The Ports, Harbours, Watering-places and Picturesque Scenery of Great Britain Vol. 2Finden, W. (William)
History
The Ports, Harbours, Watering-places and Picturesque Scenery of Great Britain Vol. 2
Finden, W. (William)
Coasts -- Great Britain -- Pictorial works; Great Britain -- Pictorial works
Canning Dock, with the Custom-house, forms one of the finest points of
view in Liverpool, presenting at one view a building of elegant design
and execution, and a forest of masts which sufficiently indicate the
bustle of trade, and the air of business that pervade every feature of
the place--animate or inanimate. Canning Dock--so distinguished in
honour of Mr. Canning, a name happily identified with Liverpool and the
prosperity of its trade,--covers a space of five hundred yards in
length. On the west side it communicates with three graving docks, where
vessels are laid up for repairs, and is chiefly occupied by vessels
trading to the northern coast. It is the first of the seven docks
extending southward, and is generally filled by vessels in the act of
discharging or taking in their cargoes. It presents a scene of great
bustle and activity, and, though only one out of many, affords the
stranger a very clear idea of the vast amount of traffic that is daily
shipped or entered at this emporium.
The Custom-House is of recent date, and replaced the old official
buildings, which were found quite inadequate to the purposes of a daily
extending commerce. Through the united interest of Canning and
Huskisson, negociations were entered into with Government as to the
necessity of a new Custom-house; and after a short time arrangements
were concluded for its immediate erection. Mr. Foster, architect to the
Liverpool corporation, was engaged to prepare the designs, and made
choice of the present site as the most appropriate for a commercial
building of this size and character.
The lower apartments of the Custom-house consist of spacious vaults for
the safe custody of bonded and other goods; and in the centre is the
apartment known as the Long Room. The offices of customs occupy the
whole extent of the west wing; and it is intended that part of the east
wing shall be appropriated to the use of the general post-office. Above
these are the excise offices and those of the dock-treasurer and
secretaries. The remaining portions of the edifice are subdivided into
the board-room, the dock-committee's offices, and the stamp-office.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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