In a letter dated 2 March 1818 were the results of an investigation already presented 27 February sent This select committee on finance was ordered to examine the naval estimates and finances for the period 1817-5 January 1820. It gives an interesting description dealing with the dock yard at Chatham
P. 54: “The bad state of the Docks at Chatham, being mostly of wood, the great accumulation of mud in front of the dock yards at its Northern end, and the bad state of the river wall in some of its parts, rendered it necessary that something should be done, not only in the way of repairs, but also in the way of improvement ; it was therefore judged advisable that an additional dock should be built at this yard, in order that time might afterwards be given to repair or rebuild the others in succession as they became unfit for use. The state of the Ordinary requiring every dock at this yard to be occupied, and a spare piece of ground between docks N° 2 & 3, affording an opportunity of constructing such a dock, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, in July 1815, directed that a plan
p. 55: should be made out for this purpose, combining with the new dock such improvements of the river wall as would not only lessen the accumulation of mud in front of the yard towards its Northern end, but also lead to a general line of frontage, as the other works required repair; this plan was made out in 1815, and approved by their Lordships. It fortunately happened that the place fixed on for the new dock was at that part of the yard where a jetty or landing place projected into the river, which turned the current on the ebbing tide, and occasioned a good deal of the settlement of mud, which was very detrimental to the Northern part of the yard, and this was again assisted by a military bridge, which war, thrown across the river just below the dock yard, whicli tlrrew the flowing tide towards the opposite side of the river. By the plan proposed for the new dry dock, the jetty has been cut off, and a part of the yard front, which have lessened the projection by 120 feet, and the military bridge, has been removed, so that the current is gradually approaching nearer to the front of the yard; and as the new wharf wall is intended to follow the line of the current, this evil will in a great degree be removed; but other -works will be required to restore the river to its former depth. These works were begun about Midsummer 1816, and it was expected that they could be carried on expeditiously; but it was discovered about the end of that year that the lower part of the foundation was of so soft a quality, and so full of water, that had the whole foundation been excavated at once, the sides would have slid down, and the docks N° 2 & 3, would in all probability have been rendered totally useless; it was therefore judged advisable to put in the foundation in short lengths, and by this mode fewer men could be employed and less materials consumed last year than will be in the present, because a considerable part of the foundation has been put in, and the rest is expected to be so by about July or August next, when the whole of the superstructure may go on, which of course will require a larger sum of money; and as more expedition is used, the deck will not only become sooner fit for the reception of vessels, but the others that are in a bad state can be repaired before they become entirely unfit for the purpose, or rebuilt as may be found advisable, and the sooner they are done, the more economical will it be, because materials and labour are now much lower than they were during the war; the saving alone on this dock and a part of the river wall between the prices of 1814 and 1810 being upwards of £ 32,000 on the estimated amount of £ 200,000.
Source
Parliamentary Papers. Eight report from the select committee on finance. Ordered by The House of Commons, to be printed, 6 March 1818 .
Note
1. See on this weblog for instance the notes dealing with the facilities in the 
