The great drawback was the
deficient state of the port, where steamers had to lie at a distance of
fourteen to sixteen miles, and most of the sailing-vessels at ten to
twelve miles from the shore. There was no channel dredged, and even the
Riachuelo was so scantily supplied with water that lighters drawing
seven to eight feet were sometimes for weeks prevented from getting out
to deliver their cargo to the sea-going vessels in the outer roads. The
discharge was exclusively effected into lighters, which, apart from the
heavy expense incurred by the receiver of the goods, presented the great
objection that a considerable portion of the cargo was often broached
and pilfered before it reached the shore, claims for which had to be
paid by the ship. Another point was that many of these lighters were old
sailing-vessels or steamers, and, in the unseaworthy and leaky state
they were in, often arrived with their cargo considerably damaged. On
the completion of the South Basin on 28th January, 1889, passengers were
able to embark or disembark with a little more comfort, and cargoes were
landed on the quays. Docks 1 and 2 have each a water area of 23 acres,
being 570 metres long by 160 metres wide, with a quay length of 1,420
metres. No. 3 Dock has a water area of 27 acres, is 690 metres long by
160 metres wide, with a quay length of 1,660 metres.
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