CHAP. XL NEW LONDON BRIDGE. 271 



arches of the old bridge, and to erect an entirely new 

 structure. The bill, of course, had its opponents ; some 

 arguing that there was no necessity for a new bridge, 

 and that its erection would be only a useless waste of 

 money, whilst the old one could be repaired and made 

 fit for traffic at so much less outlay. The case in favour 

 of the new bridge was, however, too strong to be re- 

 sisted, and Mr. Rennie's evidence was considered so 

 clear and conclusive that committees of both Houses 

 unanimously approved the bill, and it duly received 

 the sanction of Parliament. Power was conferred by 

 the Act enabling the Treasury to advance from the 

 Consolidated Fund such sums as might be necessary 

 to supply any deficiency in the funds at the disposal 

 of the Corporation applicable to the erection of the 

 bridge ; the Government regarding the work as one of 

 national importance, and consequently entitled to public 

 assistance. 



During the progress of the bill through Parliament, 

 Mr. Eennie prepared the general outlines of a design of 

 the new structure. It consisted of five semi-elliptical 

 arches, the centre one 150 feet span, the two side arches 

 140 feet, and the two land arches 130 feet, making a 

 total lineal waterway of 690 feet; the height of the 

 soffit or under-side of the centre arch being 29 feet 

 6 inches above the level of Trinity high-watermark. 

 The general principle of this design was approved and 

 embodied in the bill. Yery shortly after the Act had 

 passed, Mr. Rennie was seized by the illness which 

 carried him off, and it was accordingly left to others 

 to execute the great work which he had thus planned. 

 The Corporation of London then appealed to the 

 whole engineering and architectural world for com- 

 petitive designs, and at least thirty were prepared in 

 answer to their call. These were submitted to a Com- 

 mittee of the House of Commons in the year 1823, and 

 after long consideration the plan originally proposed 



