The River Tyne: its history and resources ... Illustrated

Front matter

THE RIVER TYNE Shields Harbour. — Entrance to the River Tyne. THE RIVER TYNE: ITS HISTORY AND RESOURCES. BY THE LATE JAMES GUTHRIE, SECRETARY TO THE RIVER TYNE COMMISSION ILLUSTRATED. "I know not where to seek, even in this busy country, a spot or district in which we perceive so extraordinary and multifarious a combination of the various great branches of mining, manufacturing, trading, and shipbuilding industry, and I greatly doubt whether the like can be shown, not only within the limits of this land, but upon the whole surface of the globe." — Extract from the speech of The Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone, M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer, on his visit to Newcastk-upon-Tyne,\%(}l.. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE PUBLISHED BY ANDREW REID, PRINTING COURT BUILDINGS LONDON : LONGMANS AND CO. i88o. NEWCAfcTLE-UPON-TYNE: ANDREW REID, PRINTING COURT Bl ILDINGB, AliENSIDH HILL CONTENTS.

PAGE. Preface vii. The Riteb Commission and Mr. Gutheie xii. Intboduction xv. Eably Histoby of the Riteb 1 The Riteb under the Management op the Old Cobpobation of Newcastle 45 The Riteb undee the Management op the Refoemed Cobpobation of Newcastle ... 64 The Consektanct Contest of 1849-50 71 The Tyne under the Tyne Impeotement Commissionees, from 1850 to 1860 93 The Royal Commission, 1855 108 Opening of the First Public Dock in the Tyne ... 112 Opening of the Tyne (or Jarrow) Dock ... ... ... ... 113 The Tyne as a Harbour of Res uge 114 Change of Engineer ... ... 121 State of the River in 1860 122 Mr. Uee's Plans of Improvement and the Tyne Impeotement Act, 1861 125 Mr. Uee's Impeotements Effected ... ... .. 138 Works below Bridge ... ... ... ... ■ • ■ • • ■ ■ ■ 138 Newcastle Bridge ... ... ... 141 The New Swing Bridge 145 Bill Point Works 147 Report of Captain Calver, R.N. 149 Works above Bridge ... ... ... ... ■ . . ■ • • ■ • ■ 1 56 Progress of the Piers Works ... ... ... ... ... ■ • 158 The Tyne Improvement Act, 1870. -The Tyne Coal Dues Act, 1872.— Coal Dues CONTENTS.

IV rAim The Public Quays l^S The Tyne Improvement Act, 1872 170- Coble Dene Dock 170- Consolidation of Borrowing Powers 176 Various Matters ... .. ••• ■■■ 178 Northumberland Dock Rating 178 Purchase of Sliields Steam Ferries ... ... ... ... . ■ • 179- Tync Improvement Act, 1876 180 Sir Joseph Cowen ... ... ... ... ... ... 181 Timber Ponds on Jarrow Slake ... ... ... ... 183 The Tyne Commission Amendment Act, 1875 184 The Tyne Improvement Bill, 1876 189 The Tyne Improvement Bill, 1877 ... ... ... ... ... 201 Costs of the T\-ne Improvements 225 Tyne Improvement Fund ... ... ... ... ... ... 225 River Moorings Fund ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 226 Tyne Piers Fund 226 Northumberland Dock Fund 227 The Tyne as One of the Great Ports of the Empire 228 Notes, &c 237 Tidal Water 237 The Bar, Depth of Water in the River at the Dock Entrances, Newcastle Harbour and Quay ... ... ... ... ■■■ 238 River Tyne Above Bridge 239 Area of the River at High Water Spring Tides .., ... ... 240 The Redheugh Bridge 242 The Swing Bridge 243 Import Accommodation at Northumberland Dock ... ... ... 244 Salmon Statistics 244 List op Tyne Improvement Commissioners, &c ... 245 Inventory op Dredging Plant, &c 246- Statement of Dredging Operations since 1838 247 Population Table ILLUSTRATIONS.

