Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - Various dock schemes which failed . . .

To get rid of the surplus water - which will be wholly delivered into the basins formed by the scheme - it will be only necessary to provide sufficient overfalls in the embankment which present peculiar facilities for the purpose, to limit the flow through any one dock to an easy current, by distributing it through the whole of the docks in the port, and by diverting the residue through the Glamorganshire Canal at some point in its course where the Taff and Canal approximate, on nearly the same level, for which purpose it could easily be adapted at comparatively little cost.

It will be seen at once that Mr Batchelor's idea can only be realised by a combination of existing interests. He, therefore, suggest the desirability of attempting to effect this by bringing those interests together. An although they have heretofore been antagonistic, he has shown in our columns that this ought not be impossible, seeing that the end to be accomplished involves benefit to all largely in excess of what either could obtain by separate action. Assuming the assent of all, he proposes the formation of a Company, for the purpose of taking over the Bute and Penarth Docks, as well as the Glamorganshire Canal, at a figure which will result from a fair statement of present receipts and expenditure, and for constructing the works which he has suggested, giving to the owners of the property thus taken a first charge of the whole, which would be adequate security for their money.

The capital to be raised would, therefore, be confined to the cost of such of the works as upon further consideration it might be deemed desirable to commence with. Taking his own view of what this should be, and calculating its quantities by prices now given for similar work, he estimates that £750,000 would be more than sufficient for the purpose. This amount, he thinks, could be easily raised, if the Great Western, London and North-Western, and Taff Vale Railways would contribute £100,000 each in exchange for ample water and wharfage accommodation, which could easily be afforded, and if the Corporation of Cardiff could be induced to contribute another £100,000 by Parliamentary authority, a sum they could raise without difficulty upon the security of their interest in the docks, and of their shipping dues, which are now about £2,000 a year, which amount would be largely increased if the scheme were carried out. If Lord Bute would supplement this by taking shares to the extent of £100.000, a sum far less would be required for constructing a dock of his own, as it is said he contemplates, then MR. Batchelor states it as his belief, that the remaining £250,000 would be subscribed by the public.