New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02
THE MANCHESTER CANAL.
A COMMERCIAL DREAM OF LONG AGO NOW
NEARING REALIZATION.
Manchester, July ID.

NEARING REALIZATION.
Manchester, July I5
The Manchester Ship Canal may now be re-
garded us an accomplished fact. There has al
ready been a preliminary opening OF the great
ditch 1t is not yet finished by any means
vast amount Of work is yet TO be done on H. 81
much that the constructors now ask for an ex'
tension of time. They were TO finish the entlrs
undertaking by August next year, but they
ask to have the date postponed TO December 81,
1893 Even the latter date will leave short
time for the accomplishment Of such vast joo'
For it was only in November, 1887, at an out
of-the-way spot near Eastman, that the nrs'
spadeful of earth was dug. Perhaps the WORK
is now about three-qUarters done. But tnat "a
enough to prove the easy pracncaDlliV OF ue
whole There no serious obstacles 10 pe
overcome; there have been none. And at Last
the great cotton capital may be regarded as "
seaport
II is now nearly 200 years since the idea OF
making Manchester a shipping centre was seri-
ously considered, and at the opening Oh the
present century steps were taken TO put the idca
into practice There was then communication
by water between Manchester and Liverpool, oy
way OF the Irwell River and the Brdgewater
Canal: but it was not at all adequate 20 the
needs OF the city For years the radesmen OF
Manchester clamored for better transportation,
and at last, in 1925, went before Parliament
with two schemes One was for the conStruc-
ton of a railroad, the other for the construction
of Manchester and Dee Ship Canal Inc
former was, after some delay, successful, and
splenddy efficient and profitable railroad SET
vice has since been evolved from it, and a power
full interest arrayed against the canal whch Is
now approaching completion. But the Man
chester and Dee Ship Canal never got beyohd
paper 1t is, however, interesting at TINS uhe
to recall the character of the plans laid at that
time The entrance was to be at Dawpool, aDOa1
three miles seward of Parkgate on the southern
shore of the Wirral Peninsula Independent Ell
cineers had reported that the sea channel 10
Dawpool was equal in depth 10 any harbor IN the
country The canal was To he entered from the
estuary Of the Dee by access in the iirst Instance
through a basin about eight acres in extent, WIN
an entrance 1872 feet wide; thence through
salf-tide dock of two and three-fourth acres
of water area, afterward passing into luii-'l'e
dock with nine acres of water area ana aoou0
half a mile of quay frontage. vessels pfoceeu-
ing TO Manchester would enter the canal
by q lock 1l5 feet in length, So lee'
in BREADTH and - feet IN depth'
these dimensions governing the series OF hi'een
locks on the route of the canal. The entrance
basin and docks were TO be lnclosed WITHIN '"'
piers, leaving an aperture OF l32 feet inc sea
ward pier being 900 feet in length, and the upper
pier 2,64O feet. The top width OF the caln'i VIC"
TO be 20 feet, the depth being IS feet AS OUT Oh
1928 vessels frequenting the port Oh Asc'poo'
in one year only S5l exceeded 25O TONS 'he pro-
iectad canal was designed for the passage Oh YES
sels ND 10 that tonnage. Vessels eAceeoins '""'
tounaCe could load or discharge IN the enuahoe
basins 10y means of lighters, such as weie u'e" "
convey the cargoes OF vessels lrequentlns ,ne Poi
Of London TO the Pool before the Last inaian
nocI, ,,,s constructed Two Of such lighters with
locked botcbes would be ample for the conveyance
of the lading Of any such vessels exceeulne GOV
! TONS with cargoes intended for or coming Hoin
| Manchester This arrangement was MADE IL oiuei
| 70 minimize the outlay on the canal WORKS ino
entire work would cost about Ss.5oo'ooo' the
length of the canal would be hfty-one miles WIFI
some fourteen locks
| That was sixty-fve years ago. Since tnen tne
animal tonnage OF Liverpool port has increased
| from ISL 900 to 9,292, 900, with corresponding
Increase in dock dues The population of the area
~ which this canal will be the natural commerclai
orflo, has risen from 2,7l3,OOO To ',2Oo,ooV;
! IN, ,-rrare size of vessels arriving at LlVerpooi
! J. la increased from IFS TO 41O tons 30
| . a. the Manchester and Dee Canal been dus'
!. .,,l vcars ago have been practically useless
I. lii lie of interest to compare those carry Plans
therefore with those that are now nearing exc
cuton The canal Is Oniy There Is tdsi
diviSion oC twelve miles from Eastman 10 Run
| corn thronph the Merscy estuary. and from Kun
| corn IN Warrington. eight miles more. Inc wldtn
| M the bottom is 90 feet, and the minimum deptn
| nj low tide is twcnty-six feet Ihcn from war
| rincton 10 Manchester. fifteen miles ana haii,
| is the second division. OF the same deptn ana
| hnttom breadth as the other and surface orcadtn
| ~ 2oo fcet There are twelve locks, in four
! groHrs of three each, with total rise OF sixty
| feet The amount of excavation VIII aggregate
nearly 10000. 900 cubic yards, and the cost wiz
be S30,00O,0OO. .,,-.. o.., L., o,rso,
| tho establishment Of whole new villages OF work
n,S,,s houses and added 10 the tceming population
| of this part of England new element lnese
| workmen are, on the whole. not n bad lot pue
| orderly and good-natured and their cottages snow
| marks of refinement, different from the shanucs
| ~ railroad builders in America Such Injuries
| os white curtains SAYS an observer, are common
and neatnesS generally prevails outside ana IN
The religious. mental and bodily welfare OF the
navy is we'll looked after. Mission rooms nave
| everywhere been established and preachers en-,
| ragged. Reading rooms, some or them ihan3se"
mainly by navvies have been established, ana OPP
portunities for playing chess, draughts' ana oags
tele afforded Concerts frequently given anu
the navvies are fond Of taking part IN negro mlh
| strel entertainments. There have also been crleHet
matches between different gangs, pu, inc No. vi
are more dextcrous handlers of the PICK or shower
than of the bat Hospital accommodation IS pro-
vidcd and the services of medical officers retaneL
but accidents have been few ana the ReieIh hea,n
good Within a few weeks after the OeSliinnns
there were g. 900 men engaged on the cOnsui w
ton of the canal There were also peng uI.i,a ao
ffty-siX steam cxcavatorS seVenty'three locon~
tives. 2.367 wagons. fifty steam cranes ana ses
enty nine miles OF temporary railroad. But thess
figures were RAPIDLY and enormously increased any
fair sized army is now at work ana VIII pe kePs
busy for two years 10 come'