OPENING OF BIRKRNHEAD RAILWAY, PARK, AND DOCK. [From the Morning Chronicle, April 6.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 223, 18 September 1847, Page 3

OPENING OF BIRKRNHEAD RAILWAY, PARK, AND DOCK. [From the Morning Chronicle, April 6.]

Yesterday Birkenhead may be said to have entered into competition, or rather into articles of partnership, with Liverpool, the great north outlet and inlet of our foreign and transatlantic trade. At any rate, it will henceforth divide the palm with Liverpool, and participate in the prosperity and profit derivable from its immense mercantile marine. Birkenhead may fairly be looked upon as of Liverpool lineage and alliance, and as having been literally called into life by that leviathan of trade itself in its efforts towards finding an ampler field for the accommodation and convenience of its overgrown trade. Birkenhead will now betforne a sort of chapel of ease for the redundant commerce of the mother port, and probably there is no pott in the kingdom, not excepting Liverpool itself, that presents such grand na-

tural facilities. A few years hence, and Bifkenhead will become a second Liverpool* launched upon the Mersey ; for time was when, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, Liverpool itself, now the entreat of all our trade with the Americas and ladies, was simply a fishing village. The same a few years since might be said of Birkenhead. At present it is not even mapped out as a town upon the Mersey. A few years ago — " Whereon it stands • The vacant windi did whistle, and the laugh of suniMne Sported in wild freedom." Both are probably the finest examples on record of the brilliant results of unfettered British enterprise. Anciently the settlement and consolidation of a town was the work of generations; now, thanks to steam, they springs up and prosper with all the rapidity of the' famed ice palace of the Queen of Russia. Great advantage, may be expected to accrue to the public and frequenters from foreign potts from the generous emulation that will be established between the old and the new ports, and in a few years the northern, "no less than the eastern arm of the Mersey, may be expected to be the seat of a crowded aud busy community. We believe we are right in saying, and it will give no insignificant idea of the immenseness of Liverpool, that it extends for three miles along the Mersey, and is upwards of a mile in breadth. Liverpool has for years had at her command a comprehensive and splendid chain of railways, and unsurpassed port facilities. Upon these Birkenhead is only just entering. Yesterday gave England, in the latter respect, a new point of ingress and egress to the western seas ; but Birkenhead will have to wait awhile for the completion of her railways. It is true she has long had one, but this is lessthan half what she wants. Presently she will be the very '• rosette" of railways, for, in ad~ dition to the existing Chester and Birkenhead, she will have the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and' Cheshire Junction, operations on which have just been commenced by the contractors in real earnest, and' which, in addition to drawing all the con merce of the manufacturing districts of Yorkshire and Lancashire to the Mersey, will give to Birkenhead the mineral trade of' Wales, the salt traffic of Cheshire, the immense products of the Potteries, besides, halving with Holyhead the traffic to Ireland. If Rome was not built in a day, Birkenhead by, afigure of speech assuredly has been. We have in it a great mercantile community, with alt its moral and commercial apparatus springing, simultaneously and almost magically into action under the vivifying power of English enterprise. We have it put in possession, part passu, of docks for forests of foreign masts, with warehouses for hiving their wares, and with a railway for their transit to inland homes.

THE EXPRESS. To enable a large party from London to attend the entertainment, an express train was harnessed for six o'clock, and started precisely at that hour from the splendid propyloeum of the London and North Western, at Eustonsquare. The arrangements, under the superintendence of Captain Huish, the superintendent, and Mr. Brookes, the traffic manager/ were perfectly unique, with one exception, by the bye, that the train slipped cable altogether imperceptibly, and without the customary signal of apprisal either by whistle from the engine or the ringing of bell, though the rule*, and regulations posted up by the company announce that " the bell is to be rung prior to the departure of each train." The consequence might have been, perhaps was, that a passenger or two was left '"behind, ogiag to this " very express mode of doing business,", and the station-master, or the bellman, whiaever fault it was, ought to have been soused in the boiler for dereliction of duty. We worked our way at a slashing pace, time and space apparently being secondary things, say at forty miles an hoar — to Liverpool! with as much ease, and apparently in as little time aa would take to peregrinate between Hammersmith «od Hampstead. Having breakfasted in London, the next consideration was that of practically achieving the experiment of luncheoning at Liverpool. There were five first-class carriages to the express train, and two luggage vans, weighing together 32 tons. To draw this special load one of Stephenson's long boiler engines, with an outside cylinder, and seven feet driving wheel, was selected. The line was understood to be laid out for the special performance of this engine, and it was anticipated that she would make a splendid run to Birmingham (112 miles) in two hours and a half, and to Birkenhead (212 miles) in five hours, at 42 miles to the hour •> but owing to the over straining of the staple works of the engines in order to attain the attempted velocity, the cylinder became heated, which prevented it* accomplishment. It is only fair to state, that a strong lateral wind prevailed the whole way, which presented, of course, considerable retardation, At 93 miles up the line, which, from starting at 6 a. m., was reached at 13 minutes past eight, the cylinder gearing became red hot, and the speed was slackened to eight or ten miles an hour, the old coach tve~

