sities of the times will give birth to a more useful and a more successful plan, and one that will be adequate to our growing and our present wants. It should, however, be observed, that no scheme on this subject can be good, that does not comprehend new quays as well as new warehouses. Any map of London will shew the small extent of legal quays from London-Bridge to the Tower, the little that can be added to them; and also the advantages of the proposed docks, from their great vicinity to the seat of commerce.

It may be here remarked, that no predilection, whether arising from interest or favour, is entertained for any specific plan; it being intended as much as possible to convey general principles applicable to any plan, and to shew that necessity calls for some change, and that it cannot take place too

soon.

The tables in the Appendix, notes, &c. have been formed from public documents, or from respectable private channels. The accuracy of the informations of the latter cannot be questioned, and to them many acknowledgements are due.

London, Dec. 14, 1793.

GENERAL

GENERAL HINTS, &c.

TH

HE situation of London is inland, and convenient to internal intercourse. The navigation of the Thames is extensive, and affords a safe and commodious harbour, or floating-tide-dock, for shipping, for some miles. Formerly, it only needed small craft to load or discharge the ships that frequented the port; but London has now far outgrown its accommodations, and, with an external commerce, infinitely greater than it had at the great fire in 1666, (having perhaps near three-fifths of the trade of the whole kingdom,) it possesses only the same legal quays which it did in Charles the Second's time. They cannot be estimated at more than fourteen hundred feet, or little more than one quarter of a mile on one side the Thames, beginning at London-Bridge and ending at the Tower; while the city of Bristol commands more than four thousand feet, or four-fifths of a mile, on the rivers Avon and Frome, though with a trade beyond all comparison inferior.

All agree that the legal quays are too small; and the very remedies and indulgencies that have been applied from time to time, of shipping and landing certain goods at other than the legal quays by sufferances, (satisfying the officer for extra-duty,) are the strongest proofs of the existance of the evil. Perhaps near three-fourths of our imports and exports, as to bulk, are managed by water, or sufferance-wharfs, and not at the legal quays. The utility and necessity of sufferance-wharfs, have been tried and ad

A 3

mitted,

mitted, without detriment to commerce, revenue, and the legal quays. These remedies, extensive and habitual as they have become to many, if not to almost all, of our most bulky articles of commerce, are not however at present adequate to our wants.

While other branches of commerce have met with some or with general relief, by an extension of wharfs, the WEST-INDIA trade has been for years labouring under the severest burthens from delays, charges, losses, and plunderage. Except the article of woods, that trade, notwithstanding its great increase, has continued for about 130 years in the same track. It is therefore necessary from increased imports, and the growing impediments to commerce in all its branches, to apply some remedy; and none can be more effectual than the creation of Docks and QUAYS, with an extension of warehouses.*

LIVERPOOL Owes every thing to its docks and spirit of enterprize. Its town and corporation have not only entered into them with great spirit and success; but they have been laying out large sums in improvements in streets and buildings. In 1792, there were no less than 4,483 ships which entered into their docks, producing a dockrevenue of £13,243: 17: 8, their ships meeting with immediate dispatch in outfit, loading, and discharge.†

HULL is also much indebted to its dock, commanding an extensive commerce. Ships in the river pay, as well as

See Appendix D. for the state of this valuable trade.

The dimensions of these Docks, besides three Dry and five Graving Docks, are

Broad. Size of Dock-Gates.

in in in in Yds Feet Yds Feet

246 738 100

27% 816 $ 95

280 840 $120

191 585 $ 85

$213 665 102 306 34

On an average. A plan is at this time before the Dock-Committee for altering and enlarging the present docks and for erecting additional new ones, It is proposed to increase the width of the King's and George's Dock to the width of 120 yards at least. The King's Dock will hold ninety vessels of 200 and 400 tons, and will accommodate twenty-eight to load and unload at, the same time. The other docks are in proportion. In the Appendix E. there is an account of the number of ships and dock-revenues from 1753 to 1793.

those

those in the dock.* It is at this moment under consideration, even to erect two further docks, and to communicate them with the river Humber.

