bridge, which was thirty-three years ere it was finished. Having sustained many accidents by fire during the time that it was incumbered with houses till 1756, at that period the inconvenience of those buildings became so glaring, that application was made to Parliament for empowering the corporation to remove what had become an unprofitable nuisance. A temporary bridge of wood was constructed, which was wholly destroyed by fire in 1759. The activity of the corporation on this circumstance was highly praise-worthy; and till the passage could be effected, the Lord Mayor licensed forty boats more than were allowed by the statute, to ply, for the convenience of carrying over passengers. Dismembered of its nuisances, London Bridge at present affords a conclusive proof of national improvement. It forms one grand street across the river, having on each side a broad foot-pavement and a massy stone balustrade, at once affording safety to the passenger, and extensive views of the river and the metropolis. The whole is supported by nineteen strong arches; but on account of the heavy fall of water, occasioned, in a great degree, by the broad stirlings, and the contracted space of free water way, many accidents have happened, and the obstruction to the navigation of the river has been considerable. Such cogent reasons have induced the interference of the city, as well as the legislature; and there have been several plans laid before the corporation, effectually to remedy the evil. The length of the bridge is nine hundred and fifteen, and its breadth forty-five feet; but the widest arches, except the centre arch, are only twenty feet wide. The Water Works occupy two arches on the London side, and one on the Southwark side of the river. It appears, that anciently, at the south end of the bridge, corn mills had been erected, that the city might be enabled to supply the poor with meal at a reasonable price, in time of scarcity; or when, probably, the price was unjustly raised by avaricious badgers and mealmen. Afterwards, in 1582, Peter Maurice, a Dutch artist, contrived a water-engine to supply the citizens with Thames water; this was improved by Mr. Sarscold and Mr. Hadley. These works were brought to their present state by Mr. Soams, who founded the company. One turn of the four wheels of this vast machine makes one hundred and fourteen strokes; and when the river is at its best power, the wheels revolve six times in a minute, but only four and a half at middle water; so that the number of strokes, in a minute, are six hundred and eighty-four: and as the stroke is two feet and a half in a seven-inch bore, which raises three ale gallons, two thousand and fifty-two gallons are raised in a minute; that is, one hundred and twenty-three thousand one hundred and twenty gallons, or one thousand and fifty-four hogsheads in an hour, which is at the rate of forty-six thousand eight hundred and ninety-six hogs. heads in the day, to the height of one hundred and twenty feet, including the waste, which may be about a fifth part of the whole. Returning from London Bridge up Fish-Street Hill to Little East-Cheap, the first object of attention is The Monument. This stately column, erected by act of Parliament in commemoration of the dreadful Fire of London in 1666, is of the Doric order, and was begun by Sir Christopher Wren in 1671, and completed by him in 1677. It exceeds in height those stately remains of ancient grandeur, the pillars of the Emperors Trajan and Antoninus at Rome, and that of the Emperor Theodosius at Constantinople. The largest of those at Rome, which was that of Antoninus, was only one hundred and seventy-two feet and a half in height, and twelve feet three inches in diameter. The altitude or height of the Monument from the pavement is two hundred and two feet; the diameter of the column or shaft, fifteen feet; the ground, bounded by the lowest part of the plinth or pedestal, is twenty |