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neap tide 42 feet 9 inches and at high water ordinary spring tides 48 feet 4 inches. The graving dock, which of course is an essential part of the Gladstone docks system, can also be used as a wet dock. It was formally opened by the King and Queen in 1918 and is the largest drydock in Europe. Liverpool, where this dock expansion has taken place, as a city covers an area of 21,242 acres and has a popula- tion of 837,600. It is one of the great- est seaports of the world and is the fourth largest city in Great Britain. The city is situated on the Lancashire shore of the estuary of the Mersey and was founded in 1207 by King John. Its progress was slow until the beginning of the eighteenth century when it began to flourish and expand at an enormous rate. That expan- sion was due largely to its geographi- cal position which made it the natural gateway foxy, the entrance products of the West Indies and America and the outlet for the manufacturers of all of north England as well as the Midlands which after the industrial revolution began to make huge and increasing de- mands upon the shipping facilities pro- vided by Liverpool merchants. Their response to that demand gave Liver- pool a leading position in the ship- ping world which it has retained to the present day. The Gladstone docks project was consistently advanced before the War, the great graving dock being com- pleted shortly before, in 19138. It was impossible to prosecute this work dur- ing the war and for some time after- ward. In 1921 work was actively re- commenced and it was carried through with great energy by the staff of the Mersey docks and harbor board under the direction of Chief Engineer Thomas M. Newell. 6339 A) x 1S) ° Q >» i) = & 9 = Layout of the new Gladstone Docks system at Liverpool The new dock system is situated to the north of the older docks and nearer the mouth of the Mersey. In shape the area occupied is roughly a square with the sides approximately a half mile in length. panying illustration which is reprinted from the British publication Engineer- ing shows clearly the limits of the improvement and its layout in detail. An accompanying illustration shows a. view of the new piers and slips of the Gladstone docks taken from the basin. It must be borne in mind that this elaborate dock development has been carried out where the natural depth of water is insufficient. It is in effect a locking system. The waters of the high tides being retained at an appro- priate level within the dock basin and slips. Deep ships of course will find it necessary to leave on the proper tide. Ships of say up to 28 feet draft MARINE REVIEW—September, 1927 The accom- . can go in and out any time except an hour or two each side low tide. It is interesting to note that the first wet dock built at Liverpool and also the first commercial wet dock in England was authorized in the reign of Queen Anne. This first wet dock had a water area of about 3 acres, compared with the 56 acres of the new “Gladstone docks. Its sill was 10 feet above the bay datum or 30 feet higher than the level of the sill-of the Glad- stone docks. This comparison is in itself a striking illustration of the great progress made in the maritime and engineering fields. The piers of the.Gladstone docks have been laid out with the greatest care to make possible rapid and eco- nomical loading and discharge of ships. The 2% or more miles of berthing space which is provided is practically (Continued on Page 50) GREAT LOCKED BASIN ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE LARGEST SHIPS AFLOAT—PIERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH MODERN ELECTRIC CRANES 33