rage, for several miles, and for some distance to three or four miles an hour. Close to Birmingham this engine came to a dead stop, and it was found necessan to supersede her by a new pilot engine, and lay her up in the locomotive hospital. Ultimately, the train fell foul of Birmingham at 28 minutes past nine, doing the distance, 112 miles, in three hours and five minutes, or at the rate of forty miles an hour. The train, after stopping 13 minutes, started from Birmingham for Birkenhead, at sixteen minutes past nine, passing Stafford and Crewe, where we noticed a splendid new station, built, according to one of the porters, in the " Lizzbeefun" style, and at a minute or two past twelve the train, amidst the mingled artillery of its own rattle, salutes from six pounders, and the artillery of tongues, made a triumphal entry into Birkenhead, amid strains of "See the conquering hero comes," to throw open

THE DOCKS. I Here the scene was truly splendid and imposing. The immense estuary of the Mersey, one of the noblest arms of the sea in England was mirrored over with multitudes of masts and men — wuh steamers stemming its tumultuous tide, with vessels of all climes sleeping tranquilly on its surface, bellying at intervals with their white wings to the breeze. It was a scene of animation and silver scenery such as the waters of Liverpool have never seen before, nor perhaps ever will see again, burdened with all the beauty of which both Birkenhead and Liverpool could boast. The proceedings of this part of the inauguration were commenced by the Birkenhead dock commissioners, the Birkenhead improvement commissioners, the directors of the Birkenhead Dock (Warehouses) Company, the Directors of the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway, and the directors of the Chester and Birkenhead Railway, receiving Lord Morpeth (the chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests), Lord Lincoln, and other distiguishad visitors, on board a new steam-packet, the Lord Warden, built by Mr. John Laird, which was in readiness at Monk's Ferry. The Lord Warden is a beautiful iron steam vessel, just completed, under the superintendence of Mr. Morrison, the foreman of Mr. Laird. She is a companion to the Clementine, of quick-sailing celebrity, and is expected to prove a clipper. She is now fitting out in the Trafalgar Dock. Leaving Monk's Ferry, the Lord Warden, with the party on board, proceeded, amid vociferous cheering and music, past Woodside Ferry Pier, and the whole extent of the dock works, and entered the Birkenhead Docks by the Woodside Basin. Steamers were plying between Liverpool and Birkenhead the whole day, and carried thousands at 2d. a head. The shops in each place were nearly all closed, and the day universally observed as a holiday. The docks are two in number, forming part of the grand scheme which, in all its comprehensive details, has so long occupied public attention. The extent of shipping accommodation afforded by these docks alone will equal that of Prince's Dock, and no doubt is entertained that they will almost immediately be called jnto active operation. A procession was then formed, and proceeded to

