Calliope Dock.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 4255, 16 January 1884, Page 2

Calliope Dock.

(To the Editor.)

Sin, —Yourcorrespondent, "Citizen," writes as follows :—" If a saving has to be effected, it must be done without impairing; the strength of any portion of the work, and in the interest of the public, and for the credit of the present members of the Hai-bour Board, I would suggest that the question of tho cost of, and advisability of using concrete blocks, laid in courses in precisely the same manner as dressed masonry, should receive the careful consideration of the Board and their Engineer, when I have but little doubt it would be found that the Dock could be thoroughly well constructed for a sum within a reasonable range of the amount originally proposed to beexpended." By "Citizen's" plan, ail dressed stone would be dispensed with ; but, sir, if concrete in theform of blocks will stand without stone facing, why should concrete on the monolithic system not stand better' We cannot understand how making concrete into blocks, and then building them in like masonry, can result in either as strong or as cheap work as depositing the whole of the concrete in position at once, by the ordinary plan of framing to receivo it. If deposited in this way, and properly carried out, the whole of the walls, steps, and floor would form one solid mass ol concrete, perfectly impervious to water, and free from all weak mortar joints, and at a much lower cost than by the block system. Thero is another strong argument in favour of concreto, viz., the time required to coni[,!eto tho work. Wehavenotseentheplansorspecifications, but know the approximate length, breadth, and depth of the dock, and have no hesitation in stating that a first-class job can be made at an enormous reducipn.— We are, etc,, John Wimox & Co.