DOVER HARBOUR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 625, 30 September 1909, Page 7

DOVER HARBOUR.

GREiT WORK NEAR COMPLETIO V., ; .. (By Telograph—Press Association-Copyright.) ..--.'. , (Rep.'September.29,;■ 9.50.p.m.)'" " |,: '.; ' " .".-.- London,. September 29.' In October the Prince of- Wales will open the Admiralty Harbour nt Dover. Tho cost is. nearly four millions. ' DETAIL'S cr- THE.WORK-ADVERSE CRITICISM. ; The cost of the great National Harbour at Dover was estimated at j;3,500,000. Work was octu,ally commenced'at th* end of -1897. The plan consisted of (1) nil extension of, tho existing Admiralty pier,-in an east-south-east direo- - tion .for/a distance of 2090 ft.;. (2) tho erection of an cast arm extending seaward, in a southwesterly direction for a length of 3320 ft: from the foot of thehendland; (3) tho construction of a- breakwater 4200 ft. long, which, at a distance Of about''three-quarters of a mile-;-ifom. tho shore,--will form on -the- south the outer sheltering arm'of the,harbour; and (4) the buildIng of: a' sea-wall, 3850fti in length, extending frpm -the'.Castle' Jetty at tho- Eastern end .of East Cliff Terrace to the root Of tho proposed east arm. , Tho total area inclosed will bo 085 acres... On January 10. 1901, the first block of tho,eastern, arni was laid, .At that dato tho sea-wall was reported complete. - '. Tho , Admiralty's work at Dover has been much oritioised. - The "Daily Mail!' wrote sorii* tini'e ago: ''The naval harbour at Dover ' is'recognised in naval blrcles as one of the mbst % costly of-0,11 Admiralty .blunders. , The whole construction ■: has,. beon v'a -gigantic ■■ muddle. Mcoringo for'different classes of vessols havii been laid down, hud, being found unsuitable, taken up again immediately aftorwards. Tho .harbour 1 is t still. practically useless, and! its completion is not looked'forward to untii two years beyond the .original estimate. The. entrances' are dangerous,, the accommodation too small, and tho'western entrance admits heavy seas from, the:south-west,: tho only quarter in which Dover requires: to be protected from great, wavo force. There, hare' already been several Casualties in the .harbour, and tho Hamburg-American Company decided to abandon the place hs a port r call, bee. use 'In'the . present 'state there, js not.sufficient safety for large vessels.'" '.'-.',.'■'.'■':.'