The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-12-13
BRISTOL PLANNING
TORFGAIN SHIPPING
With New Docks Costing $751;
000,000, City Hopes to In
crease Maritime Trade
Consul j. Perry WOrden Fur.
nishes Facts and Figures
Regarding Work

WASHINGTON. Nov. 26-ConsuI
J. Perry Worden furnishes the fol-
lowing information concerning the new
dock at Avonmouth, Bristol. which was
formally opened by the king and queen
OF the United Kingdom on July 9:
Bristol. in completing this $13.O0O.0o0
enterprise, naturally looks for re-
viva1 of her maritime trade. and again
hopes are expressed that the United
States will be among the leading con-
tributors to the success of the new
dock at Avonmouth. Apparently there
are advantages for Bristol over some OF
its competitors, and it would seem that
no pains or expense have been spared
to build the dock as substantially as
possible and on the most scientific lines
II is pointed out that several hours
may be saved in the transportation OF
passengers and mails between New
York and Bristol. as compared with the
time required from New York to Lon
don. Southampton and other ports. and
that Bristol will have facilities for the
handling and reshipment OF interior
freight hardly enjoyed by any OF the
rival cities Since influences are at
work to favor the establishment OF a
Canadian passenger and mail service
between Canada and Bristol IL is the
wish of many that similar movement
may make for the founding OF an
American line between New York or
Boston and this port.
HOW THE DOCK WAS BUILT
In the building of this new dock
concrete was used in enormous quaint
ties and in two strikingly dissimilar
ways. For the walls OF the new dock
bedrock was reached by excavating
deep trenches through the softer
strata. At an average OF about 20 feet
below the greensward the rock be-
came so hard that to remove il would
have required blasting. Upon this
was built up the dockwall Concrete
mixing machines above shOwered down
the wet material and IL was rammed
between the timber molding covering
its shape. Where, however, circum-
stances rendered IL dfn1cult or mad
visable to get down to rock founda-
tions by excavations. they have reached
IN another way, by sinking mOnoliths
through the softer strata until a firm
basis had been reached. The piers
are constructed of mOnoliths or coll
umns Of solidifed concrete with their
base resting on the rock 40 or so feet
below the surface. The pierheads are
formed of two monster circular mono
liths, each 60 feet in diameter ana 50
feet from coping TO foundation A
breastwork of timber keeps the vessel
from making contact with the ma
sonry.
SIZE AND CAPACITY OF DOCK
Some idea OF the size and capacity OF
the new Royal Edward dock may be
gathered from the facts that the lock.
with a length of SIS feet and width of
100 feet, can admit any Of the largest
liners af1Oat. and that there is a grav-
ing dock $50 feet in length. near which
there are importing sheds in which can
be stored $4,000 quarters of grain. The
large basin has width of 1000 feet
and length of zoo feet. and two
branches 1900 feet long and 500 wide
may soon be projected The 30 acres
of dock area are surrounded by rail-
way lines, and the geographical posi-
ton of the dock promises much for its
future usefulness.
The dimensions OF the dock are such
that one Of the new Cunarders would
have plenty of room between the gates
of the entrance lock. and fl the basin
she would have space enough to swing
in preparation for her outward voyage:
while in the craving dock her hull. or
the hull of the largest battleship in
the British navy, could be examined
and repaired
Not only has Bristol a population GO
ing on to 100000, but within a radius
of so miles there are $500 900 people.
and double that number are accounted
for if the compass be stretched %
miles from the center.