The estimated cost of the barrage complete is £3,658,000, including compensations and other contingencies. A toll of ¾d. per ton on the shipping passing up and down will pay the interest on this sum. This ¾d. per ton additional toll will, it is estimated, be many times compensated for by reductions in the river and dock dues and other expenses, as below:— | Savings Effected by Dockisation. | Per Annum. | | £ | | Dredging in the river | 200,000 | | Repairing banks, campsheds and groynes | 10,100 | | Mudding in all docks | 50,000 | | Cost of operating dock entrances and pumping | 70,000 | | Saving in time of vessels ascending and descending the river | 225,000 | | Saving in towage | 20,000 | | ” barging | 185,000 | | ” warping, buoying, lying off, etc. | 20,000 | | ” management of river | 70,000 | | Total annual saving | £850,100 | This is equal to a reduction of 6·8d. per ton on the tonnage of shipping (30,000,000) entering and leaving the Port, or equal to 7½ times the interest on the cost of the barrage. To the credit of the barrage must also be set the removal from the prospective future of enormous outlays contemplated for:— | £ | | Purchasing docks, estimated at | 30,000,000 | | Improving ditto and dredging river | 7,000,000 | | Cost of a water supply from Wales or other source | 24,000,000 | | Total | £61,000,000 |
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