Chapter VI: Ferries

Ferry Engineering--Extracts from Report on the Tay Ferries--
Reports on various Ferries--Orkney and Shetland Ferry, etc.

Before we had steamers to navigate our firths and railways to bridge our estuaries, the “crossing of the ferry” was an event of no small solicitude to the traveller. In the sailing pinnace-boat of those days he not only might encounter serious danger, but his exposure to sea-sickness and drenching spray depended wholly on the weather, and sometimes the length of the passage, and the duration of his suffering could not be foretold by the most experienced “Skipper,” as the captain of the boat was invariably styled. Anything that could reduce the hazard and uncertainty of so miserable a state of things was naturally hailed as a priceless boon; and the improvement of “ferry communication” at the beginning of this century was an important branch of civil engineering. Its successful practice demanded nautical knowledge as well as constructive experience, for the engineer had first of all to study the strength and direction of the tidal currents of flood and ebb, and then to consider from what points on the shore a ferry-boat, under the varying states of wind and tide, could most readily make her passage across. He had further to select the most suitable sites for landing-places, and to construct high and low water _slips_ at different points to meet the varying states of tide and wind, and to construct roads of more or less extent to connect the landing-places with existing turnpikes. All this arrangement was required, because at the time of which I write, before steamboats were invented, two costly deep-water piers placed _ex adverso_ of each other, one on each side of a ferry, would not have met the requirements of the case; for the management of a sailing pinnace, at the mercy of the currents and winds, demanded not a single pier for which to steer, but a choice of several points, on as wide a range of coast as possible, for which the “skipper” could shape his course and make a landing. Mr. Stevenson’s nautical experience peculiarly fitted him for giving valuable advice in this important branch of marine engineering. It is no doubt a branch of the profession which may be said to be obsolete, but I do not know that on that account it is undeserving of notice; and the best mode I can think of for conveying to any one who may be interested in it an idea of the “ferry engineering” of former times, is to give an extract, with an illustrative sketch, of one of Mr. Stevenson’s early Ferry Reports. I select for this purpose a report made to the “Freeholders, Justices of the Peace, and Commissioners of Supply of the counties of Fife and Forfar” relative to the ferries across the Tay at Dundee:--

“Having examined the shores and firth of Tay the reporter has now
the honour of submitting the following as his report regarding the
proposed improvements:--

“The improvement of the ferries on the Tay has long been the
desire of the public; and though this measure has hitherto been
delayed, on account of the expense which necessarily attends such
operations, yet so desirable an object has been invariably kept in
view; and now, when the advantages attending the recently improved
state of Queensferry and Kinghorn ferries have been in a good
measure realised, the passage across the Tay has very opportunely
been brought under the consideration of the freeholders of the
adjoining counties.

“The present landing-slips or quays upon the Tay are situate at
Dundee upon the north, and at Woodhaven and Newport on the south.
The bed of the firth or river at Dundee is so much silted up and
encumbered with sandbanks and mud, that the piers, which were no
doubt originally built of sufficient extent, and perhaps commanding
the necessary depth of water for floating the passage-boats at low
tides, have at length become inadequate to so great a thoroughfare,
and the boats are now left by the water at every spring-tide, to
the great annoyance and inconvenience of the public.

“It will be observed from the plans accompanying this report that
the Craig pier at Dundee is proposed to be extended from the
southern extremity of the present landing-slip or pier 400 feet in
length, or to the southern extremity of the Craig rock, so as to
command a depth of about five feet at low water of spring-tides,
which will be sufficient to float decked boats of twenty to
twenty-five tons register, built upon a suitable construction for
sailing. It is proposed to construct this pier, where the greatest
business is to be done, upon the plan of a double pier, sixty feet
in breadth; and as it will now be of a much greater extent than
formerly, a _screen wall_ is proposed to be erected in the middle
of it, in a longitudinal direction, so as to check the waves or run
of the water over the pier, and also for the defence and shelter
of passengers from the inclemency of the weather. This pier will
form an inclined plane sloping to seaward at the rate of one
perpendicular to twenty-six horizontal.

