and of the intended Bridge. * 63 



This led to the judicious meafure of appointing a felecr. com- 

 mittee, confiding of members who were not concerned in any 

 of the projects brought forward. This committee has made 

 three molt valuable reports to the houie of commons, wherein 

 every thing relative to the port of London, and the general 

 commerce of the kingdom, as far as it is connected with 

 this port, has been arranged with an accuracy and precifion 

 which will enable the legiflature and the public to compre- 

 hend, at one view, a fubject which requires information 

 beyond the power of any individual to bring together. 



In this great plan, they have judicioufly divided the port 

 of London into three parts. The firft is the docks in the 

 Ifle of Dogs, which are calculated to accommodate the Weft 

 India trade, which, ufually arriving in large fleets, contri- 

 buted in a peculiar degree to the crowded and embarraned 

 (late of the river, and which, from the valuable nature of 

 their cargoes, were very much expofed to depredation. There 

 is alfo, in this part, a canal, by means of which thofe (hips 

 that wiih to come up the river, may avoid the circuituous 

 route by Greenwich and Deptford. 



The iecond part is the docks in Wapping, which are in- 

 tended for the accommodation of feveral great branches of 

 pur trade which are fubject to heavy duties. And 



The third is, the improvement of the river from the 

 Tower, upwards, to Blackfriars bridge ; and this third part 

 includes the rebuilding of London bridge. By this means, 

 colliers and coafting vefiels, and all veflels of light burthen, 

 are to be admitted to pafs the new London bridge, and (hip 

 and difcharge goods immediately at wharfs and warehoufes, 

 to be conftru6led along the banks of the river, and oppofite 

 to the centre of the city. 



The two firft parts of the plan have been fanctioned by 

 parliament, and have been undertaken by incorporated com- 

 panies, excepting the canal, which is now executing under 

 the direction of the city of London. 



The committee have, in their third report, alfo recom- 

 mended a general plan for improving the third or upper part 

 of the port of London; that is, by removing the prefent Lon-. 

 don bridge, and replacing it with one of cad iron, 65 feet high 

 in the clear above high w r ater, with inclined planes connedt- 

 ing it with the prefent ftreets, and fuch other improvements 

 as may grow out of this alteration. Alfo, deepening the bed 

 of the river, to admit of mips of two hundred tons lying 

 afloat at low ? water ; and contracting the width of the river, 

 in order to preferve its prefent velocity, and to acquire fpace 

 for wharfs and warehoufes, and for the inclined planes, 



without 



