Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - To dredge the River Ely - 1860's

This iron machine, which is of the first class, is iron, 80 feet long and 27 feet beam, worked by two direct acting engines, combined power 60 horses, it has a ladder on each side, capable of dredging at a depth of 30 feet of water, with bucket, each of which will contain one fifth of a cubic yard.

All known improvements calculated to facilitate the operations of dredging are introduced, besides others suggested by extensive experience, and which are now in the process of being patented ; a screw propeller is attached, by means of which the machine is intended to be navigated at sea.

The machine will offer advantages to small harbours around the kingdom, where obstacles are presented to the shipping, or which require deepening, and where the purchase or hire of an ordinary dredging and staff would be too expensive.

The dredger has given the greatest satisfaction so far as the workmanship is concerned, and we wish Mr. Mitchell success in his new commercial career.' The Cardiff and Methyr Guardian, Glamorgan and Brecon Gazette [156] 6th April 1861.

Slater's Directory of Cardiff for 1858 lists one 'Mitchell, Richard Henry (engineer and iron ship building yard), Margaret St, Bute Docks'. It appears that since the dredger was unnamed within these newspaper reports one could suppose the name 'Briton' may have been added when she was sold by Mr. Mitchell in July 1863.

In the meantime the dredging of the river Ely seems to have been undertaken to the satisfaction of the Penarth Company by Mr. Mitchell after the dredger was launched and her boiler fitted at Bristol. This work would have been undertaken between say, mid-1861 and July 1863 although according to Mr. David Barnicoat's research she was also employed at 'Cattewater, Plymouth, Southampton and Swansea' during this period.

Back at the Penarth Harbour, Dock & Railway Company the correspondence continued between the original contractor, Thos. J. Hardie esq. and the Board of Directors who wished to be paid for his work. The first letter dated the 14th May 1862 provides further information about the difficulties Mr. Hardie experienced and quantifies the extent of the work undertaken by his company.