DOC 



DOC 



DIURNAL arch, the arch or number of 

 degrees that the sun, moon, or stars, 

 describe between their rising and set- 

 ting. 



DIURNAL 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- 

 ence* arising from the crowded state of 

 the river at ^11 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 princi- 

 pal merchants in London, who were sub- 

 ject to considerable losses from the de- 

 lays in getting their goods landed, and 

 the opportunities of plunder to which 

 they were exposed. At length, about the 

 year 1793, a plan was circulated for form- 

 ing 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 fop 

 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 



VOL. IV. 



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 theYn were advanced. 



LONDON DOCK. 



This company was established by an 

 act of 39 and 40 George III. passed the 

 20th of June, 1800, by which they were 

 empowered to raise a capital stock of 

 1,200,OOOJ. ; and, if necessary, to borrow 

 at interest the further sum of 300,000/. : 

 but a lager capital being necessary for 

 completing the undertaking, they applied 

 to parliament for leave to augment their 

 capital stock by any further sum not ex- 

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

 tained another act for raising a furthei' 

 sum of 5QO,000/. ; so that the total capital 

 stock which the company are authorized 

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



The company is under the manage- 

 ment of twenty-four directors, who are 

 elected annually. Two general courts of 

 proprietors are held every year, at which 

 all persons are entitled to vote who pos- 

 sess 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 5J 

 per cent, and the company pay the pro- 

 perty tax thereon. The dividends are 

 paid, and transfers made, on any day ex- 

 cept holidays. 



The company was required to com- 

 plete the docks within seven years, and on. 

 the 24th of January, 1805, they gave no- 

 tice, by advertisement, that the basin at 

 Bell-dock, and the dock communicating 

 therewith, and also part of the ware- 

 houses, vaults, and quays, were ready for 

 the reception of ships and landing their 

 cargoes, in consequence of which the 

 dock was opened for public use in the 

 following week. 



\VEST INDIA DOCK. 



This company was established by an 

 act of 39 George III. passed the 12th of 

 July 1799, and was im powered to raise a 

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

 crease the same to 600,OOOJ. by consent 

 of the majority of proprietors 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 



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