Page 1 - Minutes of Proceedings of Civil Engineers Vol CXCV 1913-14 Part 3 Correspondence

116 I,ISCUSSION ON TIIE CONSTRUCTION OF [llinutes of The -A.uthor. of progress was god. A good deal had been eaid about the suita- bility of the dock to accommodate larger ships. Mr. Scott was right in supposing that it was quite pcrsible for the Imperator " to enter " the dock, but his suggetion that she would lose half a day by doing ao wa6 nisleading. The fmperator " had hitherto picked up her " pass€ngerE by tender at Cowes, which was only hour distant fronr I Soutbanpton The ships which entored the docks generally needed coal, water, or crrgo, as well as passengers. The Author agreed with Mr. Meik thot it *'ould be useful if some shipowner could be induced to read s pspor on the dimensions that were likely to be given to ships within the next few years. Meanwhile it might fairly be claimed that the Whito Star dock would meet all requiremenLs for many years. It should be borne in mind that the increase in thqsize of ships did not always cause a dock to becoure obsolets. The old outer dock at Southampton, which was built in 1840, was still as busy as ever. Moreover, the Iondon and South W'estern Railway Company hnd purchased 400 acres of land on the east bank of Southampton Water, rvhere it rvould be possible to make docks to accommodate any ship that was likely to be built. It would bo qgreeil that their enterprise in this matter was wort,hy of all praise. 0orresponilence. rrr. B€sL Mr. A. T. Best asked what weight per cubic foot had been nsum€d for the concrete in the c.nlculrrtions in Appendix I for the wnll (portion A); whether the assumption had been checked by weighing a sample of the actual material of the wall; and what was the oneeponding figure for the concrete in the Empress dock wall. Further, was an allowance mado (other than the assumption of a rathe.r smrll angle of repose for the filling) for any pressure of water st the back of antl underneath the wall. The walls were, at least in sone cases, founded on and backed with sand, which would probobly be ssturat€d up to half-tide level or thereabouts. Mr. Binn& Mr. Are Bnvxs observed ttrat it was a happy circumstance that, i-mediatsly following the President's Address on the constitution of port authorities as affecting the organization and development of ports, The Institution should have the opportunity of discussing a description of the new works at a port which had shown remorkobly rapid development singo the docks were acquired by