GREAT ENGINEERING FEAT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6362, 9 November 1907, Page 5

GREAT ENGINEERING FEAT.

(Flxmi Oar Special ■ Correspondent.) LONDON, September 27. Tho great ' nival harbour at Dovoj tho contract for which was lot to Messrs Pearson and Sons in 1S1X). is nearly completed and should bo 'reedy for uso bjarly -V thei''.tot* coption, of 'tho' const ruoted ;air. Portland, it is’ the,,biggest undertaking of its kind over carried out in this country'JEpjtfifcw tmr-. hour, but a space, of G7B acres hag been enclosed 1 with 1 great', ioa. mills, forming a shelter bay where the largest battleships' may enter and anchor or Ho alongside .thej.piora, with perfect safety. ; The Admiralty Pier on tho left sido of Donor Bay has boon extended . another . 2000. feet 'to form a giant protective arm for the now harbour. On the oast a j great soar wall jute out from tho East Cliff to a distance of 2942 foot. Botwoou thoset eastern and western arms ;has been built a South Breakwater,' 4212 foot long, and of enormous strength. Them is an i ontrabco' #4O J foot iwido l«'v - tfteen rs fdi.o I 'Anft end of tho-breakwater. A portion of the harbour is walled-off to servo as a commercial harbour, and the rpipuii)dor is reserved for-Admiralty purposes. Tho Admiralty Pior ■at tho western side is now. 4000 foot long, and form* ono of the finest promenades in tli* world. ■ ; ’ ;

No fewer than 63,000 concrete blocks hayo been required for tho main work of tho contract, ! 29,000 being put into tho, Jfreij,lj:w(itM-, l§,QpO East ally i Pier-ExtSiisioiii' .Together/;thc»a roprosont:,l,lso,ooo, 'cube yards, for- a total length - of 8161 feet; excluding tho oast reclamation of 3910’foot. In addition,, nearly ,' 6000 blocks . are -laid i in forming the stout apron which pro- ' tecte tho now/ works, on' :tho outaido.. The weight of- these Blocl/s ranges fw# 23 tons to 41 tons. ' All have boon made on the spot, tho ballast being brought frqm cSandHnehj'iiUandli,J,he ciPOirtland' cement from the works on- 1 tho Medway and tlio 'Thames, ■ Cornish jgvinitto' being cfn'pldyM’to jfacdfthh qhtCT.'tdcyta.!' The who]o'qf J the blocks J haCe iL l>edrr. liatlis, capable of lifting forty, tons or. : more. Blue gum was oelected for, the, staging, piles, so that, if accidentally knocked down, they would at ones sink, and cause no obstruction; in thai water. To make a bod for the Imvnat ticr-'of blocks, d-ho sea-bott<«n ■tjmtitmoavated by, a gang of' four 'mail work* ling.' in .avdiviug mained under wator for throe hours at 1 a stretch; fresh air being pumped to thorn from above! ''Experienced di-vera ,th6n.::laLd,.tho ; perpared. AUhougli ' thcrc lmvo' boon, some exciting.experiences under water/ ' no accidents have occurred, .despite tho fact that the .twelve divers were frequently .employed at depths of 53 feet below water.