THE WAREHOUSES. Amongst the number being, we understood — Viscount Brackley, Colonel Bell, Sir Philip Egerton, Lady Egerton, Mr. Egerton, Miss Legh, Sir Thomas Freemantle and family ; the Rev. R. M. Fielden and family ; T. Grimsditch, M.P.; F. H. Goldsmith, Esq. ; Count H. D. Avigdor, Lord Ingestre, Honorable Wellington Talbot, George Cornwall Legh, Earl of Lincoln, Lord Monteagle, R. Neville, M.P. ; Professor Owen ; R. N. Phillips, Mrs. Phillips, Major Robe, R.A. ; Peruvian Consulate and lady ; Honorable E. H. Stanley, E. J. Stanley, T. Thornley, M.P. ; Captain H. Vyner, Baron and Baronness Goldsmid, Russian Ambassador, Peruvian Minister, Henry Thomas Hope, Esq., the Mayors and Town Clerks of Manchester, Salford, and Chester, and the Consuls representing the different powers at Liverpool. Twelve of the warehouses, each capable of holding 40,000 bales of cotton are already completed. They have been erected in the best style of workmanship by Messrs. Hilton and Morris, and will form three long tiers running rectangularly from the shore, They are two stories in height, and are in every respect highly convenient and substantial. Along the lower story of each warehouse run two lines of iron pillars, the floors being laid with asphalte cemetit. The stairs leading to the upper story are of iron, and projecting from the upper windows are hoisting cranes. In fact the whole is furnished with every " appliance and 1 means " to make a warehouse valuable and complete.

THE RAILWAY. The extensive line of railway from Grangelane to the docks has been formed in an incredibly short space of time, and although in

a somewhat rough state, was sufficiently advanced to' allow of its opening at the same time. It runs in a diagonal line, by means of an open excavation across the town, from the Grange-lane station through Oliver-street, Conway-street, Price-street, and Clevelandstreet, continuing along the dock warehouses even to the water's edge. This arrangement affords facilities and advantages which few railways or few docks enjoy. From the main line branches run along each side of the warehouses ; one side will be made available for the storing of goods by vessels just arrived, the other for conveying goods to vessels loading for sea. The rails run so close that the goods can be hoisted direct from, or lowered into, the trucks, and thus all confusion and necessity for carting will be avoided ; neither will there be delay nor hazard from exposure on the quays.

THE PARK AND ITS SPORTS. The park, which was thrown open to all, is a splendid enclosure, and has been formed at a cost of £127,775. A refreshment tenr was fitted up 170 feet long ; and various othet booths, camps, &c, were erected. Cricket, football, and other athletic games, rural sports, and divers amusements, occupied the holiday throng in that vast and picturesque arena. An efficient committee of the most respectable tradesmen had undertaken the superintendence of this portion of the day's proceedings, and nearly a'l the tradesmen of the town, in addition to a holiday, agreed to give each person in their employ r alf a day's wages. The programme of these sports comprised sack races, pig chases, pole climbing, and, with a variety of other rare and spleen-curing sports, " a foot-race for women of all ages !" The far-famed Lancashire bell-ringers were engaged, and were placed in the boat-house, on one of the beautiful serpentine lakes ; and the effect of their melodious notes added considerably to the iuterest of the scene. The new market, on which a sum of 26,000/. has been expended, likewise presented its attractions. On the east quay of the new docks facing the river, six pieces of ordnance were placed, for the purpose of firing salutes ; the cannons being under the management of a detachment of the Royal Artillery from Chester Castle, whose attendance was granted by their commanding officer, Major Robe. No procession was formed, but the quays of the new docks were lined with the pensioners, the several clubs and societies with their bands, flags, &c, and after the opening of the docks, they proceeded to the park, to be in waiting to receive Lord Morpeth. A stand was erected on the west side of the Bridgeend Dock, capable of holding 1200 persons. At seven o'clock there was a magnificent display of firo-works near the dock gates, by the pyrotechnic artist of the Liverpool Zoological Gardens. At eight o'clock the warehouse rooms were thrown open for a ball and supper. Horabin's quadrille band was engaged for the ball, where a novelty was introduced by Mr. Turvey, professor of music, called the " Birkenhead Quadrilles." Boats plied between Birkenhead and Liverpool throughout the night. Medals commemorative of the opening were struck off, and presented to Lords Lincoln and Morpeth. The workmen, to the number of 2000 had each a day's pay.

