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PORTS AND HARBOURS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE:
NOTES
UNITED KINGDOM.
(a) Glasgow --It is necessary to explain that the Clyde Navigation comprises the 18 miles in length of the River Clyde between the town of Port Glasgow at the seaward end up to the City of Glasgow.
Of this length the upper four miles form the harbour of Glasgow, comprising riverside quays, and docks or basins, named Kingston Dock. Queen's Dock, and Prince's Dock.
Further down the river there is another dock called Rothesay Dock, constructed for the import and export of minerals, and although 4 miles further down the river from the barbour proper, it is included as part thereof.
The Trustees of the Clyde Navigation are the parliamentary authority for the River Clyde and the Harbour of Glasgow.
They were incorporated by the Clyde Navigation Consolidation Act, 1858, with powers, as conservators, to widen, deepen, and straighten the river, and to provide docks and quays and all the facilities of a port and work under this and amending Acts, of which the most recent is 1 & 2 Geo. V. Chap, 51.
The Trustees, under the Clyde Navigation (Constitution) Act, 1905, are 42 in number-12 being the nominess of the Corporation of Glasgow, being chosen by the County Council of Lazark (in which county the greater part of the harbour is situate), 1 by the County Council of Dumbarton, 1 each by three of the small towns on the river, and 6 by the Chamber of Commerce, Merchants' House, and Trades' House. The remaining 18 are elected by the duespayers,
The Trustees are empowered to borrow money within limits defined by the Acta, on the security of their undertaking and of the rates and tolls leviable by them. They are required to set aside annually, as n sinking fund, after paying the ordinary expenditure and interest on money borrowed, a sum equivalent to the average annual surplus revenue of the 10 preceding years.
The portion of the channel seaward of the point where the Clyde Trustees' territory commences extende past Port Glasgow and Greenock, a length of about 4 miles, and this section is under the care of a separate body called the Clyde Lighthouses Trustees, who work under the Clyde Lighthouses Act, 1871 (34 & 35 Viet. Chap. 132) and subsequent Acts, of which the latest is 2 & 3 Geo. V. Chap. 25.
thy Liverpool. The Liverpool Dock Estate to-day has a frontage of 65 miles, with a water area of 430 acres, and a lineal quayage of 261 miles. There are 57 wet docks and basins and 19 dry docks.
The Birkenhead Dock Estate (ie., on the opposite side of the River Mersey) has a shorter frontage of only 11 miles, but has a water area of 172 seres, and à lines) quayage of nearly 10 miles. There are six wet docks of the ordinary type, and two large sheets of impounded water (east and west Boat) funked with
yuys and equipped as docks throughout. There are three dry docks belonging to the Board at Birkenhead, and also several others belonging to private companies.
The total area (land and water) of the lock estate on both sides of the River Mersey (Liverpool and Birkenhead), controlled by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, may be taken at about 2,400 acres,
The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, which controls and manages the docks and maintains the river and se channels, is a public Trust and was constituted by Act of Parliament in 1857 (20 & 21 Vict. Chap. 162), It works under this and subsequent Acts, of which the most recent is 2 & 3 Geo. V. Chap. 12. The Board consists of 28 members. 24 of whom are elected by the dook ratepayers, and 4 appointed by the Conservancy Commissioners of the River Mersey (namely, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the President of the Board of Trade, and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster).
The Board is empowered to borrow, on the security of the undertaking, within limits laid down by the Acts. It is required to set aside by way of sinking fund 100,0007. in each year or auch less sum as the surplus amounts to for the year,
(c) London. The total area of land and water comprising the various dock systems of the Port of London, including sites for extensions, in 2,801 acres. The water area of the docks amounts to 6431 acres, and the length of quays to 261 miles.
The Port of London Authority was established in 1909, under the authority of the Port of London Act, 1908, 8 Edw. VII. Chap, 68, to control the Port of London as regards the following mattera, viz. :—
(1) The management of the docks.
(2) The administration of the River Thames, including maintenance and improvement of the channels from
Teddington to Warden Point, a distance of about 70 miles.
(3) The registration of river craft and the licensing of lightermen and watermen.
The Authority also own the dock undertakings in the port except the small terminal docks of the railway and canal companies.
The Authority consists of 29 members. 10 appointed by, the Admiralty (1), the Board of Trade (2), the London County Council (4), the Corporation of the City of London (2), and Trinity House (1). 18 elected (17 by payers of dues, wharfingers and owners of river craft, and 1 by wharfingers) and a chairman elected by the Authority. The revenue of the Authority is derived mainly from charges and dues on vessels and on goods, and from rents of properties. Ita estimates for each year are submitted to the Board of Trade, which, if not satisfied as to the sufficiency of the revenue to meet the charges, many order additional dues or increase of dues,
The Port of London Authority is empowered to borrow money on the security of the undertaking, and to create stock culled Port of London Stock." Its borrowing ja in such nunner as the Board of Trade directa, but no lawn for improvements may have a enrrency of more than 90 years.
(e) Southampton.—The main docka (which for the most part are not euclosed) are the property of the London and South Western Railway Company. The entrance and approach channel and also the town quaya are under the control of the Southampton Harbour Board, working under the Southampton Harbour Acta, 1863 to 1913, and appointed under the most recent of these Acts, 3 & 4 Geo. V. Chap. 82. The Board consists of 26 members, 16 appointed and 10 elected. The appointing bodies are:-Admiralty, War Office, and Board of Trade (1 each), Trinity House (1), Loral Authorities (9), London and South Western Railway Company (3). The electing bodies are--Southampton Chamber of Commerce (2), owners of foreign-going vessels (4), owners of costing vessels (2), traders (1), waterside frontagers (1).
Money may be borrowed on the security of the undertaking within limits laid down by the Acts. The Trustees are required to set aside by way of sinking fund a sufficient sum to redeem the amounts borrowed within 60 years.
UNITED KINGDOM II.
Belfast.
Bristol (Avonmouth).
Cardiff.
Manchester.
Newport.
Swansea.
(For Notes, see p. 20.)
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