§ 14. Having traversed the principal streets, both architectural and commercial, let us take boat with our visitor and show him the great water thoroughfare of the Metropolis, which displays in a more complete manner, perhaps, than any other, what London really is both in extent and character. Taking one of the twopenny steamers at Westminster Bridge, he sees before him several specimens of that bridge architecture which has made London so famous. Westminster Bridge, under whose shadow he for a moment rests, was built in the middle of the last century-it spans the river with 15 arches, and is 1066 feet in length. In all probability, the visitor will look for the last time, upon this once celebrated structure, as it has long been in a dangerous condition, and is about to make way, for a new one, built in the perpendicular or Tudor style, and in keeping with the adjacent Houses of Parliament.

The banks of the river on either side of Westminster Bridge are, for some distance occupied, by coal barges, mudbanks, a few good houses, some mean wharfs, and many still meaner buildings. As we descend the stream, Hungerford Suspension Bridge, starting on the Middlesex shore from the Italian-looking Hungerford-market, next hangs its thread-like chains across the widest portion of the Thames. In contrast with this gossamer-like structure is Waterloo Bridge, with its nine arches, the centre one having a span of 120 feet. This bridge, which is quite level, and built of the finest granite, is certainly a noble structure, and well becomes the fine façade of Somerset House, which rises from a terrace immediately below it, on its right hand, and extends 400 feet along the river. Still farther down, on the same shore, the pleasant Temple Gardens are seen on the left, green and flourishing, amid the surrounding blackness of the city. Blackfriars Bridge, over which peers the stately dome of St. Paul's, is next passed under; then comes "the thick" of the City, on the left bank, and the sky is penetrated by the spires of numerous churches, indicating by their numbers, though in that respect imperfectly, the ancestral piety of London. Southwark Bridge, built of iron, is remarkable for its central arch, of 240 feet span.

London Bridge, the last or most sea-ward of the metropolitan

bridges, with its five granite arches crossing the Thames, divides London into "above" and "below" bridge. "Above bridge," the traffic of the river consists of coal bargesbright-coloured and picturesque Thames hoys, laden with straw, and the crowded penny and twopenny steam-boats, darting along with almost railway rapidity. Immediately the arches of London Bridge are shot, the scene is at once changed. The visitor finds himself in a vast estuary, crowded with ships as far as the eye can reach. All the great

commercial buildings of London lie on the left bank of the Thames, "below" bridge. The Fish-market (Billingsgate), a new structure, and then the Coal Exchange, are rapidly passed one after the other. The Tower, square and massive, with its irregular out-buildings, and its famous Traitor's-gate, may be said to terminate the boundary of the City.

§ 15. The Pool, as it is called, commences just below, and the river is divided into two channels by the treble range of colliers anchored in it to discharge their cargoes-the city of London deriving its chief income from a tax of 18. 1d. per ton, levied on coals consumed in the metropolis and its vicinity. Only a certain number of these dingy-looking colliers are admitted into the "pool" at once, the remainder waiting in "the lower pool," until the flag which denotes that it is full is lowered, when those who are first in rank enter. The greatest order and regularity in marshalling these coal fleets is absolutely necessary to avoid choking the water-way; and as it is, so much inconvenience is experienced, that it is in contemplation to excavate docks for them in the tongue of land opposite Greenwich, called the Isle of Dogs. A little past the Tower are the St. Katherine's-docks, inclosed by tall warehouses, over which the masts of the larger shipping are observable. The London Docks succeed, and in connection with them are the famous wine vaults, in which as many as 65,000 pipes of wine can be stowed. Just past the first entrance to these docks, the steamer passes over the last land connection between the two shores. The famous Thames Tunnel lies under the voyager's feet, and it is more than probable that at the very moment he passes, light and life, music and laughter, is going on below these waters which look so calm, so dirty, and so deep; for fairs and fêtes, and

even balls, are matters of constant occurrence in the Tunnel, in the line of arches not used as a public thoroughfare. On the opposite shore is the Grand Surrey Dock, covering a large area, and devoted, together with the Commercial and Greenland Docks, to the timber and corn trades.

Just below the Pool, where the river takes an abrupt bend in its course at Limehouse-reach, is one of the entrances to the West India Docks. These docks run right across the base of the tongue of land called the Isle of Dogs, and open into Blackwall-reach; and the crowd of masts seen across the pasturage looks almost like a grove of trees.

