Liverpool has been astonished by the sudden announcement, that a
capacious tidal harbour, and a vast floating dock, are to be formed at Birkenhead, on the Cheshire shore of the Mersey. It sv,:s first made known at Birkenhead on Tuesday, the projectors having kept close counsel until that day ; and as soon as the news reached the great Lan- cashire port, the excitement was unprecsdented. The tidal basin is to have an area of forty acres—three times the extent of P, ice's Dock at Liverpool ; and it will never have a less depth of wattr than twelve feet ; the gated dock will have an area a a hundred and twenty acres, a space exceeding that of all the docks in Liverpool 1 The following account of this remarkable enterprise, which must have much influ- ence even on Ireland, is transmitted to us by a correspondent- " The inconvenience and expense attending shipping and mercantile trans- actions, that have of late years been so much complained of in the port of Liverpool, especially as regards the over-crowded state of the docks, and the high rates of insurance from fire, in comparison with other ports, are likely to be remedied by the formation of extensive docks on the opposite shore of the Mersey, where the land is peculiarly favourable for their formation, at a mode- rate cost. The proposed walks comprise a floating dock of 120 acres area, and a tidal harbour of 40 acres, accessible at all times from the river by the largest steamers employed in the coasting-trade, and by all vessels whose draught of water does not exceed fifteen feet ; forming in had weather a refuge-harbour to ships frequenting the Mersey. "The public body who have taken upon themselves the construction of the docks and harbour are the Commissioners of Birkenhcad, a town that has been formed during the last few }ears on the Cheshire side of the Mersey, con- taining a population of about 16,000 inhabitants ; which is rapidly increasing, from its proximity to Liverpool, and the excellent steam-ferries that have been established. Upwards of two million passengers cross annually at the principal ferry. The engineer employed is Mr. J. M. Bendel, of Great George Street, Westminster ; and his plans for the improvement of the second port in the kingdom have been approved of by the Admiralty and the Conservators of the Mersey. The regular notices have been given of an application to Parliament next session for the requisite powers ; and as the plan has the support of all the shipping, commercial, and manufacturing interests, trenches upon no pri- vate interest, and is not brought forward by a joint-stock company, it is ex- pected they will be obtained without opposition. This new port will have a direct communication with the manufacturing districts and Metropolis by the Chester and Birkenhead, the Chester and Crewe, and Grand Junction Railways ; giving to the latter the water-side ter- minus they so much want, and enabling the railway-trains with the Irish mails and passengers to go alongside the steam-packets ; thus avoiding the delay and risk at present incurred in putting them on board in the river. By this route, the Irish mails, in a few months, and at a very trifling additional expense, may be conveyed between London and Dublin in fifteen or sixteen hours ; instead of twenty-four as at present ; allowing the railway speed to average, according to Mr. Walker's official report to the Treasury, thirty-six miles an hour ; and sup- posing that fast iron steam-packets, insuring an average passage of nine hours from Birkenhead to Dublin, supersede the present wooden ones. "This, in the present state of Ireland, is one of those practical measures which we should expect from Sir Robert Peel's Government. By such an ac- celeration, a letter posted in Loudon at eight o'clock p.m. on Monday, would arrive in Dublin at twelve o'clock on Tuesday, and an answer could he received in Loudon at eight a. tn. on Wednesday."
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