54 



OLD LONDON BRIDGE. 



PART VI. 



of constantly recurring alarm to the public. When 

 Labelye's New Westminster Bridge was opened for traffic 

 in 1749, the defects of the old structure became more 

 apparent than ever. The Corporation even went so far 

 as to entertain a project for rebuilding it. The city sur- 

 veyor, however, after examining the foundations of the 

 piers in 1754, declared them still to be good, and capable 

 of lasting for ages ! His report relieved the public 

 anxiety for a time, and the old patching process went on 

 as before. The bridge was still overhung with houses 

 on either side, and the roadway between them was very 

 narrow and dark. Labelye's opinion was then taken as 



OLD LONDON BRIDGE BEFORE THE ALTERATION OF 1768. 

 [After the Painting by Samuel Scott ] 



to the improvement of the structure, and he recommended 

 the removal of the starlings, which so blocked up the 

 waterway as to cause a fall of nearly five feet during 

 the greater part of every tide. He also advised the re- 

 moval of some of the piers, as had been recommended 

 by Sir Christopher Wren, and throwing several of the 

 arches together. The discussions of the Common Council, 

 however, ended in the proposal to erect a new bridge 

 at Blackfriars, and the removal at the same time of the 

 houses from the old bridge, both of which measures 



