Of these there are two sub-classes, viz. those engaged in obtaining the
ballast by steam power, and those who still procure it as of old by
muscular power.
Of seven dredging-engines employed in the collecting of ballast from
the bed of the Thames there are three, the Hercules, the Goliath, and
the Samson. These are now stationed respectively in Barking Reach, Half
Reach near Dagenham, and the bottom of Half-way Reach off Rainham. Most
persons who have proceeded up or down the Thames will have perceived
black unshapely masses, with no visible indications that they may
be classed with steam-vessels except a chimney and smoke. These are
the dredging-vessels; they are of about 200 tons burden. The engines
of the Hercules and the Samson are of 20-horse power,--those of the
Goliath are 25. When the process of dredging is carried on, the use
of the dredging-vessel is obvious to any spectator; but I believe
that most persons imagine the object to be merely to deepen the river
by removing inequalities in its bed, and so to render its navigation
easier by equalizing its depth, and in some degrees checking the power
of cross-currents. Few are aware that an ulterior object is gained.
I visited one of these steam-dredgers, and was very courteously
shown over it. The first feeling was an impression of the order,
regularity, and trimness that prevailed. In the engineers’ department,
too, there was an aspect, as well as a feeling, of extreme snugness,
the more perceptible both to the eye and the body from its contrast
with the intense cold on the muddy river outside, then running down
in very strong ebb. In the engineers’ department there was more than
cleanliness; there was a brightness about the brass-handles attached
to the machinery, and, indeed, about every portion of the apparatus
at all susceptible of brightness, which indicated a constant and
systematic attention by well-skilled hands. Each dredger carries eight
men, the master (called the captain, commonly enough, on the river),
two engineers, an engineer’s assistant, two legsmen (who attend to
the ladders), and three men for general purposes. They are all called
engine-men. The master of the dredger I visited had the weather-beaten
look of the experienced seaman, and the quiet way of talking of past
voyages which is found generally in men who have really served,
whether in the merchant service or royal navy. He resided on board the
dredger with his wife and family, the principal cabin being a very
comfortable parlour. All the men live on board, having their turns
for visit to the shore from Saturday morning, noon, or evening (as
their business permits), to Monday morning. Their sleeping-places are
admirable for cleanliness. All the dredgers are under the control of
the corporation of the Trinity House. They are, as it was worded to
me, as strong as wood and iron can make them. But for secure anchorage
these dredgers would soon go adrift. Colliers beating up or down
occasionally run against the dredgers: this happens mostly in light
winds, when the masters of these colliers are afraid to let go their
anchors. The machinery consists of a steam-engine and spur-gear for
directing the buckets. The application of the steam-power I need not
minutely describe, as it does not differ from other applications where
motion has to be communicated. It is connected with strong iron beams,
having cogged and connected wheels, which when put into operation give
upward and downward motion to the buckets. These buckets are placed
on ladders as they are called, one on each side the vessel. These
ladders (or shafts) consist of three heavy beams of wood, firmly bolted
together and fitted with friction-wheels. To each ladder 29 buckets
are attached, each bucket holding 2-1/2 cwt. of gravel. Each bucket
is attached by joints to the next, and a series of holes permits the
water drawn up with the deposit to ooze out. When the bucket touches
the bottom of the river it dips, as it is called. A rotary motion being
communicated, the construction ensures the buckets being brought up
flat on the ladder until a due height is attained, when the rotary (or
circular) motion again comes into play, and the contents of the bucket
are emptied into a lighter moored alongside, and the empty bucket is
driven down to be refilled. The contents so drawn up are disposed of
for ballast, which is the ulterior purpose I have alluded to. Upon an
average the buckets revolve once in two minutes. That time, however,
varies, from the nature of the bed of the river. The Goliath and the
Samson being fitted up with marine engines drive the fastest. The three
vessels have for the last year worked within a circle of a mile. The
quantity of ballast raised depends upon the demand, as well as upon
the character of the deposit at the bottom of the river. Between 900
and 1000 tons have been raised in 7-1/2 hours, sometimes in a like
period less than 300 tons have been raised. The dredger I was on board
of has taken in a year from 180,000 to 190,000 tons. A stratum of mud
2-1/2 feet had been raised, then 3 feet of gravel, and a chalk bottom
was anticipated. In some places 15 feet have been so cleared away to a
chalk bottom. In others 15 feet have been so worked off, and no bottom
but gravel reached. The gravel lies in shoals. Sometimes the dredgers
come to hard conglomerate gravel, as compact as a rock. No fossils
have been found. In a few places a clay bottom has been met with. The
men in the dredgers are paid according to the number of tons raised,
the proceeds being duly apportioned. They work as frequently by night
as by day, their labour depending upon the time when an order for a
supply of ballast is received. Each lighter holds 60 tons of ballast.
