suggest themselves IL nc
subjects of comparison with our own proposed
SYST, IN. sucn a comparison VIII point out the ex-
tTaordinary advantages which the hydrosraphy OF
the port OF New logk al )rds TOT the purposes OF
comm rec and navigation. and Will AT the same
lifne SHOW tnat lar greater dock area and wharf
facilities can be obtained IN TINS city by a much
more sllnnle and FAR less expensive system than
that which has been greatly admired IN the cases
of LiverpO0. ana London
Liverpool Is situated just within the mouth OF the
river Msrscv. deep ana navigable stream, which
mas, opposite the city, an average width or aJ0uG
$3.50 feet. ana deptn varying from eighteen TO
sixty eet at low water; the rise and al oi the tide
Is from eighteen to LlirtyLree feet. The river wall
WITHIN which the DOCKS are located occupies ABOUT
I'VE niles ia len,6h o. the bank of tue Mersey.
The great variations In Inc tide render IL inpo5s-
bic TO load ana unload vessels advanageously
abreast OF Ordinary quay5 OF piers III the Mcfsey !;
the so what exposed anchorage i too limited Tor
tue great number OF vessels thai frequent the port,
and were IL large enough, the heavy expense and
delays OF the system or loading and unloading by
means OF lighters nave been found uncomfortable by
commerce. There is, then, but one system applica
bic 10 sucn porJ-thas OF enclosed wet DOCKS with
entrance gates. THIS system mas been admirably
carried out In Liverpool. Commenced a. early as
1909. the docks have AZ this time attained COLOSSAL
proportions. Ornitting the LIrkenhcad docks and
otlivr additions since 1864, they cover 6lo OBJ
tsined from me SHORE OF the hersey betw zen high
and iow wafer marks, INC river wall projects nom
so0 " L2vo iest beyond ths original shore line; the