Chap. VIII.

BRITAIN.

311

which, the Greenland , covers 9J acres. The next dock westward, 1$ acres, No. 3,8^;No. 4, 10 acres; No. 5, 15 acres; No. 6, 18£ acres. The space comprised altogether bythese spacious docks is 70 acres, of which 58 are water.

London Docks were established by a company of merchants, under the authority of anAct of Parliament, obtained in June, 1800. The act had for its outline, that the holdersshould have 5 per cent, interest annually, guaranteed upon the capital they advanced, andthe dividends were never to exceed 10 per cent. The capital of the company at first wasto be 1,200,000/., with the power of adding another 300,000/., and the interest of all loansdestined to complete this capital was to be paid before the other dividends. The pro-prietors of from 500/. to 10,000/. or more had votes in respective proportions, but no onewas to have more than four.

Nine proprietors were sufficient to call a general meeting, independent of the half-yearlymeetings, for the examination of the current accounts.

The basis upon which the purchase of lands or property necessary for the docks, quays,and warehouses was distinctly established, and the company was empowered to erect a wallof inclosure, and to supply the basins from the Thames ; to construct all necessary bridges,and to lay down water pipes and form sewers, subject to the superintendence of the com-missioners of sewers. The company engaged to complete the works in seven years, topreserve a certain depth of water before the entrance of the docks, but was forbidden tobuild any vessels.

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Fig. 315.

LONDON DOCKS,

The dock rates were fixed at per ton, according to the official guaging of the vessels, asfollows: — For every ship, trading between London and the ports of Great Britain , Is. ;Ireland , parts of France , Flanders, Germany , and Denmark , Is. 3 d. ; to the Baltic, Is. 6c/.,and to other places in proportion, whilst the highest duties were to eastern Asia and theEast Indies, 2s. 6d. per ton.

The merchandise shipped or unshipped within the docks pays the same duty as in theport of London , for anchorage, moorage, and housing.

All vessels laden with more than twenty pipes of wine or brandy are obliged to enterthe London Docks ; and there are numerous other clauses referrible to the nomination ofofficers of management, &c.

The lower communication from the river is by a long cut, which is called the Wappingentrance, and higher up the river is another called the Hermitage.

Along the sides of the docks, and near the edges of the quays, are erected ranges ofsheds, of a very simple construction : behind these sheds, which first receive the cargoesfrom the ships, and in a parallel direction with them, is a line of warehouses, four storieshigh, containing beneath them spacious arched vaults: and covering an area of 120,000square yards. In front of these splendid masses of building, and along the whole lengthof the sheds, are iron railways, with others at right angles, which lead from the quays tothe several loop-hole entrances of the warehouses.

These works were commenced in 1800, under the superintendence of Mr. Rennie, andin five years the establishment was opened for merchant vessels ; during the progress, asteam-engine of twenty horse-power was constantly at work, to pump out the waterwhich filtered into the excavations. This engine, made by Boulton and Watt, raised nine

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