BRISTOL has a sinail dock; but, in general, its shipping frequent the river, and lie dry every ebb-tide: to avoid which, it has been some time in contemplation to make the whole river Avon a perpetual wet dock.

GLOUCESTER is now making a large navigable canal from thence to the river Severn, for ships of three hundred tons burthen. The distance is about twenty miles, the breadth about seventy feet, and the depth about eighteen feet and a half.

HAVRE DE GRACE possesses several large wet docks, on very extensive scales. They are now making one or two more in the same magnificent style, that may each contain 160 or 170 ships a time.

OSTEND forms a bad harbour, but possesses a large noble wet bason it is capable of holding a great number of ships at a time.

CHERBOURG is also another instance of great public exertions for public utility, in order to make a safe and commodious harbour for the largest ships, and even fleets.

LONDON, though the first city for commerce, and possessing within itself the most powerful internal means of supporting docks on the most extensive plans, has been the last, except in the case of two spirited individuals, to try the experiment. With the example and experience of other cities and countries, London is capable, from situation, to take the lead in docks, with as much distinction and pre-eminence, as she does in the extent of her commerce, Situations are to be found on the river, capable

Hull-Dock contains 48,188 square yards, or nearly ten acres of ground. It is about 480 yards, or 1440 feet long, and 88 yards or 264 feet broad, and has accommodated 130 sail of such vessels as frequent the port.

The exact dimensions of these docks that are completed cannot at this moment be given with great accuracy; but they may be about the following

sizes:

The Old Dock, about 650 feet long, 160 broad, contains about forty ships, or perhaps fifty sail, if freed from small craft.

The New Bason, 1900 to 2000 feet long, 300 feet broad, holding about 160 good-sized vessels at a time. The depth of water at neap-tides is about fourteen feet at spring-tides, twenty feet and upwards.

Mr. Perry's Dock, at Blackwall, and Mr. Wells's Dock, at GreenlandDock; the one standing on about twelve acres of ground, the other on about eight acres, and they can each contain a great many ships.

of

of making Wet Docks of any size, for loaded and for light ships. In the point of choice, those should be preferred which would in the first instance unite the most immediate benefits, and lessen the opposition of interests and of prejudices. Experiment will confirm the utility of them; and, when one has once been made, others in time will follow. Difficulties will present themselves to every scheme, but no inconvenience can be against any so strong, as the great burthen and disadvantage which the Commerce of London sustains from the want of an extension of quays and wet docks. It is sincerely to be wished, that contending interests in favour of particular spots may not cause a miscarriage in the first outset, but join to put the system in motion, as the growing commerce of London will be found capable of adopting all of them.

THE PLAN FOR WET DOCKS FOR LARGE SHIPS.

TH

HERE is a large plot of ground, which, from the lowness of its situation, and its vicinity to the river and to the seat of commerce and consumption, is capable of forming one or several large wet docks, with wharfs, warehouses, and accommodations, on the most extensive scale, for the reception of vessels of three hundred and four hundred tons, to discharge their cargoes with safety and dispatch, without the aid of lighters and craft.

Its situation is in a hollow way, between Radcliff-Highway and Wapping. It extends, in length, from about Nightingale-lane to New Gravel-lane; the distance being perhaps about 1045 yards, or 3130 feet; and, in breadth, from Pennington-lane to about Green-Bank in Wapping, being about 583 yards, or 1600 feet. The space contained in it is not greatly inferior to the total extent of the docks at Liverpol.

If embankments and houses did not prevent it, this spot at present would be overflowed by the tide. It is mostly an uncultivated waste, and much of the rest is laid out in garden and gardeners' grounds; being intersected with but few straggling buildings; all of them small, some new, but mostly old, bad in condition and fame, and of little value.

There is there already a vacant space unoccupied by any buildings, large enough for an extensive dock and warehouses of large dimensions, upon pulling down a few strag

gling