“In sailing from the southern side of the Tay for Dundee, it will
on some occasions be found convenient, with certain directions
of the wind and currents of the tide, to have landing-slips or
piers both above and below the town of Dundee, so as to prevent
the necessity of _tacking_ with adverse winds, as is the case at
present from the want of such accommodation. Upon examining the
shores above or to the westward of Dundee, the most convenient
position for a landing-slip is at the Magdalene Point, about 1400
yards to the westward of the Craig pier at Dundee.

“In the same manner a convenient position presents itself on the
rocky shores of the Rood Yards, about 2000 yards below or to the
eastward of the Craig pier. These proposed new piers are delineated
and laid down in the drawings accompanying this report.[8]

“Upon the southern side of the Tay, and opposite to Dundee, the
harbour or landing-slip most frequented at present is that of
Newport. In former times, when the accumulation of sand, called the
Middle Bank, between the opposite shores of the ferry at Dundee,
was less extensive, the principal landing-place upon the Fife side
of the firth was that of Woodhaven. Newport is a small harbour,
built of masonry, with a landing-slip or sloping pier attached
to the outward wall of the harbour for the convenience of the
ferry-boats. At this station it will therefore only be necessary to
extend the landing-slip about eighty-eight feet northward, in order
to obtain five feet of depth at low water of spring tides; and as
the present sloping pier or slip is inconveniently narrow, it is
proposed to add fourteen feet to its breadth; and the reporter
would recommend that this work, in connection with the pier at
Dundee, should be executed in the first instance, on account of its
being of primary importance in the improvement of the Ferry.

“At Woodhaven it is proposed to add seventy-one feet to the length
of the landing-slip, to enable the ferry-boats to approach it at
low water of spring tides, in the same manner as at Newport.

“At or near Craighead, about 830 yards below or to the eastward of
Newport, there is a convenient point of land, where it is proposed
to erect a slip or pier 250 feet in length and 30 in breadth. This
pier will command five feet, or a sufficient depth of water for the
ferry-boats at the lowest tides, and is in a position calculated to
be highly useful.

“A pier has likewise been suggested as necessary at Wormit Bay,
about a mile to the westward of Woodhaven, which, in certain
directions of the wind, may no doubt be found useful; but when the
piers opposite to Dundee come to be put in good order, and the
ferry placed under proper regulations, it is presumed that a pier
at Wormit Bay would very seldom be found necessary. The cost of
these works is estimated at £20,952, 13s. 6d.

“In forming the several landing-places already described, it
is obvious that there must be a ready communication between
each of these piers and the public roads in their respective
neighbourhoods. It will also be of essential importance to this
measure, that a connection by good roads be formed and kept up
between the several landing-places, in so far as this can be
effected. At present there is a pretty good line of road between
Woodhaven and Newport, which would require to be extended eastward
to the landing-place at Craighead.

“In the event of Craig pier being adopted as the landing-place at
Dundee, it might be advisable to take a power in the proposed Act,
as a measure of the burgh of Dundee, for making a new and more
direct approach from that pier to the main street. The extension
and formation of these roads, however, will necessarily fall under
the joint consideration of the trustees for the ferries and roads
in apportioning the expense between the respective trusts.

“_Boats._

“At present there are said to be no less than about thirty boats
plying upon the passage at Dundee, which are navigated by about
fifty men and boys. But were the piers and landing-places, with the
accesses to them, completed in the manner proposed, and the whole
placed under proper regulations, there can be little doubt that
the ferry of Dundee would be much better attended, and the public
better served, by one half of the present number of boats, as has
been experienced on the ferries of the Firth of Forth.

