PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22835, 20 March 1936, Page 10

PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY

PREPARING FOR BIGGER SHIPS (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail.) LONDON. February 22. Rapid progress is being made by the contractors engaged upon the Port of London’s £1,750,000 development scheme at London’s largest dock system, the Royal Victoria, Albert and King George Y Docks. The programme of works was decided upon in order to provide additional deep-water accommodation for the increasing number of deep-draughted vessels coming to the port. At the Royal Albert Dock, over a mile of the North Quay has already been widened by 19 feet from 40 feet to 59 feet, the work having been finished 41 weeks ahead of scheduled time. The ships’ berths alongside the widened quay are being deepened by dredging from 291 feet to 34 feet. The work has proceeded section by section continuously without serious hindrance to the normal shipping business of this important dock. Simultaneously, in the Royal Victoria Dock the deepening of the passage between the Royal Victoria and Royal Albert Docks has been proceeding. This involves “alterations to the railway tunnels carrying the passenger and freight lines under the Connaught Rond Passage between West Ham and Silvertown. The twin tunnels have been lined with steel segments, electrically welded, and helmet divers are busy removing the old brickwork over the tunnel. In the Royal Victoria Dock the removal of “ H ” jetty, south side of tidal basin, is well in hand. Large quantities of underwater brickwork and cast iron pile foundations are being removed with the help of explosives' and divers, the debris and earth banks being removed by dredging. Eastward and westward of this site the dock is being modernised and 1750 feet of new quay is in course of construction. The foundations are also being prepared for a large three-storeyed reinforced concrete warehouse.