120 REPORT—1874. 
1st. The making of a new channel for the river Lagan, from Duntar’s 
Dock to Thompson’s Tower, cutting off the first bend of the old channel 
nearest the town. 
2nd. The purchase of the existing quays and docks, which were private 
property, and the widening and improving of the same. 
3rd. The continuation of the straight cut for the river as far as deep 
water, cutting off the second bend of the river, so as to form a straight 
channel from the town towards Garmoyle, and other works contemplated by 
the Act. 
The first of the foregoing works, being the first section of the new channel, 
was undertaken by Mr. Dargan, the contractor, and was completed and 
opened in the year 1841, the cutting of the channel forming a very valuable 
property called the Queen’s Island, which contained an area of seventeen 
acres of land. The entire cost of this work, including the purchase of pro- 
perty, amounted to £42,352. 
In the year 1842 the whole quays and wharves on both sides of the river, 
together with Dunbar’s dock (now called Prince’s Dock), quays, timber-pond, 
and nineteen acres of ground, the site for future docks, were all purchased 
at a sum amounting to £152,171; and a sum of nearly £1000 was expended 
in the improvement and permanent repair of Prince’s Dock, the walls of which 
were composed of timber and brickwork. 
In the year 1844 the construction of new quays was commenced on the 
county Down side of the harbour for a length of 2500 feet—about 500 feet, 
next the Queen’s Bridge, being in front of an old wharf purchased from Mr. 
Batt, and the remaining portion on the slob land lying between it and the 
Queen’s Island. This work was called the Queen’s Quay, in the construction 
of which was expended the sum of £31,167. It is composed of a facing of 
timber securely tied back by three rows of strong piles, which are connected 
together with tie-rods of iron 14 inch in diameter; the main piles are 
12 in. by 12 in., and the sheeting-piles are 7 inches in thickness, driven to 
a batter of 1 inch to a foot. The quay being formed, a landing-shed was 
erected on it, 300 feet in length. The material used for filling in or backing 
up the quay was mainly procured by the deepening of the river, which was 
also considerably widened in front, a quantity amounting to about 524,175 
tons of material being deposited in forming the quays. 
Among other works carried -out at this time were a large pond for the 
storage of timber on the east side of the Queen’s Island, formed at a cost of 
£1878; and the lighthouse, erected on piles, which is situated on the Holy- 
wood Bank, and which is used as a pilot station, was constructed at a cost of 
£1300. 
Having in the year 1844 secured possession of the old quays and other 
property on the county Antrim side of the river, the construction of new 
quays on that side was immediately proceeded with. The total length of 
quayage erected at that time was 1375 feet, of which 713 feet was an 
increase, the remainder being the restoration of a portion of the old work. 
These quays were formed of timber, and were carried out on the same plan 
as that adopted for the Queen’s Quay. 
The total monies expended previous to the year 1847 on the various works 
embraced in the Act of 1837, including the construction of the Holywood 
Bank Light Station, amounted to £238,740. 
In November 1846 a contract was entered into with Mr. William Dargan 
for forming the second section of the new channel, which was completed and 
formally opened in the year 1849, when it received the title of Victoria 