Deptford (on the right-hand as you pass down Limehousereach) is a government dockyard and the seat of the victualling department, which every stranger should see. There are always several ships of war, steamers and others, lying off the wharf, and underneath its vast building sheds, the ribs of some future merchant vessel are generally to be seen growing up under the busy hammers of the shipwrights. The steamer has scarce passed Deptford when the "Dreadnought" hospital-ship, the hulk of a 120-gun ship, rears itself out of the water, affording a noble example of the size and power of a first-rate man-of-war, in the days of Nelson. This old ship stands as a kind of outwork to Greenwich Hospital, whose noble cupolas and double range of columniated buildings rise just beyond, a worthy dwelling for our decayed old naval worthies, and a noble monument to the genius of Wren. Nothing can be more picturesque than Greenwich as you pass down the river. The old irregularly built town and the palace-like hospital are backed by the rising ground of Greenwich Park with its splendid sweet-chestnut trees, and crowned by the Observatory, from which place the Saxon race throughout the world marks its longitude. The exact time is marked to the shipping below by the fall of a large black ball, which slides down a mast surmounting the top of the building, every day at one; by this means the thousand commanders in the river below have a daily opportunity of testing the accuracy of their chronometers.*

* A ball in communication with Greenwich Observatory, falls every day at one, at the Electric Telegraph Office, West Strand.

Below Greenwich the river for some distance is dull enough, low flat shores extending on either side, until Blackwall is reached, with its Italian looking railway station, and its quay, always in fine weather crowded with people. The East India Docks, full of the largest class merchant ships, are situated here. Still further down the river is the arsenal of Woolwich, which every visitor should see if time will allow him. The river below, and nearly all the way to its mouth, lies between flat marshes, over which the ships at anchor and in full sail appear sailing across the grass, as in some Dutch picture. Gravesend, the last town on its banks, is at least 30 miles from London; a description of it therefore will not fall within our limits: nevertheless we would recommend a ninepenny sail from London-bridge to Gravesend, affording as it does at a rapid glance a notion of the vast extent of the commerce of London.

The sailing vessels belonging to the port of London average nearly 3000, and the steamers 350, giving employment to crews of 35,000 men and boys. The customs from this enormous mass of merchandise is upwards of eleven millions sterling, or half the receipts from this department for the whole country. At the same time the declared value of the exports was nearly of a like amount.

§ 16. To see the Thames in all its pastoral beauty the visitor should ascend the stream far beyond the limits of the metropolis. The best possible way of seeing it is to take the steamer home after visiting Hampton Court (which he must not fail to do, reaching it by the line of the South Western Railway). The windings of the river make the journey a long one (two hours at least), but the lover of beautiful scenery and literary and historical associations will not regard it as time lost, as he will pass many places famous in song and in history. At Twickenham he will pass Pope's grotto (the house has been entirely rebuilt), and Strawberry-hill, the sham castle of Horace Walpole; Ham-house, an old mansion-house of the time of James I., notorious as the house where the famous "Cabal" ministers used to meet. Richmond Hill and Park, beautifully wooded, crown the prospect further. The old palace of Sheen, famous in the early reigns, yet shows some fragments, incorporated in a modern house, the grounds of

which come down to the water, at this spot crossed by Richmond Bridge, and ornamented by an island planted with weeping willows.

Below Richmond, on the right hand side, runs Kew Park, once famous as the Farm where George III. used to play the gentleman farmer; and on the left is Sion House, the fine mansion of the Duke of Northumberland. Still further down is the charming village of Kew, with its public garden and palm-house; Fulham succeeds, with the Bishop of London's Palace, and on either hand, amid the most verdant meadows and trees of the largest foliage, the residences of the gentry and of wealthy London merchants are seen all down the river as far as Battersea, where its suburban character commences. The Thames so far is clear and beautiful, running over a gravelly bottom, and banked with verdure on either hand. The swans, too, sailing about in fleets, add to the beauty of the water. There are a vast number of these stately birds kept by the various City Companies at a great expense: one company (the Dyers'), spending 300l. a-year upon their swans.

On the left bank, and close to Battersea Bridge, are Cremorne Gardens, shady with lofty elms. Below Battersea Bridge, on the right hand, extends the New Park, now in course of formation, (a carriage drive and terrace running close beside the water); and Chelsea Hospital, with its high roof, and the Botanic Gardens, with their picturesquelooking Cedars of Lebanon, terminate the open character of the banks which are below this occupied with manufactories or with rows of houses. At Lambeth the visitor sees with interest the antique towers of the Primate's Palace, and the old church; and on the opposite shore, the Penitentiary, covering a vast extent of ground, and looking like a "cut down" bastile. In immediate proximity to it is the new neighbourhood of Pimlico, which has arisen within the last five or six years, under the hands of Messrs. Cubitt,* the leviathan builders of West-End London.

Mr. Cubitt sells his houses at 6 per cent. on the outlay.