i62 Journal of A. griculture, Victoria. [lo Mar., 191 i. 



The Manchester Dock estate covers an area of 4o6| acres, of which 

 160 acres are water space. 



The quays are 6| miles in length and cover 286^ acres, while a further 

 space of 120 acres is available for their extension. 



The quay equipment is most complete and includes : — 



53 Hydraulic cranes. 13 Single floor transit sheds. 



61 Steam cranes. i Two floor transit shed. 



91 Electric cranes. 6 Three floor transit sheds. 



47 Locornotives. 5 Four floor transit sheds. 



6 Floating pontoons. 12 Five floor transit sheds. 



Pontoon shears capable of lift- 13 Seven storey warehouses, 



ing 250 tons. 4 Single floor warehouses. 



The Dock railways are 80 miles in e.xtent and connect with the follow- 

 ing railway systems :^ 



London and North-Western Railway. Great Central Railway. 



Great Northern Railway. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. 



Midland Railway. Cheshire Railway. 



There is a grain elevator with a storage capacity of 40,000 tons, or 

 1,500,000 bushels, in 268 separate bins. 



The No. 9 Dock, now occupying a site which five years ago was the 

 Manchester Race-course, is said to be the largest dock in the Kingdom, 

 and probably in the world. Two lines of rails run along the quays, and 

 at this dock perishable cargo is discharged under cover. 



The Manchester Ship Canal Company, which is in reality a Railway 

 Company as well, will take charge of cargo at inclusive through rates to 

 any town in Great Britain. The Docks are also in direct communication 

 with all the inland canals, and the transhipment of cargo tO' coastwise ports 

 may be arranged at regular and frequent sailings. 



The difficulty, indeed, is not tO' enumerate the facilities at the docks 

 for oversea trade, but to detect the absence of even the least important of 

 modern appliances for the handling and distribution of produce from 

 distant ports. 



Cool Stores. 



At No. 9 Dock the Company has erected a most extensive transit shed. 

 In this shed may be placed cargo not for immediate distribution. The 

 shed is an immense, four-floored, ferro-concrete structure. One of the 

 floors, 123 feet long, 99 feet wide, and 7 feet 5 inches high, has been 

 insulated, and has a capacity for frozen produce of 82,500 cubic feet. 



There is another cool store at the Docks, erected by the Union Coci 

 Storage Company, and this store is capable of accommodating 175,000 

 carcases. Further, the Manchester Corporation has cool stores capable 

 of accommodating 120,000 carcases, in the centre of the city, near the 

 important markets and within a very short distance of the docks. The 

 Union Cold Storage Company also has a cool store in the city, with 

 accommodation for 80,000 carcases. 



The situation and construction of the Canal Store renders it possible 

 to receive frozen produce at the same temperature as that prevailing in 

 the hold of the vessel whence it came. The caigo may then be distributed 

 in covered carts for town delivery, or insulated vans for distant destina- 

 tions. Delivery of i^erishable cargo, with the minimum handling, is thus 

 expeditiously accomplished. 



