ON PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING FEATURES OF THE MERSEY. 567 
mere Port, and, though last in time by no means least in magnitude, the 
Ship Canal, with its entrance at Eastham and great terminal dock system 
at Manchester, each and all of which not only add to the importance of 
the River, and the trade which it fosters in its ample embrace, but also 
give substantial evidence of the commercial activity of our common 
country, and, as such, are well worthy of enlarged, if not exhaustive, com- 
ment. Time forbids more than this passing notice, which the Author 
trusts will be sufficient apology for not dwelling upon them. 
While ships generally, at Liverpool, are discharged, on account of the 
great range of the tide, in enclosed docks, which are open to the River 
only at high water, the necessary means of access to boats at all states 
of the tide, for communication between shore and shore, or with boats in 
the River, is for the most part afforded by the Floating Landing Stages, 
which form a striking feature of the riverscape. The first stage at 
Liverpool, the George’s, 500 feet long, was constructed about 1847, and 
the Prince’s, 1,000 feet long, was constructed about 1857 ; the stages on 
the Cheshire shore followed these. 
The two stages on the Liverpool side, formerly separated from each 
other by a length of 500 feet for the purpose of retaining the entrance 
into the old George’s Basin, are now joined together, and form one con- 
tinuous structure, 2,463 feet in length, 400 feet having been recently 
added from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr. A. G. 
Lyster. The northern extremity of the stage abuts on to a timber jetty 
joined with the south pierhead of the Prince’s Half-tide Dock, to be used 
to facilitate the landing of cattle from Ireland and other outside ports. 
The Liverpool stage is connected with the shore by a series of girder 
bridges, and also by a floating roadway in the form of a bridge of boats, 
constructed on the site of the George’s Basin, and which, at low water, 
rests on a stone slipway, having an inclined surface of 1 in 20, enabling 
the bridge to be easily traversed by wheel traffic. At high water it is 
all afloat. 
The additional 400 feet lately added to the stage has facilitated the 
arrangement of the Dock Board for berthing the great Atlantic liners 
alongside the stage for the purpose of landing or taking on board their 
passengers, which had been discontinued for some twenty years, and 
which can now be effected at practically all states of the tide, and in an 
expeditious and effectual manner. Thus the old and inconvenient method 
of landing by means of tenders has been done away with, to the great 
advantage of the travelling public. 
Convenient examining rooms for the use of the Customs have long 
been erected at the back of the stage, adjoining these berths, so that 
little delay occurs in the transit of passengers and their baggage. 
In connection with this a very important additional improvement has 
lately been carried out, in order to render passenger service as expeditious 
and convenient as possible, by the erection of a capacious railway station 
on the quay adjoining, and running parallel with, the stage, thus bringing 
the outgoing passengers alongside their ships, and the incoming vice versa. 
This station is in direct communication with the London and North- 
Western Railway. The arrangements have been designed and carried out 
by Mr. A. G. Lyster. 
On the Birkenhead side of the River the Dock Board have constructed 
a landing-stage, known as the Woodside Stage, 800 feet in length, 300 
feet of which is vested in the Birkenhead Corporation. The remainder is 
