28 REPORT — 1856. 



1837, the differences chiefly consist of the changes which accompanied the 

 partly natural and partly artificial formation or readjustment of the new- 

 channels ; they found their issue in the formation of that which is known as 

 the Victoria Channel. 



West Channel. — A similar examination of the Western Channel, divided 

 into two portions called the Rock and the Horse Channels, will show the 

 following changes. 



Rock Channel. — In the above-named period of twenty years the banks 

 north of the Rock Channel were enlarged and consolidated ; the Brazil Bank 

 and Burbo Sand were united to the Great Burbo Bank, and the patch, which 

 at the earlier date divided the Rock Channel at its junction with the river 

 into two portions, was itself divided, and one piece added to Burbo Sand, the 

 other to the main shore. 



At the western extremity of the Rock Channel, near its junction with the 

 Horse Channel, its width has been contracted about 400 yards ; the accretions 

 are partially on Dove Spit, but chiefly on the western point of Great Burbo, 

 now called the North Spit. At the bar of the Rock Channel, Thomas gives 

 soundings of one-third fathom (or 2 feet) seaward, and of one and two-third 

 fathom (or 10 feet) on the Liverpool side. In 1833 Denham gives 2 feet 

 on the bar, and 3 feet on the Liverpool side, showing a diminution of 7 feet 

 in the latter. 



Denham's soundings are unaltered in 1837. 



Hoylahe. — In 1689, the date of Captain CoUins's survey, the big ships put 

 out part of their lading in Hoylake, that they might sail over the flats into 

 Liverpool ; at that time the depth of water in the lake ranged from two and 

 a half fathoms to seven fathoms, and William III. was able to embark his 

 army for Ireland. 1 24 years afterwards, Thomas records the range as reduced 

 from one fathom to four fathoms ; and twenty years later it appears upon 

 Denham's first chart as closed by a bar, the pools on either side of the bar 

 having been reduced in width to about one-half of that of the lake in 

 1813. 



Hoylake joined the W^estern Channel at the junction of the Horse and 

 Rock Channels. 



Horse Channel, — Whilst these changes have taken place, the direction of 

 the Horse Channel has been slightly varied by additions to the north-eastern 

 extremity of East Hoyle Bank. 



Dock Extensions. 1803 to 1836. — According to information obligingly 

 furnished by Mr. J. B. Hartley, one of the engineers to the Committee of the 

 Liverpool Docks, the works constructed between 1803 and 1836 comprised 

 the Prince's Dock and Basin ; the Waterloo, Victoria, and Trafalgar Docks ; 

 the Clarence Dock ; the Clarence Graving Dock and Clarence Half-tide 

 Dock, and the Salisbury Dock, northwardly ; the widening of the George's 

 and King's Piers, and the construction of the Manchester Basin, Canning 

 Half-tide Dock, and Albert Dock, centrally ; and the widening of the Queen's 

 Pier and the construction of the Eagle Basin and river craft dock, the Union, 

 Coburg, and Brunswick Docks, the Brunswick Graving Docks, the Brunswick 

 Half-tide Dock, and the Dockyard, southwardly ; and the space abstracted 

 from the river by these works comprised an area of about 156 acres. 



These works have been almost entirely constructed since 1813. 



Meteorological PhcBnomena. — There are no reliable meteorological obser- 

 vations of the period 1813 to 1837. The following notices of storms of 

 wind and rain are compiled from the annals appended to Gore's Directory 

 of Liverpool : — 



1802. — A dreadful hurricane ; considerable damage done by sea and land ; 



