ANSWER ΤΟ OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE LONDON-DOCKS. T HE neceffity and utility of Wet Docks for the Port of London are become fo generally admitted, that the question is now only as to their Situation, Capacity, and Management. There are only three Situations for Docks of moment, Wapping, Rotherhithe, and the Ifle of Dogs. Each may have their natural advantages and their temporary or permanent defects. Almost all other plans are limited, and confined to the improvement of local spots on the banks of the River, or of deepening the bed of it, if practicable. Without doubting the eligibility of either of the three spots, the questions are reduced to these points; whether it is more for the convenience of commerce and the ultimate fecurity of revenue to have Docks for the immediate discharge of fhips under cranes, than Docks in more diftant fituations, under the neceffity of lighterage, with great additional Port-risks, expenses, and delays? The plan of the London-Docks in Wapping embraces the first object, and possesses the great advantage of vicinity to the City, to Revenue-Boards, and to the Seat of Bufi nefs. The boundaries contain an area of above 80 acres. It is proposed for the present to form two feparate Docks, one Bason, and a large Lighter-Dock; all of them, in the present form of the Docks, capable of receiving near 400 fail of loaded ships, with room for shipping and for lighters. Two of the Entrances to be within a quarter of a mile and half a mile from the Tower, and a third by a Canal from Blackwall to the Docks, Docks, of two miles and three-quarters long. The Depth of the Docks and Canal to be 24 feet, and to be capable of containing ships from 300 to 500 tons burthen and upwards. The exact Form and Size of the Docks and Bason will be discretionary, and capable of enlargements and fubdivifions. OBJECTIONS. The only Objections of moment are, the Risk of Fire: The Impracticability of the Canal : The Risk of Smuggling in the Canal : FIRE. Though shipping is a combuftible property in all fituations, at fea and in port, yet it is, – comparatively speaking, subject to few risks in either. In many ports, fhips ride at anchor detached from each other. In the Thames, A 3 Thames, from the extent of the trade of London, and of the state of the River, they lie in diftinct tiers, and close to each other in thofe tiers. Ships are not, however, without their risks in the River in case of fires, to which veffels in Docks are not liable. They are under no regulations about fire, candle, and cookery. At high water, all fhips lie afloat; but, at low water, many are left dry upon the banks of the River, and have been frequently burnt from that circumstance only. In case of fire, fhips in tiers, that ground at low water, cannot move until the return of the tide. High winds and ftrong tides create danger to shipping, when veffels on fire run adrift; and there have been inftances where floats on fire paffing London-Bridge, falling among tiers of shipping at Rotherhithe, have deftroyed two or three veffels. In times of froft, ftill-waters are more liable to freeze than rivers; but, in general, our winters are not very fevere, and the Thames is feldom frozen over, unless occafioned by the shipping below Bridge often collecting and checking the ice, floating up and down with the tide, fo as to make the River not only frozen over and impassable, but dange rous |