CHAP. VII. OYEH THE THAMES AT LONDON. 363 



port of London. In a private letter of Telford's, dated 

 the 13th May, 1800, lie says : 



" I have twice attended the Select Committee on the 

 Port of London, Lord Hawkesbury chairman. The subject 

 has now been agitated for four years, and might have 

 been so for as many more, if Mr. Pitt had not taken the 

 business out of the hands of the General Committee and 

 got it referred to a Select Committee. Last year they 

 recommended that a system of docks should be formed 

 in a large bend of the river opposite Greenwich, called 

 the Isle of Dogs, with a canal across the neck of the bend. 

 This part of the contemplated improvements is already 

 commenced, an(J is proceeding as rapidly as the nature 

 of the work will admit. It will contain ship docks for 

 large vessels, such as East and West Iiidiamen, whose 

 draught of water is considerable. 



" There are now two other propositions under con- 

 sideration. One is to form another system of docks at 

 \Vnpping, and the other to take down London Bridge, 

 rebuild it of such dimensions as to admit of ships of 200 

 tons passing under it, and form a new pool for ships of 

 such burden between London and Blackfriars Bridges, 

 with a set of regular wharves on each side of the river. 

 This is with the view of saving lighterage and plunderage, 

 and bringing the great mass of commerce so much nearer 

 to the heart of the City. This last part of the plan has 

 been taken up in a great measure from some statements 

 I made while in London last year, and I have been called 

 before the Committee to explain. I had previously pre- 

 pared a set of plans and estimates for the purpose of 

 showing how the idea might be carried out ; and thus a 

 considerable degree of interest has been excited on the 

 subject. It is as yet, however, very uncertain how far 

 the plans will be carried out. It is certainly a matter of 

 great national importance to render the port of London 

 as perfect as possible." 



1 Letter to Mr. Andrew Little, Langliolin, dated London, 13th May, 1800. 



