Capabilities of Staiths.

The loading capacity of the staiths is about 250 tons per hour, at the upper shoots, when the rest of the staiths is occupied by a train of coal for these shoots only. But the average performance is a little over 100 tons per hour, varying, however, with the size of the ship and the height of the tide. The cost, including handling, shunting, interest and depreciation, is about 2¾d per ton of coal for 100 tons per hour, but less per ton of coal if more than 100 tons per hour is loaded.