Thus at Lowestoft bucket dredgers are used inside the harbor, and the
Bazin dredger at the entrance, where there are sand and gravel, and
where the water is more disturbed. The dredger does not succeed very
well in soft silt, because, owing to its slow precipitation, it runs
over the sides of the hopper barges without settling. Nor does it do for
dredging solid clay. It gives, however, excellent results with sand and
gravel, and for this work is much superior to the bucket dredger. The
experience in working was then described, showing that a great many very
discouraging failures preceded successful working, about a year being
expended in getting good results.


COST OF WORKING.

The vessel or barge for carrying the machinery and pumps cost L600, and
the contract price of the machinery and pumps was L1,200. But before the
dredger was taken over by the company the alterations before enumerated
had cost about L300, bringing the total for barge and dredger up to
L2,100. In building a second dredger this might of course be greatly
reduced. The cost of repairs for one month's working has been only L5.
The contractor receives for labor alone 1-1/8d. per ton, being at the
rate of about 13/4d. for the dredging and 3/8d. for taking to sea--a lead
of two miles--all materials being supplied to him. The consumption of
coal is at the rate of about 1 ton for 1,000 tons of sand dredged. At
Lowestoft Harbor the total amount of dredging has been about 200,000
tons yearly, but this is now much reduced in consequence of the pier
extension recently constructed by the author, which now prevents the
sand and shingle from the sea blocking the mouth of the harbor. The
total cost of working has been 2.572d. per ton. which with 10 per cent
interest on capital, 0.240d., makes the total cost per ton 2.812d. The