Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-27

WI 86A1
Especial Correspondence OF The
- Bee.)-The British are still wor-
ltSHlJ rled over the sale Of their great
- est steamship company to Pier
pont Morgan's trust. Nothing connected
with the American invasion has created so
much real excitement and heartfelt alarm.
The sale OF the White Star Is looked upon
by many as almost reasonable and the gov
eminent has been asked to interfere, but
so far nothing has been done. The White
Star buildings here have been taken over
by the trust and the Offices will be remod-
eled on American lines.
Liverpool Is one Of the centers Of the
American invasion. 1t is the chief port OF
England, outside London, and the port to
which the most Of our American goods
come. 1t has long been second among the
English ports, but the trust is now consid-
erine the landing Of some OF the White
Star steamers at Southampton. and, II co.
Liverpool may eventually lose its prece-
dence. Southampton is within a much
shorter distance Of London. 1t has about
three miles of splendid docks, and in this
respect can handle goods as easily as Law
erpool.
biggest Docks of World.
The shipping facilities here are one Of
the wonders Of the world. The town,
which is the second largest in England, is
on the sloping right bank Of the Mersey,
about three miles from the open sea. Just
opposite the city the Mersey is only a mile
wide, but further inland It expands and
forms a basin about three miles across. 1t
has two channels for the entrance of ves-
sells and the water Is so deep that the larg-
est steamers can enter without danger.
The tide here, however. is very great. 1t
has q fall Of thirty-two feet at certain
times Of the year and this has necessitated
the building Of the docks.
These docks now flank the Mersey for \
distance Of seven miles. There are sixty
Of them, great watts of water. each covering
acres, surrounded by massive walls Of stone
and entered by iron gates, which can be
closed to keep out the tide. The gates work
lust like the lock Of a canal, and when shut
the water within them is as quiet as q
millpond. There are In all SSS acres OF such
docks along the Mersey and twenty-six
miles Of quays.
There Is an elevated railroad which runs
from one end Of the docks to the other. 1t
IL built upon a wall high up above the
street, the rails being laid on semi-cylin-
ders Of iron. The trains are somewhat like
thoae Of the Elevated railroad Of New York,
save that the cars are first and second
class.
I took a ride on this road today to get
view Of the Liverpool shipping. We wen
by warehouse after warehouse. and docl
after dock. passing steamer from all part
Of the world. There were enormous build
ings filled with cotton from the United
States, grain elevators covering acres al
which were being unioaded carloads o
wheat from New York. Philadelphia AM
New Orleans, the largest tobacco warehous
Of the world, h'led with tens Of thousand
OF hogsheads Of the favorite weed Of on
southern states, and on by other warehouses
where all sorts Of American goods wer
being landed from the Atlantic liners whicl
carry passengers and freight. There wer
ships from Australia, India, China and tn
Cape Of Good Hope. a. well as sailing ship
from almost every part of the world. Abou
q 1000 vessels come to Liverpool every yea
and the tonnage which annually goes In an
out Of the port aggregates almost 100000
tons.
EnOrmous Vets Of Water.
wish I could show you one Of thes
Liverpool docks. II you can imagine a lin
OF fields ranging from an acre to twen'
or thirty acres In area. surrounded by th
finest OF masonry, upon which has bee
built enormous warehouses rising almol
from the waters edge. you may have SON
idea OF them. The ships discharge the
cargo directly into the warehouses and son
OF the docks have direct connection vii