The dredgers above bridge are the property of individuals working
with the concurrence of the civic corporation of London. Those below
bridge are, as I have said, under the control of the corporation of the
Trinity House. The Hercules was the first Trinity House dredger worked
by steam. Private individuals, however, employed steam sooner than the
Trinity House authorities to draw up materials to mix with lime for
building purposes. The first Trinity House steam-dredger was started in
1827.
I had some conversation with a man employed on one of the
steam-dredgers. He described the process carried on there as I have
given it, estimating the tons of ballast raised at about 4000 a-week.
He expressed a sense of his good fortune in having the employment he
had; he was well used, and wouldn’t like to change. He declined stating
his earnings (otherwise than that he had his fair share) until he saw
his master, and of course I did not press him further on the subject.
The ballast-getters are men employed in raising ballast from the bed
of the river by bodily labour. The apparatus by which this is effected
consists of a long staff or pole, about thirty-five feet in length.
At the end of this is an iron “spoon” or ring, underneath which is a
leathern bag holding about 20 cwt. The ballast is raised on board the
working-lighters by means of this spoon. The working-lighters carry six
hands: that is, a staffsman whose duty it is to attend to the staff;
a bagman, who empties the bag; a chainsman, who hauls at the chain;
a heelsman, who lets go the pall of the winch; and two trimmers, who
trim the ballast in the lighter as fast as it comes in. Previous to
the men getting at work, the staffsman takes hold of the spoon to feel
whereabout the ballast-bed lies. When this is found, he puts down his
“sets,” as it is termed,--that is to say, he drives the iron-tipped
spars that he has with him in the lighter into the ground, so as to
steady the craft. This done, the staffsman seizes hold of the middle
of the staff, while the bargeman takes the bag and the chainsman the
chain, which is fastened to the iron ring or spoon; the staff is thus
thrown overboard into the water, about midway of the lighter, and the
tide carries the spoon down towards the stern. The staffsman then
fastens the staff to the lighter by means of the gaff-string or rope
attached to the side of the vessel. At the same time the men go forward
to heave at the winch, round the roll of which the chain attached to
the spoon itself is wound. All the men, with the exception of the
staffsman, then heave away, and so drag the spoon along the bed of the
river. When the staffsman feels that the bag is full, he leaves go
of the gaff-string and goes forward to heave with the men as well.
Immediately the gaff-string is undone the top part of the staff falls
back on an oar that projects from the after-part of the vessel, and
the bag is then raised by means of the winch and chain to the level of
the gunwale of the craft; then the bagsman hauls it in and empties it
into the lighter, while the two trimmers spread the ballast discharged.
The spoon can only be worked when the tide is nearly down, because
the water would be too deep for the set to bring the craft steady.
To hoist the 20 cwt. of ballast in the bag will require the whole
force of the six men; and none but the very strongest are of use. The
ballast-getters are all very powerful men; they are mostly very tall,
big-boned, and muscular. Many of them are upwards of six feet high, and
have backs two feet broad. “I lifted seven half-hundredweights with
one of my hands,” said one whom I saw. He was a man of thirty-nine
years of age, and stood half an inch over six feet, while another was
six feet two inches. They were indeed extraordinarily fine specimens
of the English labourer, making our boasted Life-guardsman appear
almost weak and effeminate in comparison with them. Before the steam
dredging-engines were introduced, I am informed the ballast-getters
were even bigger and heavier men than they are now. The ballast-getters
seldom or never fish up anything besides ballast. Four or five years
back they were lucky enough to haul up a box of silver plate; but they
consider a bit of old iron or a bit of copper very good luck now. The
six men generally raise sixty tons eighteen feet high in the course of
the tide, which is at the rate of 22,400lbs. each man in three hours:
this makes the quantity raised per hour by each man upwards of 7400
lbs. The price paid is 8_d._ per ton, or 2_l._ for sixty tons; this
is shared equally among five of the men, who receive 8_s._ a-piece as
their proportion, and out of this they pay 3_s._ 6_d._ a tide to the
stern-trimmer, whom they employ--the Trinity Company allowing only five
men and the ballast-getters engaging the sixth man themselves. Upon an
average the ballast-getters do about three loads in the week throughout
the year,--this, deducting the money paid to the sixth man, makes the
earnings of each ballast-getter come to about 22_s._ throughout the
year. The staffsman is allowed 20_l._ a-year to keep the craft in
gear. The ballast-getters usually work above the dredging-engines,
mostly about Woolwich; there the cleanest ballast is to be got. The
Trinity Company they speak most highly of; indeed the corporation are
universally spoken of as excellent masters: the men say they have
nothing to complain of. They get their money on every Friday night, and
have no call to spend a farthing of their earnings otherwise than as
they please. They only wish, they add, that the ballast-heavers were as
well off. “It would be a good job if they was, poor men,” say one and
all.