CO129-592-10 Future Policy in Hong Kong- Port Administration 10-4-1946 - 15-4-1947 — Page 188

and 6 from bondholders.

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In 1905 the Trust was again unable to meet its liabilities and a judicial factor was appointed. By 1912 the arrears of interest on the B Debenture stock amounted to £623,259, and in 1913 a further capital reconstruction was effected by a local act which fixed the constitution in its present form, viz:-

5 members of Greenock Corporation;

5 elected by shipowners and ratepayers;

6 elected by holders of Debenture Stock; and

a neutral Chairman to be appointed by a three-fourths majority of the

Trustees, or by the Board of Trade-making 17 in all.

(25) The act of 1913 is still the principal act prescribing the powers and duties of the Trustees, and these, as applied to the works at Greenock, are of the type usual in dock undertakings. Eight subsequent local acts or orders applicable to the undertaking have been enacted, three having been required since 1941 to deal with the creation of suspense and reserve funds and the provision of additional borrowing powers.

(26) The harbour works extend over a distance of over 2 miles, from Princes Pier on the west to the James Watt Dock and the Great Harbour on the east, the total quayage being over 20,000 feet and the water area over 89 acres; but for part of this area the depth of water is limited, and sub- stantial extensions or complete reconstruction would be required to enable the existing basins to accommodate modern ocean vessels.

F. THE CLYDE LIGHTHOUSES TRUST.

(27) This body originated in the Cumbraes Act of 1755, and it is thus one of the earliest lighthouse authorities of its kind to be created.

The powers which it obtained under a series of local acts were consolidated in 1941, present constitution is as follows:-

Elected Trustees:

For Glasgow

For Greenock

For Port Glasgow

Appointed Trustees :

Merchants House, Glasgow

Chamber of Commerce, Glasgow

Chamber of Commerce, Greenock

Appointed by statute:

Chairman, Clyde Navigation Trustees... Chairman, Greenock Harbour Trust

Provost, Port Glasgow

Sir Guy Shaw Stewart

632 |

HNN

I

2

2

II

10

5

I

I

I

I

Total

20

Its

(28) The limits of the Trust's jurisdiction are from the lower boundary of the Clyde Navigation Trust's undertaking opposite Port Glasgow to a line drawn due east and west at the southernmost point of Little Cumbrae. Within this area the Trust is charged with the lighting, buoying, dredging and

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improvement of the river and firth, the cost being defrayed by dues on ship- ping. The Trust provides and maintains 3 lighthouses, 8 fog signals, 7 radio installations, 14 lighted beacons, II unlighted beacons, 29 lighted buoys and 32 unlighted buoys. These are situated partly in the narrow channel, partly in its approaches, and partly in tributary lochs. Though the Trust is responsible for the dredging and maintenance of the lower four miles of the navigable channel forming the approach to Greenock and Glasgow, it maintains no dredging plant, the work being executed under arrangement by the plant of the Clyde Navigation Trustees. The Trust has no debt. Its main value latterly has been as an independent buffer state between Glasgow and Greenock, controlling the approaches to the undertakings of both Trusts.

JJ

(29) The Clyde Lighthouse dues are levied on a tonnage basis, with different scales for foreign-going vessels, coasting vessels, and river craft, according to a statutory schedule dating from 1880; but they have been levied subject to discounts varying from 25 per cent. to 60 per cent., the present annual yield being about £22,000. The collection at Glasgow is made by the Clyde Navigation Trustees.

G. THE ARDROSSAN HARBOUR COMPANY.

(30) The port of Ardrossan owes its origin to the enterprise of an Earl of Eglinton who founded the Old Dock and Lighthouse Pier which were opened in 1805. The original idea was to connect Glasgow and Ardrossan by canal, and in 1808 a section of this canal was actually constructed before the pro- ject was finally abandoned.

In 1886 the undertaking was transferred from the entailed estates of Eglinton Ardrossan to a statutory company financed by public subscription, and this company has since operated the undertaking with the usual powers of a dock and harbour authority, derived from the Act of 1886 and four later local acts or provisional orders.

The enclosed dock undertaking, though not extensive nor capable of accom- modating larger ships, is modern in equpiment and favourably situated, and a special feature is the provision which has recently been made for oil traffic and the discharge of ocean tankers.

H. THE IRVINE HARBOUR COMPANY.

(31) This undertaking, which originated early last century, was vested in Trustees who included the Town Council of Irvine. The principal local act is the Irvine Harbour Act of 1873, the area being the estuary of the rivers Irvine and Garnoch. In 1919, by which date the outstanding loans exceeded £41,000, the Trustees found themselves unable out of available revenue to maintain the harbour and pay interest, and by a provisional order confirmed in 1920 the undertaking was transferred to the existing statutory company with a nominal capital of £100,000, the purchase consideration being £35,000 plus the arrears of interest then outstanding.

(32) The harbour is tidal and can only accommodate ships drawing 12 ft. 6 in. to 13 ft. The deposit of sand from the dunes by wind action has pre- sented difficulties in deepening the channel. The chief value of the port is to the neighbouring works of I.C.I. Explosives Ltd. and to the Ayrshire Dock- yard Company. The wharf extends for about 2,000 feet along the south side of the river Irvine.

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