CHAP. XI. NEW LONDON BRIDGE. 269 



had the effect of further obstructing the navigation, the 

 scour of the current having formed two great banks 

 of stone across the whole bed of the river : one about 

 100 feet below the bridge, and the other about the 

 same distance above it, with two deep hollows between 

 them and the piers, from 25 to 33 feet deep at low 

 water. The piers and arches were also becoming decre- 

 pit. Though the top-hamper of houses had long been 

 removed, and the piers patched and strengthened at 

 various times, the bridge was every year becoming less and 

 less adapted for accommodating the increasing traffic to 

 and from the City. At last it was regarded as a standing 

 nuisance, and generally condemned as a disgrace to the 

 capital. To maintain the structure, inefficient and un- 

 safe though it was, cost the City not less, on an average, 

 than 3500/. a year, and the expense was likely to increase. 

 The Corporation felt that they could no longer avoid 

 dealing decisively with the subject. They then resolved 

 to take the opinion of the best engineers and archi- 

 tects ; and Mr. Daw, the architect of the Corporation, 

 Mr. Chapman, the engineer, and Messrs. Alexander 

 and Montague, two eminent City architects, were con- 

 sulted as to the best steps to be taken under the circum- 

 stances. The result of their deliberations was a recom- 

 mendation to the Corporation to remove eight of the 

 arches and to substitute four larger ones, as well as to 

 make extensive repairs in the remaining arches, piers, and 

 superstructure. Their plan was referred to Mr. Kennie, 

 Mr. Chapman, and Messrs. Montague, for further con- 

 sideration ; and, as was Mr. Eennie's custom before 

 making his report, he proceeded to master the whole 

 of the facts, on which alone a sound opinion could 

 be formed. He had the tides and currents watched 

 and noted, and the river carefully sounded above and 

 below bridge, from Teddington Lock to the Hermitage 

 entrance of the London Docks. He examined the piers 

 down to their foundations, and explored the bottom of 



