PORT ECONOMICS

Although the foregoing is of the nature of an intro-
duction, it really brings us right into the heart of the
subject, the two words which perhaps can claim prior
attention, viz., “ port” and ‘ harbour,” having already
been discussed, so that it is unnecessary to refer to either
of them again in this connection.

DOCK

Continuing, therefore, to deal with the word Dock, the
fundamental divergence in meaning of which on the two
sides of the Atlantic has just been indicated, we find, as a
matter of fact, that the word has a variety of significations
in the English language,! and even when restricted to the
domain of port terminology, it has several distinct applica-
tions, so that it is very difficult to define it concisely. As
associated with ports, it is used with the following
qualifications—

Wet dock.
Dry dock.
Graving dock.
Floating dock.
Slip dock.

Under these conditions all that can be said about the
word as regards its general signification in port terminology
is that it is, in some sense or other, a receptacle for shipping.
The Greek original, Soy, signified a receptacle. Were it
permissible, one would like to add to this that it is a com-
pletely enclosed receptacle, so as to distinguish it from the
term Basin which, in turn, would then be a receptacle for
shipping which is not completely enclosed. Unfortunately,
the terms Basin and Dock are very much confused, and
used interchangeably for the same thing. Thus, at
Glasgow, the Prince’s Dock, the Rothesay Dock and the
Queen’s Dock are, strictly speaking, Basins, and not Docks

1 Cf. any dictionary on this point. It means a place for criminals
in a police court, the tail of a beast cut short, a genus of plants, etc.

IR