CHAPTER XXI.

SHEERNESS DOCK YARD.

DURING our residence at Chatham, we went to inspect this Dock Yard, accompanied by our kind friend Mr. Adams, of Chatham Yard. Sheerness Yard is a proof of what money and science will do in England, as it is built upon a point of land consisting of mud which was once part of the sea, and under the coating of mud are quicksands in which long piles driven for the masonry to rest upon, used often to go down and disappear in the sands. A fort was built to defend the entrance of the Medway and the Thames, and a Dock Yard established at Sheerness, in the reign. of Charles the Second. This Dock Yard is well worth inspection; since the year 1815, it has been very considerably enlarged. The area of the yard is 59 acres, and it is surrounded by a wall, excepting that part which faces the water; the length of the west wall is 2093 feet; length of south wall 880 feet; there are three basins within the yard; the largest one (capable of containing several first

rates with their guns, ballast, and stores of every description on board them fit for sea) is 520 feet long, and 300 feet broad, having an entrance of 60 feet, secured by a Caisson, which always keeps the water within of sufficient depth, to prevent the ships grounding. The middle basin is 250 by 200 feet, having an entrance of 49 feet, and the north basin 282 feet 6 inches, by 200 feet six inches, with an entrance of 102 feet. In the south basin there are three dry docks, 248 feet long, 88 feet wide, and 30 feet deep, having entrances 57 feet wide, and which admit of ships being docked and undocked at any time.

And here is also a frigate dock 207 feet long, 75 feet broad, 19 feet 9 inches deep, with an entrance 57 feet wide. Some idea may be formed of the magnitude of the works carried on in altering and enlarging the dock yard, when it is stated that for making the foundation alone, ninetynine thousand piles were driven. One of the most curious things to be seen in Sheerness Dock Yard, is the very extraordinary model of the yard upon a very large scale. We have mentioned that where Sheerness Yard now stands, the sea used to flow over; we have told that it is constructed upon a muddy ooze which had no firm bottom, having quicksands beneath, and there never were perhaps greater obstacles to be overcome than in getting a foundation. Piles almost innumerable were driven, grouting of lime, gravel, and cement

poured in by thousands of tons, upon which bricks, sleepers, and masonry were placed, and at last, at an enormous outlay of capital, and the application of the greatest mechanical and architectural talent, all the difficulties were overcome, and that yard stands as a monument of what British capital and British assiduity can execute.

It became necessary to have large culverts and drains, and as drawings would not so well explain all these things, and where many piles were driven, it was determined to have this model made, it is in the upper part of the quadrangular storehouse, in a room of immense size, and it is curious indeed to inspect it; every building more particularly the smithy is quite full of piles, under each of the slips and of the docks the piles are driven as closely as they could be got together. Every erection has a forest of piles of timber beneath it, and then the execution of the model, how beautiful, how accurately every thing is delineated; there is the house built for the commissioner and principal officers, view them through a powerful magnifying glass, and you are led to believe you look upon the reality instead of the mere model. It may appear a useless expense, but when it is remembered how important it may be should any buildings sink, or any of the drains blow up from the pressure of the water in them, that the exact position of every part should be known, it will sanction the expense. The model of the basin

well

with its caisson entrance and the gates of the docks are beautifully finished, and although it has been the work of years, we think the money laid out, as there is nothing in the shape of a model for accuracy and elegance to equal this in England.

The storehouses in the dock yard are all built of stone and iron, and the roofs covered with slates, pillars, beams, rafters, window-frames, doors, &c. are all made of iron, and wood is totally dispensed with, it is a great protection against fire to the buildings, and should unfortunately a fire happen it can never injure the houses.

The great object of establishing this yard, was that of fitting out of ships in time of war; the difficulty of vessels getting into the Thames or Medway for going either to Woolwich or Chatham, was thus completely got over, however, the rapid strides in steam navigation makes it very easy to tow large ships into either of these rivers at present, and takes away from Sheerness Yard that importance which was then attached to it.

The first stone of the north end was laid in November, 1809, and the basin was opened, and the first ship taken in, in September, 1823, since which period, considerable improvements have been made by the erection of storehouses, roofs to the docks, and buildings for the manufacture of roman cement, which is carried on here very extensively to supply all the dock yards at home and abroad.

A very valuable stone which is found mixed with the shingle or pebbles, is thrown up by the sea upon the beach close to Sheerness, which is used for the manufacturing of the roman cement; it is a species of clay petrified, of a whitish brown colour, and is sought after with much avidity, for its superiority over every other description of cement stone; and when collected, is sold for fourteen shillings per ton, for burning into cement, for stuccoing the fronts of houses, and for uniting stones, and is in a few minutes after it is mixed as hard as stone itself.

A splendid residence has been erected for the Port Admiral, at the Garrison Point, and very commodious houses for the principal officers, have also been built, eight within the dock yard, and seven outside the yard facing the beach. The dock yard chapel is without the walls of the yard, adjoining the officers' houses; it is a handsome erection and capable of containing about fifteen hundred persons.

The cliffs of the Isle of Sheppy are about six miles in length, (the highest about 90 feet high) on the north and north east side of the island, they have long been celebrated for the numerous organic remains found in them; upwards of seven hundred different specimens of fossil plants, fruits, berries, and ligneous seed vessels have been enumerated. Among the animal remains found in these cliffs, are several varieties of the crab;