TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION G. 799 



cHgineers to the undertaking are Messrs. Sir Douglas Fox & Francis Fox, London. 

 The contractors are Messrs. Ilohne & King, Liverpool. The author is the Eesi- 

 dent Engineer. 



SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER H. 

 The following lleports and Papers were read : — 



L First Report on Standardising. — See Reports, p. 497, 



2. Report on Coast Erosion. — See Eeports, p. 3-52, 



3. Dredyhuj Operations on the Mersey Bur. 

 By Anthony George Lyster, 2I.Inst.G.E. 



The paper commences with a short account of the physical and geographical 

 features of the river Mersey, tracing its course from the junction of the Goyt with 

 the Etherow, near Stockport, to the mouth of the river. 



A more detailed description is given of the course of the river where it enters 

 Liverpool Baj^, and the form and character of the main channel are explained. 



The bar is next considered, its former condition described, and tlie positions of 

 the main channel and of the bar at the outlet of the main channel are shown to be 

 by no means permanent, but to have both altered considerably within quite recent 

 times. 



The great inconvenience of the bar as a cause of delay to modern navigation is 

 discussed and the urgent necessity for amelioration is shown. 



Dredgings operations which have been undertaken at New York and at the 

 mouth of the Mississippi are then touched upon, and a comparison is made between 

 the work done at these places and that in progress at the Mersey Bar. 



After describing the position of the dredged cut, which is also shown by 

 diagrams, an account is given of two steam hopper barges which were first fitted 

 up with sand pumps and used for the purpose of dredging a deep cut across the 

 Mersey Bar, their capacities, rates of loading, suction tubes, hoppers, and general 

 characteristics are fully_ described, as is also the variable nature of the material 

 which they are engaged in removing. 



An account of the quantity of material removed by these dredgers is then 

 given and a description of the new and more powerful dredger, the ' Brancker,' 

 which was built in consequence of the successful results achieved by the smaller 

 ■ones, is entered upon, 



"\yith regard to the 'Brancker' the form and dimensions, fittings, contract 

 conditions, work done, and the proportion of the whole time available for working 

 are fully dealt with. 



The fitting up of the steam tender the 'Alarm' as an 'eroder,' with the object 

 of dealing exclusively with the fine mud on the outer face of the bar on ebb tides, 

 is next described. 



The material found on the bar is then analysed. Sections taken across the bar 

 in 1890, 189.3, and 1895 are compared, and an account ia given of observations of 

 the rate of flow of neap and spring tides both previous to and during the present 

 •operations, while the paper closes with an expression of the author's views on the 

 general theory of the formation of river bars, and the advisability of further 

 increase of the dredging plant. 



4. On Carbonic Anhydride Refrigerating Machinery. By E. Heskbth. • 



