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.
P. 9: “This Dockyard, established under Charles II., and considered the
finest in Europe, has been improved at an expense
of three millions sterling. It is built on mud land, reclaimed from the sea,
with great labour and ingenuity. The form of it is triangular, and its area is
about 60 acres.
The foundations for the buildings in it were formed by driving in 99,000 piles.
It has three principal basins, all capable of receiving the largest men-of-war
without previously landing their guns, stores, or any part of their equipment.
The largest of these is 520
feet long by 320 broad, with an entrance of 60 feet, and a sufficient depth
to prevent ships grounding. It can hold six of the largest ships at one time.
There are three dry docks, 248
feet long, 88 feet wide, 30 feet deep, with
entrances 57 feet
wide. £ 10,000 was voted in the last Session for making an additional outer stop,
by which one of these docks will be much increased in length, with a new
caissoon in lieu of the gates. The whole process of docking, undocking,
cleansing, examining the bottom, and repairing the copper of a first-rate of
120 guns, with all standing, has been completed in the space of twenty-four
hours. Offices and residences are provided for the chiefs of the departments;
and the fixed number of men on regular employment is 1046, whose wages were
estimated in 1853 at £ 55,445. There is an inflexible order against the
admission of Foreigners into this Dockyard under any pretence whatever.”
Source
Dockyard Politics and Patronage: a collection of memoranda to assist
future enquiries. London,
1854.
