The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-06
THE LONDON DOCKS.
Description OF the Scene of the Preset
Great strike.

Apropos OF the great strike among the
dock labOrers the following description
of the London docks may prove interest
ing. Comparatively few of the Amer
leans who annually cross The sea on
tours of summer pleasure have visited
the docks of London. They may stand
on London Bridge aud look down the
Thames 70 the great shipping centre. but
the itinerary OF the American slght-seer
does not usually include an Inspection
OF the city below the tower. There II
one very obvious reason for tins. It
would take a week at least 20 make any
thing like a tour Cf the metropolitan
dock system, covering a. IT does over 200
acres, extending from the tower of Lon
don to Galleons Reach. near Woolwich,
every mile a range Of warehouses.
haryes. railways. cranes and the other
various belongings that make up dock
property and wStofslde life. There arc
-. Katharine docks. London docks.
the West India docks. the East India
docks. the Victoria and Albert docks.
the Millvall docks and the Surrey Com
mercial docks. Six Of these docks are ca
the north and two on the south side Of
the Thames. st. Kathaiiue's docks aie
TIT nearest 10 London Bridge. They
were planned by Telfoid and opened IN
1928. having been built at acOst of about
G2 eco. GOO They are not very extensive
rs compared with the docks lower down
the river. but cover at teast 81 acres.
London docks. next below 81. kctha-
rno's. are very old. They were opened
in 1903 and contain 80 acres. about one
third being water. Their original cost
was Il. .000. 600. Tie great warehouses
for tobacco rented by the government
are located there. as are also the i'm
mense wine vaults. and wool. spice. tea.
drug aud sugar warehouses lnnumer-
.able. The Surrey docks and the Com
mercial docks are more spacious. They
are located on the south side IN bend
of the river. and afford ample room for
a vessel engaged IN the grain-shipplng
trade. Just across the Thames are the
West Iudia and East ludm docks. the
former. the oldest in London. were
opened in lso2. and extend over 300
.acrOss t0 Blackwell. the latter are ad-
iai0.nr. lut contain only thirty-two
.ac,Ds. Milwall docks are in the Isle of
DOGS. hear the West lnda docks. They
were opened il 1858 ard cover lOoacrcs.
Extending from Blackwell 10 a point OPP
posile Wooiwich ale the Victoria
and ALERT decks. The Victoria
docks were first used in lsjG.
The occupy 200 acres ami contain gray
ing docks AMI dry dock, capable of dock
INK ihe l.Ige-t steamship an0at. One
J. 4
docks ], used chiefly for storing tea.
silk. cochincal. carpets, piece goods and
other products of India and China.
The average stock stored here Is esti-
mated at ~2j 0C0 000 ADD the value OF
the rrou, .ty p4ss,d through in yesr
has exceeded ejO00O,O 900.
The Rl,al Albert deck connected
with the Victoria by passage SO feet IN
width Las ID water area OF lij acres.
This is al most reCeut construction, ite
completion hayin- been the occasion for
a royal celebration in June. lo>l. This
d0ck Is splendid stretch ot waterway
almost three miles ma extent. with
range of over mile Of iron warehouses
aud double lines 0f locomotive tracks
and numerous travelling cranes. The
dock walls throughout are Constructed
entirely OF Port. aud cement concrete.
made and deposited in stu. Treaggrc-
gate legglh of dock and passage walls Is
81 miles. The walls are 40 Feet high >
feet .h'ck at the top and from Is tO 10
feet thick at the base. and used up in
their construction 10000 cubic yards
OF concrete. representing so coo tons Of
Portland cement Three thousand work
men, SIX hundred on seven hundred
wagons. seventeen or eighteen lO,OmO-
tive engines. three steam nayyles and a
great quantity OF minor machinery of
various snds. tad leen engaged from
1870 until the summer of 1850 IN the
construction of this magnificent sys-
ten oi dolks--a work compared with
whi.h the building OF the pyramids.
with modern appliances. wos.d have
been no very signal feat. Railway
trains from every company can unload
straight into vessels, cattle are driven
aboard. the railway platforms being
level with the receiving decks, aud the
ldrges possible weight Of merchandise
are lifted by hydraulic cranes that
travel from she'd t0 she'd with singular
facility. The dock is lighted with cleo
tric lamps. and the enormous sheds and
warehouses are 30 constructed that they
COR, D.. ,r.r.I ,.trf from. ...I O.. AID. 4