| 136 | L O N | |
few years ago carried into execution, from
the first opening on the north-east end,
and its advantages were so obvious, that
every body was desirous of seeing it com-
pleted.
However, in 1746 the Lord Mayor,
Aldermen, and Common Council, consi-
dering the many lives that were lost thro'
the streightness of the arches, and the
enormous size of the sterlings, which took
up one fourth of the water way, and oc-
casioned the fall at low water to be no
less than five feet; as well as the great
expence of repairing the bridge, which
for several years had annually amounted
to 2000l. came to the resolution of taking
down all the houses, and to widen and en-
large one or more of the arches. Accord-
ingly the Court ordered their surveyor to
draw a plan, and make an estimate of the
expence; which having done, the total
amounted to 95,000l. when it was im-
mediately agreed not to grant or renew
any lease or leases of the houses, but to let
those unexpired run out, and consequently
the houses run to ruin. Stow, Maitland.
Indeed this scheme was in part proposed
immediately after the fire of London, by
both Sir Christopher Wren and Sir John
Evelyn; these ingenious gentlemen pro-
posing, instead of houses, to have a sub-
|
| | stantial |
|
| L O N | 137 |
stantial balustrade on each side; and after
them, the author of the Review of the
public buildings had the following remarks,
" As some people are ignorant enough to
" admire the bridge merely because it is
" encumbered with houses from end to
" end; it will not be amiss to observe,
" that nothing can be more ridiculous
" than this invention; nothing can pos-
" sibly offend the eye more, or extinguish
" so many beauties as might take place,
" in case this popular nuisance was re-
" moved: suppose the present structure
" of the bridge was still to continue as it
" is, there would, at least, be room for a
" magnificent breast-work and balustrade
" above, and the top would afford one of
" the finest prospects in the world: on
" one hand a fleet of merchant ships,
" equal in value and importance to half a
" nation; on the other, two of the most
" considerable cities in Europe, stretching
" along the banks of a beautiful river,
" and ending with a distant view of the
" adjacent landscape."
At length the leaning houses on each side
seemed ready to fall into the river, and the
passenger could scarcely forbear shuddering,
when he observed that any of them was
inhabited. At the same time, the struc-
ture of the noble bridge at Westminster,
|
| | with |
|
HomeVolume IVPage Group 120 - 139