“_Steamboats._

“Some are of opinion that both the number of boats and of piers or
landing-places might be still further reduced by the introduction
of the _Steamboat_ upon this passage. The reporter, however,
does not think it would be advisable to have fewer than three
landing-places at each station, as even the steamboat itself is
more or less liable to fall short or to be driven past its port by
adverse winds and strong currents; and, in a great public measure
of this kind, it is proper to be prepared for the worst that is
likely to happen. Regarding the adoption of the steamboat in
preference to sailing-boats, the reporter is not however prepared
to give any very decided opinion upon the subject. He has, indeed,
seen the steamboat used with great facility on the passage across
the river Mersey at Liverpool, and has himself brought the plan
of a steamboat under the notice of several of the trustees for
Kinghorn and Queensferry passages, proposed to be constructed upon
similar principles with that originally tried, it is believed,
by the late Mr. Millar of Dalswinton. But it would seem to be
premature to recommend the framing of the Bill or the construction
of piers for Dundee ferry upon the idea of the exclusive use of
the steamboat. The consideration of the late unpleasant accidents
which have befallen some of those boats renders this a matter of
great delicacy, and one in which much precaution should be used
on so public a ferry. Under such circumstances it is not only
necessary to consult the actual safety of passengers while afloat,
but even to meet their prejudices, with proper attention to their
comfort. From considerations of this kind, the reporter recommends
that such of the piers or landing-slips on the ferry of Dundee as
may ultimately be erected, should be completed agreeably to the
plan herein proposed; and it is fortunate that, with some trifling
alterations or additions, the piers suitable for the common boat
can be made answerable for the steamboat. When this measure is in
full operation it may then be highly proper to make an experiment
with the steamboat upon the passage at Dundee, and if this mode is
approven of by the public it can be extended, and the number of
sailing-boats diminished accordingly.”

Mr. Stevenson was employed to give similar advice by other Trusts, and particularly by the “Trustees of the Queensferry Passage” and the “Trustees of the Edinburgh and Fife Ferry,” both across the Forth,--the “Freeholders and Justices of Peace of the counties of Ross and Sutherland,” for the Ferry of the Dornoch,--the “Freeholders of the county of Glamorganshire,” for the new passage-ferry of the Severn, to all of whom he made reports at various times, as to the improvement of the mode of communication under their charge. He also was engaged by the Lords of the Treasury “to inquire into and report on the best mode of improving the post-packet communication to Orkney and Shetland,” which he did after careful survey and consideration, in an elaborate report, from which I give the following extracts, as illustrating some of the disadvantages under which the public laboured before steam was generally adopted:--

“The islands of Orkney are separated from the coast of Caithness or
mainland of Scotland by the rapid channel of the Pentland Firth,
which varies in breadth from six to nine miles, while Zetland lies
fifty miles to the northward of Orkney.”

“These two groups of islands, forming one county, are of late
years greatly advanced in importance, and possess an aggregate
population of 60,000 inhabitants, who are chiefly engaged in
maritime affairs and fishing adventures. From their local position
also in the North Sea, they lie much in the track of vessels
sailing in the higher latitudes, and correspondence with them
regarding the destination and insurance of ships is often of the
greatest importance to commercial men. It is likewise known to the
Right Honourable the Lord Advocate of Scotland, and the Honourable
the Sheriff of the county, that the want of a proper communication
by post not unfrequently interferes with the regular administration
of justice in these islands; and now that Orkney and Shetland
jointly send a member to Parliament, the evils resulting from the
want of a regular communication press more forcibly, not only on
the inhabitants of these islands, but on the public generally.

“So uncertain is the post of Zetland on its present footing, that
the reporter himself carried to Lerwick the first intelligence of
the appointment of Sir William Rae as Lord Advocate of Scotland,
after it had been currently known through the newspapers in all
other parts of the kingdom for several weeks, and it is well known
that the succession of the King was not known in Lerwick for
several months after the event took place. During the winter months
the intercourse is indeed precarious as well as uncertain, and much
painful delay is often experienced by parties interested in any
question connected with the insurance of vessels wrecked on this
dangerous coast.

“In order to lessen the labour and expense to themselves, the
Orkney ferrymen on either side contrive to leave their shores so as
to meet about the middle of the Firth, where they exchange the mail
and passengers, and then return to their respective homes. In this
way they seldom complete the full trip across the Firth, excepting
when obliged by stress of weather. This interchange of the post
from boats, it must be allowed, is rather a hazardous experiment
anywhere, but more especially in the middle of the Pentland Firth;
and whether the inhospitable state of the shores on either side,
the rough and boisterous nature of the sea to be passed through, or
the want of management be considered, there is evidently great room
for improvement on the ferry of the Pentland Firth.”

This communication is now, as is well known, carried on by first-class steamers, which touch at Kirkwall and Lerwick, and by a daily mail steamer which crosses the Pentland Firth from the low-water pier at Scrabster in Caithness to Stromness in Orkney; and the travelling public may be congratulated that the ferry communication of the early part of the century, of which I have given a sketch in this chapter, no longer forms a part of the practice of the civil engineer.