LONDON'S GRAIN STORAGE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 47, 19 November 1917, Page 6

LONDON'S GRAIN STORAGE

I'OKT AUTHORITY'S NEW SCHEME,

Having recently reviewed, in the light of probable future '""requirements, the question of the facilities for the discharge and storage of grain, the J ort ot London Authority have - just approved an important scheme of extension, to which effect is to be given after the war. The site selected lor the proposed new accommodation is between thg. bontliWefit India and Millwall Docks, where already tho greater portion of the grain business is carried on. Here tlireo or the new quay berths already sanctioned will bo equipped , for the disclmrge ot general cargo, with the addition of overhead bandwoys running the whole length of the quay/iu which will be placed tne bands for conveying grain. The grain will be discharged from ships by eight portable pneumatic elevators placed on | rails on a balcony in front of the sheds. These elevators will be capable-of travelling the wholo length of the quay without interference/with the cranes for discharging ordinary cargo. Grain jvill bo transferred from tho ship to a receiver on the balcony and thence by bucket elevators into weighing machines immediately above the sheds. From;tho' weighing machines it will bo conveyed by shoot on to any of the eight bands to be provided for delivery into the adjacent granaries, or, if desired, direct to any of twelve weigh-houses along the water's edgts for .immediate diseharge4o barges. Each of the eight bands will bo capablo of conveying 120 tons of grain per hour. Water. frontage for the delivery weighhouses will be obtained by the construction of a special barge dock with a depth of 20 feet of water.

The most important section of the work will be the construction of a reinforced concrete silo granary, with a total oapacity of 40,000 tons, immediately to the west of the existing central granary. It will he possible to increase the storage accommodation of the silos by an extension at the southern end, while ' further floor storage can be provided by nn extension of the central granary in a similar direction. Amplo facilities will be provided for the turning oyer of grain out of condition, and the equipment will include a thermometer installation, dryers and coolers, graders, separators, winnowing machines, weighing machines, sacking machines, telepliono and signalling 'apparatus, and firo appliances. At pre-war prices the total cost of the complete scheme is estimated at .£509,500. Under the scheme the machinery for handling grain at many of the smaller existing granaries at the Surrey, Millwall, and Royal Victoria Docks is to IJa brought thoroughly up-to-date at a pro-war estimated cost of J72.800.