762 KEroKT— 1903. 



the sides of the creek. The length of the bridge was 100 feet and its width 

 24 feet, and the beams were each 33 feet long, 18 inches wide, and 9 inches thick ; 

 there were 36 beams formed into 12 compound beams, each 27 inches in depth. 

 Careful drawings of this bridge were made by Mr. Snow, au engineer employed 

 on the work then in progress. The drawings show that the rocky bed of the 

 stream was some 13 feet below the bridge, which was itself about 16 feet below 

 present high- water level. 



Formerly Liverpool was one of the ports subordinate to the Comptroller of 

 Chester, and is styled in the Patent ' a creek in that port.' 



The first Act of Parliament authorising the construction of Dock works was 

 obtained in 1709, and in 1853 the water area of the docks had been increased to 

 178 acres. Since 1853 the progress has been much more rapid, especially within 

 the last thirty years. The total area of the docks and basins at Liverpool and 

 Birkenhead is now 566 acres, whilst in connection therewith there are rather more 

 than 35 miles of quayage. The marked tendency in recent years to increase the 

 length, beam, and depth of ocean-going steamers has necessitated the provision of 

 dock accommodation for a much larger class of vessel than formerly existed ; and 

 during the last decade works of great magnitude have been successfully carried 

 out by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, under the able direction of the late 

 Mr. G. F. Lyster, M.Inst.C.P]., and, since his death, of his son, Mr. Anthony G. 

 Lyster, M.Inst.C.E. In the northern section a new graving-dock has been con- 

 structed, extensive additions have been made to the Canada and Huskisson Docks, 

 whilst the dithcult work of constructing new river entrances has also been satis- 

 factorily completed. In the southern section, the Queen's Dock has been enlarged 

 and other important additions have been executed and brought into use. 



To convey some idea of the magnitude of the works executed, it may be 

 mentioned that tbe amount expended by the Dock Board in the extensions above 

 indicated exceeds 1 ,750,000/. 



The largest lock connected with the port of Liverpool is the Canada, 600 feet 

 long by 100 feet wide, the sill being 14 feet below the datum of Old Dock sill, 

 which datum is 4 feet 8 inches below Ordnance datum, or mean sea-level. Two 

 large river-entrance locks into the Brunswick Dock are now approaching com- 

 pletion, ihe larger lock having a length of 350 feet and a width of 100 feet, with 

 a sill 19 i'eet 6 inches below the datum of Old Dock sill. 



One of the striking features in connection with the port of Liverpool is the 

 difficult and extensive work connected with the dredging operations at the 

 Mersey Bar. Since the commencement in 1890, to August 1903, no less than 

 72,000,000 tons of material have been dredged and removed from the Bar and 

 sea channels, and the average quantity for the last five years has been in round 

 figures, 7,000,000 tons per annum. Tbe total tonnage of the port for the year 

 ended July 1, 1903, was 13,308,305, and the receipts therefrom amounted to 

 1,185,066/., exclusive of graving dock and other rates. 



Irrigation. 



This being the first Meeting of tbe British Association since the completion of 

 the Assuau dam, which I had the opportunity to inspect when visiting Egypt in 

 the early part of this year, I should like to devote to it a short portion of my 

 Address. Those who desire to learn all about that work in detail I would refer 

 to the papers (to which, indeed, I am indebted for my information on the subject) 

 read before the Institution of Civil Engineers on January 27 last by Mr. Maurice 

 Fitzmaurice, C.M.G., M.Inst.C.E., who had charge of the work on behalf of the 

 Egyptian Government from its commencement in 1898 until December 1901, 

 and by Mr. F. W. S. Stokes, M.Inst.C.E., managing director of Messrs. 

 Ransomes & Rapier, of Ipswich, who undertook the manufacture and erection of 

 the sluices and lock-gates. 



The Nile reservoir has been constructed for the purpose of impounding the 

 water of the River Nile during the winter months, and discharging it in the 

 mouths of May, June, and July, so as to supplement the ordinary tiow of the 