Preface

. The gentle memory of the Author calls for some few words of Preface to his posthumous work. For some years in more or less advanced forward ness for publication, it was his intention that it should appear about the present time ; and his purpose is fulfilled, but without the advantage of his final supervision. Imperfections it may well possess that he would have removed ; although in his absence the desire has not been wanting for their prevention. Blanks that he had left have been filled with care, and difficul ties disposed of as successfully as might be. Yet still, the loss of his guiding hand may only par tially have been overcome. Considerate allow ance, however, will be made for whatever defects are discovered in a volume that the writer has not read. He had long contemplated its pro duction, and been preparing for it amid the more

PREFACE.

. VIII pressing claims of his daily duties. For the performance of such a task he had special fitness and facilities. It was also a labour that lay near his heart. The interest which he took in the River and its History was evinced towards the close of the past year, when, being a member of the Committee of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle, he took part in the Course of Lectures of the Winter Session, having chosen for his subject — " Tyneside before the Norman Conquest." In the service of the River Tyne Commission the greater portion of his manhood had been passed. His tenure of office went almost back to the date of the Conservancy Act of 1850 ; and as he was familiar with the controversies that led to its achievement, its harvests were gathered under his eye, and were in considerable measure the fruit of his husbandly.

Of the spirit and ability that characterized his course in connection with the Commission, not a syllable need be said in addition to the tributary words of the Member for South Shields, Mr. J.C.Steven-

PREFACE.

. IX son, reprinted on another page. They must have recalled to many a thoughtful mind, on their first appearance some months ago, the earlier days of the deceased, spent in the neighbouring borough of Gateshead, where the same virtues and graces were manifest in his less conspi cuous walk of life. Wisdom and gentleness, a true heart and a sound understanding, marked his youth. Self-reliant, yet unpresuming, he won his way without effort to general favour, inspiring respect and affection. Rare was the combination of gifts with which he was endowed. Ready of speech and pen, easy and pleasant in deportment, conciliatory and persuasive, and still the same with every change of fortune, the world came to his side through life as by natural law, and was ever bidding him move up higher. Ripe beyond his years, bis fellow members of the Gateshead Mechanics' Institute placed him on their Committee in 1844, at the age of 18. The suffrages of his seniors kept him there from year to year, and in 1853 elected

PREFACE.

. X him to the office of Secretary. It was in the opening month of the same year that he re ceived his first appointment under the Tyne Improvement Commission ; and before it closed he was discoursing to his fellow-members beyond the Tyne on the value of Mechanics' Institutes in diffusing knowledge tending to health and happiness. Profiting by every opportunity of instruction and culture that came within his reach, he had joined the Gateshead Institute in his teens ; and during his prolonged member ship he gave back to it large recompense for the benefits it had bestowed. It was early in life one of his opportunities and privileges to serve under the Town Clerk of Gateshead, the late Mr. William Kell ; and he had also, afterwards, the advantage of being associated with the Town Clerk of Newcastle, Mr. John Clayton, and even tually the honour of succeeding him as Clerk of the River Commission. Would that his life of public usefulness had been of longer duration ! But into his brief span of years what an amount

PREFACE.

. XI of fruitful labour was compressed ! He died full of service to his generation, and profound was the sorrow over his early removal. The long procession of the 14th of February, on the Elswick Road, eloquently expressed the grate ful esteem of the community of the Tyne. The Chief-Magistrate of Newcastle (Mr. Richard Cail) was there ; River Commissioners and Councillors ; friends and fellow-townsmen. Tyneside was appropriately represented in rendering the last mark of respect to the memory of the departed Secretary, as he was borne to his burial by the side of the River whose interests he had served so well. Newcastle, May 13, 1880. THE RIVER COMMISSION THE RIVER COMMISSION AND MR. GUTHRIE. The Chairman (Mr. Alderman Ridley) explained to the Com missioners, on Thursday, the 19th of February, 1880, that the ordinary monthly meeting would have been held on the 12th, but for the untimely death of their respected Secretary, Mr. James Guthrie.

