2-798-806 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Bird's eye view of the London Docks, 1845. Sailing ships in dock on the River Thames. 'The London Docks are separated from St. Katharine's by Nightingale-lane. In round numbers, the former affords water room for 302 sail of vessels, exclusive of lighters; warehouse-room for 220,000 tons of goods; and vault-room for 80,000 pipes of wine and spirits. The superficial area of the vault-room is 890,545 feet; of the warehouse-room, 1,402,115 feet. The total number of vessels which entered the Docks in 1844 was 1911; 362,294 tonnage. The business of the Docks is managed by a Company, whose capital is £4,000,000; and there have been as many as 2900 labourers employed in the Docks in one day...the West India Docks were opened in 1802 ; the London in 1805; East India, 1806; Commercial, 1807; St. Katharine, 1808'. From "Illustrated London News", 1845, Vol VII.