T 
44 
COMMERCIAL YEAR BOOK OF THE 
accompanied by the Princess, visiting Avonmouth and cutting the first sod with 
the aid of a steam-digger. His father, after whom the dock was named, with Queen 
Alexandra, came to perform the opening ceremony in July, 1908. 
The new Royal Edward Dock admits vessels direct from the Channel, into which 
extend the two long concrete piers forming part of the entrance. Between these and the 
dock basin is the entrance lock, 875 feet long and 100 feet in width. The largest of the 
“ Dreadnoughts,” as well as great ocean liners, can be admitted, and, in addition to the 
admirable facilities of the new dock thus made available, a junction with the older Avon 
mouth undertaking enables its excellent accommodation to be utilised by ships too large 
for its original entrance. Distinguished visitors from many parts of the world have ex 
pressed admiration for the provision by which Bristol has made good its claim to be the 
gateway to the West, and the enterprise, which has been applauded by the late King Edward, 
and also by the reigning sovereign, George V., has evoked a wealth of commendations 
from others, together with many favourable predictions of great results to which it is likely 
to lead. In addition to carving a great dock out of what was formerly an expanse of 
grass land on the shore of the Bristol Channel, the scheme embraced the reclamation of 
a large area of ground previously of no value owing to its being within the reach of excep 
tional tides. Thus hundreds of acres of valuable sites for factories and dock works have 
been provided close to the wharves at which the liners discharge and receive their cargoes. 
The advantage of such a position for many industrial purposes is self-evident to those 
who realise the advantage of having transit facilities at their factory doors. 
Business at the Royal Edward Dock and Avonmouth Dock has so increased in the 
last year or two that already further outlay is being made to extend the wharfage, transit 
shed and cold storage accommodation, and while the last decade has seen these immense 
strides at Avonmouth, there have been also a whole series of improvements in other parts 
of the port. A fuller statement with regard to the facilities as they now exist must be 
made under separate headings, but the following figures indicate the dimensions of the 
various docks at a glance :— 
Depth of Water 
on Sill. 
Length 
of 
Wharves. 
Name. 
Mean 
Mean 
Lock 
Length. 
Lock 
Width. 
Dock 
Length. 
Dock 
Width. 
Dock 
Area. 
Spring 
Neap 
Tides. 
Tides. 
Ft. 
Ft. 
Ft. 
Ft. 
Ft. 
Ft. 
Acres. 
Yds. 
Bristol City Docks 
33 
23 
350 
62 
83 
4,898 
Avonmouth Dock, Bristol 
38 
28 
485 
70 
2,180 
500 
19 
1.600 
Royal Edward Dock 
(Avonmouth), Bristol ... 
46 
36 
875 
100 
1,120 
1,000 
30 
1,464 
Portishead Dock 
34 
24 
444 
66 
1,800 
300 
12 
943 
I he port of Bristol has long been known for its extensive and varied import business, 
and within the last few years there has been a gratifying increase in exports. 
WHAT BRISTOL HAS SPENT ON DOCKS. 
1 he following summary show's at a glance what the Corporation of Bristol have 
spent upon the dock undertakings of the port since taking the responsibility from a 
company in 1848. The accounts represent capital outlay only, and do not include 
numerous smaller sums met from revenue. The account is calculated to April 30th, 1912, 
and gives approximate figures :—