AN ENGINEERING TRIUMPH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13701, 3 June 1915, Page 6

AN ENGINEERING TRIUMPH.

IN THE CLYDE

One of the most remarkable hchievements of engineering skill m. this country is the transformation of the River Clyde from a comparatively insignaficant stream into a mighty highway of • shipping and commerce. Less than 200 S years ago the river was fordable on foot at Dumbuck, twelve miles below Glasi. gow, and; m 1740 its depth was only j 15in. at low water and 39in at high water at a point just above its junction "with the Kelvin, a couple of miles from j the centre of the fityi Various efforts to improve the navigation were made m the second half of the 18th century, and by 1836 there was a depth of water at the Broomielaw of 7ft or Bft at low j water. Four years later the flyde ; Navigation Trustees were coul ft|fftf}> i and under their management thcjilremh has been gradually increased until it is now 20ft between Glasgow Bridge and the Kelvin, while over the -^welve miles above Port Glasgow, where the enter- ' prise of the civic authorities of Glasgow built the first graving dock m Scotland m 1762, the minimum is 24ft below low water 1 level. For long the traffic was conducted at quays and wharves, but these becoming inadequate the first small dock of little more than five acres was opened m 1867. The rapidity of the progress made since that time may be gauged from the fact that whereas m 1873, as stated m the paper recently read before the Institution of Civil Engineers by Sir Thomas Mason, the water area was 76 acres with a total quayage 6410 yards m length ; at present the harbor and docks have a water area of 536 a/M'cs, with a quayage of 19.234 yards. The record is one of which Glasgow may well be proud.