It was a most serious loss to the Commission, and it would be well to send a letter of condolence to the family. Mr. J. C. Stevenson, M.P., said that before they proceeded with the ordinary business, it was expected that some notice should be taken of the serious loss they had sustained since their last meeting. It fell to his lot only a month ago to move that a letter of condolence should be sent to the family of the late Mr. Ralph Park Philipson (Town Clerk of Newcastle and Member of the River Commission), the reply to which they had just heard read. But he little thought that he would have a similar duty to perform that day, and to move a vote of condolence with the family of their late Secretary. He had known Mr. Guthrie through the whole of his connection with the Commission, and he had to ask them to give expression to a resolution of the deep regret which they felt at the great loss they had sustained by his sudden removal.

Many of them remembered how from the very beginning Mr. Guthrie had given his great talents and attention to the business of the Board. Since he entered the service of the Commission, it had grown from its small beginnings to the large and important Trust which it now was. During all the negotiations, all the Parliamentary inquiries, all the financial arrangements, which had grown in magnitude and importance with the growth of the Commission, Mr. Guthrie had taken his full share, and his services were of the very greatest value indeed. He gave to the business of the Commission his great abilities, his AND MR. GUTHRIE. XIII great care, his admirable memory, and the extreme caution which characterised all his business transactions. While he was most courteous to all with whom he came in contact, he showed at the same time a firmness and decision which were all the more telling and influential because they were accompanied by so much modesty of demeanour.

He won the confidence of every member of the Board. He was sure many of them, although they might have differed on various points of policy, had always felt the advantage of having a private talk with Mr. Guthrie as to what ought to be done. He believed the harmony on the Board was greatly due to the respect and attention which Mr. Guthrie paid to the suggestions that were made to him from all sides, and from members of the Commission, as to the policy which was under discussion. He won all their confidence by his conduct. He thought they should take special notice of Mr. Guthrie's very great and valuable services in regard to the finances of the Board. The finances were of a limited char acter at first, and then soon they grew under his hand and under his management until they had attained their present important dimensions.

He could not help thinking that the good credit in which he was glad to think the Commission's finances now stood in the money market, was very greatly due to the caution, wisdom, and incessant attention Mr. Guthrie gave to them. That scheme of his which he suggested and carried out so successfully of amal gamating all the funds of the Trust, which were so confusing in their variety, and which it was impossible to make outsiders understand with reference to the nature of the security which the Commission offered them when they advanced money — that most important scheme, the almost sheet-anchor of their finances, was devised and carried out with great success by Mr. Guthrie — namely, the consolidation of all those various funds into one. For that service alone which he rendered to the Board he deserved their most grateful recognition.

They must all feel that his situation was one which could never be supplied. However able might be his successor, he could not have that long and THE RIVER COMMISSION. XIV intimate knowledge of the past transactions of the Commissioners which Mr. Guthrie possessed. He did not wish to occupy more of their time, but he had put upon paper a minute to this effect, which he begged the Commissioners to adopt:— " The Commissioners desire to record their profound regret at the loss they have sustained by the sudden death of their Secretary, Mr. James Guthrie, on the 11th inst. Mr. Guthrie entered the service of the Commission as Accountant in the second year of its existence; and having for some years discharged the duties of Sec retary, he was formally appointed to that office in 1801. After the retirement of Mr. John Clayton, Mr. Guthrie was appointed Clerk in 1874.

His intimate and accurate knowledge of the affairs of the Commission from the beginning, his ready recollection of all their transactions, and the cautious wisdom with which he brought his information to assist the deliberations of the Board, were of the greatest service. His good temper and courtesy were unfailing. The careful attention which he gave to the financial affairs of the river, and especially the skill with which he devised and carried out the scheme of consolidating the various funds of the Trust, especially deserve the recognition of the Commission, the success of his efforts being seen in the financial credit of the Commission at this time." So far they ought to put on record the expression of their regret at his loss. But he considered a little more than that should be done, and that was to convey their sympathy to the family at the loss which they had sustained, and this might take the form of a second resolution, which he had written as follows: — " The Commission desire to convey to Mr. Guthrie's family their deep sympathy with them in their sudden and mournful bereave ment."

He begged to move these two resolutions, which he hoped would commend themselves to the Board as being suitable under the circumstances. Mr. Aid. Hodgson seconded the resolutions, which were agreed to unanimously.