The Melbourne And Hobsons Bay Railway Companys Pier At Sandridge N

The Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company's pier at Sandridge, near Melbourne, Australia, 1862. In 1853-4, '... the cost of transit, by lighters from the shipping in the bay, via the circuitous route of the River Yarra Yarra, to the wharves in Melbourne averaged from 45s. to 35s. per ton, but, on the opening of this railway pier for traffic, these rates were reduced to one-seventh...It is constructed of the best colonial hardwood, supported upon blue gum piles...The pier is lighted with gas, and water...is laid on the entire length...From the period of its opening...upwards of half a million tons of merchandise have passed over the line from vessels at the pier...A large and increasing coal traffic has also sprung up within the last two years, by which upwards of ton thousand tons of that invaluable mineral are annually discharged at the pier and conveyed by rail...At the time the accompanying sketch was taken the following vessels were lying alongside: On the east or left side, the Gondola, Hercules steamer, Thomas Brown, Dover Castle, Success, Blue Jacket, and Sirocco; on the west or right side, leading from the pier gates, the celebrated steamers Aldinga, Water Nymph, Vortigern, Suffolk, Queen of England, Agincourt, and Lord Raglan'. From "Illustrated London News", 1862. Creator: Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)