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DII nNAL arch, the arch or number 

 of decrees that the sun, moon, or stars, 

 describe between their rising and set- 

 ting. 



DICE* AL motion of a planet, is so many 

 degrees and minutes as any planet moves 

 in twenty-four hours. Hence the motion 

 of the earth about its axis is called its 

 diurnal motion. 



DOBCHICK, a species of Colymbus. 



DOCK, in maritime affairs, is a pit, 

 great pond, or creek, by the side of an 

 harbour, made convenient either for the 

 building or repairing of ships. It is of 

 two sorts : 1. Dry-dock, where the water 

 is kept out by great flood-gates till the 

 ship is built or repaired, when the gates 

 are opened, and the water let in to float 

 and launch her. 2. Wet-dock, a place 

 where the ship may be hauled into out of 

 the tide's way, and so dock herself, or 

 sink herself a place to lie in. 



DOCKS, &c. Liverpool, Hull, and Bris- 

 tol, but especially the two first of these 

 places, had proved the advantages of wet- 

 docks long before London possessed any 

 such accommodations. The inconveni- 

 ences arising from the crowded state of 

 the river at all times, but particularly 

 when ships arrived in large fleets, and 

 from the want of sufficient wharf-room 

 for discharging their cargoes, were long 

 felt and complained of by all the principal 

 merchants in London, who were subject 

 to considerable losses from the delays in 

 getting their goods landed, and the oppor- 

 tunities of plunder to which they were 

 exposed. At length, about the year 

 1793, a plan was circulated for forming 

 capacious wet docks, with wharfs and 

 warehouses, in a convenient situation ad- 

 joining the Thames at Wapping; the 

 project gave rise to much discussion, and 

 to the formation of other plans accommo- 

 dated to particular interests ; but through 

 the indefatigable perseverance of Mr. 

 William Vaughan, assisted by other high- 

 ly respectable mercantile characters, the 

 original plan was matured, and a bill 

 brought into parliament for carrying it 

 into execution. Contending interests ren- 

 dered the first application unsuccessful ; 

 and a few years after the corporation 

 of London proposed to make a navigable 

 canal or passage across the Isle of Dogs ; 

 while another plan was brought forward 

 for making wet docks for West India 

 shipping only ; and afterwards one for 

 making docks for East India shipping 

 only ; all in the vicinity of each other. 

 These several undertakings, all arising 

 out of the original project of the London 



docks, have been since carried into exe- 

 cution, to the great convenience of the 

 commerce of the port of London, and 

 the permanent benefit of the subscribers, 

 by whom the large sums necessary for ac- 

 complishing them were advanced. 



I.I. MiON DOCK. 



This company was established by an 

 act of 39 and 40 George III. passed the 

 20th of June, 1800, by which they were 

 impowered to raise a capital stock of 

 1;200,000/. ; and, if necessary, to borrow 

 at interest the further sum of 300.00W. : 

 but a larger capital being necessary for 

 completing the undertaking, they applied 

 to parliament fer leave to augment their 

 capital stock by any further sum not ex- 

 ceeding 500,000/. ; and have since obtain- 

 ed another act for raising a further sum 

 of 500,000/. ; so that the total capital 

 stock which the company are authorized 

 to raise, if necessary, is 2,200,000f. 



The company is under the management 

 of twenty -four directors, who are elected 

 annually. Two general courts of proprie- 

 tors are held every year, at which all per- 

 sons arc entitled to vote who possess 500/. 

 stock or upwards. 



The dividends on their stock are re- 

 stricted to 10 per cent, per annum, and 

 are paid on the first|of January, and the 

 first of July. The present dividend is 

 5 per cent, and the company pay the 

 property tax thereon. The dividends are 

 paid, and transfers made, on any day ex- 

 cept holidays. 



The company was required to complete 

 the docks within seven years, and on the 

 24th of January, 1805, they gave notice, 

 by advertisement, that the basin at Bell- 

 dock, and the dock communicating there- 

 with, and also part of the ware-houses, 

 vaults, and quays, were ready for the 

 reception of ships and landing their car- 

 goes, in consequence of which the dock 

 was opened for public use in the following 

 week. 



WEST INDIA DOCK. 



This company was established by an 

 act of 39 George III. passed the 12th of 

 July 1799, and was impowered to raise a 

 joint stock of 500,000*. with liberty to in- 

 crease the same to 600,0001. by consent 

 of the majority of proprietor* at a gene- 

 ral meeting. This increased capital was, 

 however, found inadequate to complete 

 the undertaking; and in 1802, the com- 

 pany were authorised to add 200,000/. to 



