THE PORT OF LONDON.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1198, 5 August 1911, Page 5

THE PORT OF LONDON.

, NEW EXTENSION SCHEME. By Telegraph—Press Association—Ooryrieht (Rec. August 4, 9.55 p.m.) London, August 4. The Port of London Authority will commence early in 1912 tho great dock scheme, details of which wcro cabled on January 28. ... HUGE WORKS CONTEMPLATED. BEST DOCKS IN THE WORLD. So far as the shipping industry is concerned, the Thames is to be transformed the twenty-five miles from the Tower Bridge to Tilbury. The estimated cost of the work under the new' scheme is ,£14,426,700. The Port of London Authority, established in 1908, was given tho control of tho Thames from Teddington to a point fifty-one miles east of London Bridge. Its primary duty was to retain for London the position of supreme port of tho world. The proposals set forth in tho reform schemo'include the following: New dock south of tho Albert Dock of sixty-fivo acres to accommodate the largest ships afloat or projected; followed by a New dock north of the Albert Dock 12G acres in area which would have no equal in any port in tho world. New dock at 'lilbury with an area of 138 acres to "provide accommodation in the future capable of dealing with any possible growth in size of vesse.-s for very many years to come." Passenger steamship facilities at Tilbury so as to make London a great passenger port. Much work, both important and costly, is projected at most of the existing docks. New dry docks are to bo constructed, now jetties, new transit sheds, new quays, and now dock passages. Dredging to increase tho depth of the river to meet tho increasing size of ships is an important part of the now scheme. World's Best Dock. Tho new South Albert Dock, the necessity for which is strongly urged, will have a quayago of 9200 lineal feet. In the courso of liis proposal for tho great new North Albert Dock, Mr. Palmer, the chief engineer, gives the following particulars:—"Tho dock proposed is 7400 ft. long by'7ooft, wide over the greater part, increasing to 1000 ft. at tho entrance and with 45ft. depth of water. The quays available for berths will bo 15,600 ft. in lengthy and the water area 12G aores. A small improvement of tho river in rounding off Margaret Ness Point will allow of a straight run down tho river from tho mouth of tho entrance, and altogether this dock, with its fine approach by road, rail, and river, tho largo entrance lock, and graving docks, and amplo width and depth, will bo tho best in tho world." Tho estimated cost of the dock is ,£4,350,000. A hugo now dock at Tilbury is forecasted at a cost of .£4,860,000, but Mr. Palmer suggests that the work could bo divided into two stages by first building a new branch lock at a cost of <£2,G15,000. Lord Devonport, in tho course of his statement, points out tho necessity for immediate rolorm: "Since 1886 absolutely nothing has been undertaken in tho Tort of London to meet the continuously increasing eizo of vessels. "When wo consider that during this period tho incTeaso in tho average sizo of the largest vessels represents a growth in length from 450 ft. to 700 ft., or 55 per cent.; in beam from 52ft. to 77ft., or 48 per cent.; in draft from 28ft. to 35ft., or 25 per cent.; and in gross tonnage from 7000 to 24,500, or three and a half times greater, and that the volume of shipping using tile Port of London itself has grown from a net register tonnage of under 12 millions to over IS millions, the necessity for immediate action is overwhelmingly apparent."