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34
by Ralph Freeman
In the fortunes of most major cities there another area; between 1830 and 1930 is a turning point in their growth and over nine million emigrants passed development. In the case of Manchester, through Liverpool on their way to new England, it was the opening of the lives in America, Canada, and Australia. Manchester Ship Canal on January l , Until the early 1860s most emigrants 1894. This 36-mile link to the Mersey left Liverpool by sailing ship. It took up River estuary at Liverpool converted a to 35 days to reach America, and up to four months to Australia. Steamships, dwindling town into a thriving city. Some 250 years ago, when spinning however, reduced voyages across the and weaving began to flouri sh in the Atlantic to between seven and ten days. Ships from around the world could Lancashire area, communications to the outside world hardly existed. Roads were deposit their cargoes in Liverpool , but it no better than rutted, muddy cart-tracks. soon became apparent that instead of The trip westward from Manchester to acting in a statesmanlike manner, and the coast for transit to the markets of the using the increased trade passing through world was both hazardous and expen- the port for the general benefit of both sive. It was only possible to go between towns, the Dock Board determined to Manchester and Liverpool with pack- take every poss ible advantage of their animals, lumbering wagons or barges monopoly. The Liverpudlian city-fathers along devious river routes. As industry well knew that they exercised monopodeveloped in the wake of the Industrial listic control, so they increased dock Revolution, it became apparent that rates and other charges steeply in both progress was being stifled by the lack of number and cost. For example, out of a transportation facilities both to bring charge of 19s and 3d (nineteen shillings food and raw material to sati sfy the mills and thruppence) for goods sent from and workers, and to take away the fin- Manchester to Calcutta, it cost 12s 6d (twelve shillings 6 pence) per ton before ished product. Manchester and Liverpool records the goods even left Liverpool. It cost 10 show that the idea of a canal between the shillings per ton to bring butter and cities had been mooted as far back as cheese by rai I from Liverpool to Manch1697. In 1714 a number of merchants ester, under 40 miles distance. For the formed a company and applied for a same charge the goods could have travRoyal Act "for making the Rivers Mersey elled 1000 miles by rail in the US. It cost and Irwell navigable from Liverpool to less to bring cargo from New York to Manchester." With usual Parliamentary Liverpool 3,000 miles by sea than to delays, it was not until 1720 that the Act bring it the forty mi Jes from Liverpool to was passed, the same year that the Liv- Manchester by rail. The manufacturers erpool Dock Act was obtained, the sig- of rubber goods were willing to pay 9 nificance of which was to be brought pence per hundredweight for delivering home forcibly to the Manchester citi- rubber from Malaysia to Liverpool, but zenry in the years to come, with increas- it was ruinous to have to pay 10 pence per hundredwe ight from Liverpool ing inter-city rivalry. The Liverpool Dock Act enabled Docks to Manchester factories. ManchLiverpool to develop into a premier world ester and the surrounding towns lived port. For the next 100 years and more, by its industry, but could not hope to constant additions were made, culmi- ex ist for long with thi s mill stone around nating in July 1846, when the Prince its neck. Something had to be done! A local landowner, the Duke of Consort officially opened Albert Dock with great ceremony. During the 1850s Bridgewater, was instrumental in formAlbert Dock was the base for the East ing a consortium to build the ManchIndia and China trades. The warehouses, ester Ship Canal. The idea was not a which were more secure and fireproof visionary inspiration, but rather a line of than any others previously built, were action dictated by circumstance and need. Whenever a major crisis threatens, ideal for stori ng valuable commodities such as tea, tobacco, cotton, rubber, wines often a man will rise up as a natural and spirits. Innovations such as cold leader. Such a man was Daniel Adamstorage were designed for meat, fish and son, a North Country-born engineer who other perishables; ice was supplied to owned a boiler- making works near the fishing fleet 's base, so that catches Manchester. Born into an age when from the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean mechanization and the industrial revocould be distributed. And the Port of lution were at their height, the thought of Liverpool achieved preeminence in following in the steps of his agricultural SEA HISTORY 53, SPRING 1990