▁were ▁constructed , ▁replacing ▁a ▁p ond ▁at ▁the ▁eastern ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁site ▁which ▁dated ▁from ▁ 1 7 2 0 ▁but ▁was ▁now ▁considered ▁too ▁small ▁( the ▁new ▁p onds ▁and ▁m ast ▁houses ▁could ▁accommod ate ▁m ast ▁lengths ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁); ▁the ▁old ▁p ond , ▁together ▁with ▁its ▁associated ▁buildings , ▁was ▁now ▁given ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁and ▁storage ▁of ▁ship ' s ▁boats . ▁Cent r ally ▁position ed ▁in ▁the ▁expanded ▁yard , ▁a ▁new ▁clock ▁house ▁was ▁built , ▁containing ▁offices ▁for ▁the ▁various ▁depart ments ▁of ▁the ▁dock yard , ▁and ▁with ▁it ▁a ▁new ▁main ▁gateway ▁( rep la cing ▁the ▁old ▁entrance ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁located ▁further ▁to ▁the ▁east ). ▁ ▁Later , ▁Sh ip building ▁continued ▁in ▁earnest ▁during ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Wars ; ▁but , ▁as ▁ships ▁grew ▁still ▁bigger , ▁the ▁Th ames ▁continued ▁to ▁s ilt ▁up . ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 0 ▁Samuel ▁Bent ham , ▁the ▁Ins pect or - General ▁of ▁Naval ▁Works ▁( who ▁had ▁himself ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁app rent ice ▁ship w right ▁at ▁W ool wich ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 7 0 s ) ▁proposed ▁replacing ▁W ool wich , ▁De pt ford , ▁Ch ath am ▁and ▁She ern ess ▁dock y ards ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁new ▁facility ▁on ▁the ▁Is le ▁of ▁Gra in ; ▁but ▁this , ▁( al ong ▁with ▁other ▁radical ▁propos als ) ▁was ▁not ▁purs ued . ▁In