A Visit to the Royal Albert Docks.

Manawatu Herald, 24 March 1903, Page 2

A Visit to the Royal Albert Docks.

The following is an extract from a vary interesting letter received from Wanganui boy now in business in London, "says the Wanganui Herald:— “ In this instance I travelled from Fenchurch Street Station to tlw docks in o.der to watch the loading ot the New Zealand Shipping Coy’s steamer Tongariro, and thinking that an account ot what I saw might prove interesting W your readers, I submit this brief description, hoping it may be acceptable to your columns: —‘ Vou must put out that cigarette,’ said a policeman as 1 left the station and began walking towards, the wharf where several steamers were lying. . 1 Fire is too much dreaded about here, to . allow any chances to be taken,’ added my companion and guide, who began by visiting the huge storage building tbrongn which all goods for shipment are passed before being shipped pa board a steamer. The gentleman referred to was a representative of a Londofl firm of shipping merchants, and his mission on this occasion was to make certain of the shipment of those goods in which his firm were interested. The building referred to ran parallel toJhe wharf, on one side lay the Tonganro, while on the other were the railway lines and trains disgorging their Toads which bad come from all parts of England and contained all kinds of: merchandise. For weeks past, alter the arrival of orders from New Zealand, manufacturers have been busy fulfilling same, with the result that severa|R»ou. sknd tons of goods were; brougbl-bfire, systematically arranged id Various parts of the building ready for-loading. There was a place for goods for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Port Chalmers, for transhipments,' and so on ,* everything was done in order and so arranged that the rush .;of’'work might be coped with. It was estimated that nearly 3090 tons.pf goods, in cases or otherwise," entered the building in two days, more than half of which was placed on board the. Topgariro id one day. Hundreds of men were at work with hand trucks the trains, or taking fbe goods a? They are passed to the ship’s slings. On board the boat was another small army arranging the cargo as it w'fis lowered by the powerful winches into the ship S hold, and watching all were the Dock Company officials, tallying, checking, and passing. As soon as a case arrived it was taken to its appointed place, measured, or weighed, and a chalk mark made on it to show that it might be shipped. Another man comes along and marks on it the number of the ship’s hold to which it may be taken, and there it goes and the loading is done night and day .until the cargo is all on board or the ' vessel s capacity is exhausted. In the meanwhile there is 'another process of loading going on, for around the • Tongariro lie dozens of barges that have come down the Thames, or canals, from private wharves and warehouses, all bearing , goods that must be carried abroad, and right up to the last moment before this Ocean liner sailed, she was hard at work trying to cram more cargo into her capacious holds. But the last moment came when the labourers had to come ashore, when the last farewells between parting friends were made, when the sturdy tugs towed the huge vessel from the docks and the Tongariro steamed out of sight of England for the South Seas.