Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are
able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the
public for several reasons. That’s quite a pity while these books contains
useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor
accessible. Of essential interest for navy and merchant ships was where in the
world dock (yard) facilities were available for ordinary repairs or in case of
emergency. The costs of using such a facility was of course also of interest
and finally these information was of great value in times of war.
P. 539: “The deepest and largest dry dock is the Pootung dock, opposite the
Ton-ka-du cathedral. Charges, 1 tael (6s. 8d.) per ton with three days in dock.
Iron ships bound home, dock, as the voyage down the China seas invariably fouls
them if not newly painted. The docks, though mere excavations in the river
bank, cost enormous sums, from the recently alluvial deposit being so apt to
cave in, despite piling, and this excuses the apparently heavy charge;
although, as long as I remember, iron ships in this trade, even at Whampoa in
the native mud docks, paid about two dollars per ton, to dock and paint.”
Source
G.D. Urquhart. Dues and charges of shipping in foreign ports; a manual of
reference for the use of shipowners, shipbrokers, & shipmasters.
London, 1869.
