206 The Thames Steam Ferry. Fire broke out, was originally known as Rother Lane. Walter Besant, the novelist, has placed some of his scenes in this locality. 66 Jacob's Island, near Rotherhithe, was rendered notorious by Dickens's description of it in Oliver Twist.' "It is surrounded," he then wrote, by a muddy ditch eight or ten feet deep, and fifteen or twenty feet wide, when the tide is in-once named Mill Pond, but known in these days as Folly Ditch. It is a creek or inlet of the Thames which can always be filled at high water by opening the sluices at the Lead Mills, from which it took its name.' THE THAMES STEAM FERRY, opened in 1877, connected Wapping with Rotherhithe, and crossed the line of the Thames Tunnel. Vehicles and passengers were transferred from the landing-stages to the boats, and vice versa. The level of the boat's decks at low water is 24 feet below that of the river bank, and at such times the boats cannot approach within 170 feet of the Wapping Wharf, or 70 feet at Rotherhithe. From the jetty at Wapping, and the wharf at Rotherhithe, however, traffic is transferred to the boat's decks by means of hydraulic machinery. There is an elevated railed footpath for foot passengers upon each side of the lift-platform, and thus, in a somewhat clumsy way perhaps, the great difficulty was overcome of providing means of transit across the Thames at this point, whilst leaving a passage for sea-going vessels. The tariff charges are one penny for a pedestrian or passenger, threepence per head for cattle, is. 9d. for a four-horse carriage or vehicle when it is empty, or 3s. 9d. when laden. The Steam Ferry is said to save in some instances six or seven miles in the double journey, besides the blocks and delays in the busy thoroughfares of both sides of the river. The Surrey Docks and the Commercial Docks, spacious and convenient both as basins -and for storage of corn, &c., face the Thames Tunnel Steamboat Pier. SHADWELL lies a little farther down the river bank. Stepney, the parish to which all children born at sea were supposed to belong, lies next to it. DEPTFORD (Deep-ford) and LIMEHOUSE (formerly Lime-hurst) are opposite to one another, the former being upon the south, the latter on the north bank of the river. Deptford, once a government dockyard, has since passed into the hands of the Corporation of London, who use it as a Market and slaughteringplace for foreign cattle. The Pool ends at Limehouse Reach, at which is an entrance to the West India Docks. These extend over nearly 300 acres to Blackwall. They were built by Jessop, and opened 1802. The East India Docks, containing only 32 acres, adjoin the above, and both are best reached by railway from Fenchurch Street. Millwall Docks, in the Isle of Dogs, are also near the West India Docks, and cover 200 acres. They were opened in 1868; the Great Eastern steamship was built at Millwall. Victoria Docks, below Blackwall, occupy 200 acres; they were opened in 1856. Other large Docks are being formed further down the river. A provos of Dickens's account of Gaffer Hexham and Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days."-Eccles. xi. 1. Patron.-THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY. THIS Society ministers to the spiritual necessities of the vast fluctuating population on the Thames, consisting of Seamen, Emigrants, Troops going on Foreign Service, Bargemen, Steamboatmen, &c. SERVICES are held on board Troop, Emigrant, and Passenger Ships, Screw and Sailing Colliers, and every description of Vessel; also in the Mission and Reading Rooms. Three Clergy (licensed by the Bishop of London) and twenty-two Laymen constitute the Mission Staff. The Chaplains hold services on the Lord's Day on board the Worcester, nautical training college for young gentlemen intended for officers in the merchant service; also (with weekly classes) on the training-ships Arethusa, Chichester, and Cornwall. The field of labour on the Thames extends from Putney Bridge to the Nore Light-ship. Contributions to sustain and increase this important HOME MISSIONARY WORK are much needed, and will be thankfully received by the SECRETARY, and by Messrs. LLOYDS, BARNETTS, & BOSANQUETS (Limited), the Society's Bankers, 60 and 62, Lombard Street, E.C. Books, Magazines, Tracts, and Cuffs and Mufflers, are greatly needed. REV. HENRY BLOOMER, Clerical Supt. and Sec. FORM OF BEQUEST. "I give to the Treasurer or Treasurers, for the time being, of the THAMES CHURCH MISSION, instituted in London in 1844, for the general purposes of that Mission, the sum of to be paid, free of Legacy Duty, out of such part of my Personal Estate as I may legally devise to th said Institution." |