THE DEJEUNER. For this entertainment four of the warehouse rooms, each 140 feet long and 50 feet wide, were beautifully and tastefully fitted up with pink and white drapery, by Mr. Shaw, upholsterer, of Birkenhead, assisted by Mr. Hornblower and Mr. Brine, aichitects. The suit included reception, retiring and refreshing ball and banquet rooms. In the former, a magnificent cascade, furnished by Mr. Highfield, Mr. Jackson's manager, sent forth a silvery and refreshing jet, amidst a profusion of choice conservatory plants and flowers. The walls of all the rooms were lined with alternate white and pink, arranged in the Grecian tent style, and finished round the top with Roman drapery. The prevalence of pink shed a rich and warm light into }he rooms. The ball-room was furnished with an orchestra in the centre, its walls decorated with four stars. The banqueting room had a very gay appearance. In addition to drapery decorations, the roof was decked with evergreens. A high table, 140 feet long, ran along the side, at which the chairman, with the distinguished guests, were arranged. Transversely were about twenty lower tables. About 600 persons were present. The chair was taken by Mr. Bailey, jun., M.P., supported by Lord Morpeth, Earl of Lincoln, Lord Monteagle, and other celebrities. The usual loyal toasts having been pro-

posed, Lord Morpeth was received with great acclamation. He assured them he felt sincerely the kind and cordial manner in which the toasts had been received. Ever since he had been called to the office which he now held, of First Commissioner of Woods and Forests, and which connected him with the property of the Crown, he had felt the strongest interest

m the rising fortunes of Birkeuhead. They were probably aware that besides the general interest which the Crown might be supposed to take in all that was represented by the abstract idea of its subjects, it had also motives not so purely abstract or disinterested for meaning well to the town and port of Birkenhead. He avowed this the more readily, inasmuch as it was quite obvious that the proportion in which the undertakings here set on foot could become profitable, must be according to the degree in which they were made available to the accommodation of commerce and the public good. The chairman had alluded to his (Lord Morpeth's) visit to America, and he could only say in reply, that he hoped the ports of Birkenhead would be instrumental to the relief of an afflicted country, by importing from thence the crops which line the rich banks of the Ohio and the innumerable streams of the mighty Mississippi. He hailed it as a good omen, and hoped that the first use of the ample basin through which their vessel that day had for the first time glided, and all those striking and startling sj ecimens of engineering skill and admirable natural resources by which it was surrounded, would be consecrated to the admitting the surplus harvests of foreign fields, and make provision for the bread that keeps alive. Next in the progress of time — he hoped in the course of the ensuing autumn — they would be able to bear their part in accommodating the timber trade ; and without proceeding through the long vistas of usefulness and enterprise, and of the success which he trusted would attend on Birkenhead, he hoped that the proceedings of that day eloquently foreshadowed an auspicious commencement, and a powerful impulse. He would only express a hope that the best feeling would always prevail between them and the great city immediately opposite them — Liverpool — which divided with London the supremacy of the commerce of the world, and as London could not but feel benefited by the improvements of Southwark, so Liverpool could never have cause to repine at the prosperity of Birkenhead ; and even should the majestic Mersey become lined with a double line of docks, he trusted that there would never be more than room enough for the corn that waves in the western hemisphere. He trusted that they had that day forged another link in that chain of amity which ought to connect England with America. While they remembered that Rendal had constructed their docks, they had also had a Paxton to lay out their promenades, and they were one of the first cities which had given a sympathetic attention to the great subject of the public health. He hoped that when the pageant of the day had passed away, it would still leave them ground to remember that it had not been a triumph which gained its trophies from the strife of nations or the engines of destruction. Lord Lincoln rose amid cheers to propose " The Commerce of the Mersey ;" and expressed a hope that the only rivalry which would exist between Birkenhead and Liverpool would be for their common interest. The Oregon, a large American vessel, had that day entered their harbour,- freighted from abroad with guano, to fertilize the broad acres of Cheshire. Lord Monteagle proposed "Manchester and the manufacturing interests," and dwelt emphatically on the improvements that had been effected in the sanatory system of the districts, and remarked upon the great advantage it would be to other towns to follow in this respect the example of Liverpool and Birkenhead. Subsequently, " The Members of the County" were proposed, " The Chairman," " The Birkenhead Docks," and other toasts of a local character were proposed and responded to briefly. A special train started from Birkenhead at six with the visitors from London, and arrived at the Euston terminus at twelve, accomplishing the distance of 212 miles in the short space of six hours, making a total area of space run over during the day of 424 miles, a feat for the first time accomplished in the -annals of steam, and ranking amongst its most remarkable achievements.