104 THE DOVER ROAD 



the trains, the busy, yet silent, traffic of the river, the 

 smoke rising in wreaths from those distant chimneys 

 of Wouldham and Borstal, all bespeak labour and 

 commerce, and all these rumours of a busy community 

 blend finely with the shattered majesty of that ancient 

 Castle, the solemnity of the Cathedral, and the noisy, 

 yet restful, carving of the raucous rooks who circle round 

 about those lofty battlements, their outcry mingled 

 with the sobbing, moaning voices of the pigeons, 

 and the shrill piping of querulous sea-birds. 



The bridge over which Mr. Pickwick leaned and 

 meditated while waiting for breakfast has gone the 

 way of many another old building referred to in that 

 book which will presently have a quite unique 

 archaeological value, so changed are the varied 

 haunts of the Pickwickians. Necessity, they say, 

 the call of progress, demanded the removal of the fine 

 stone bridge of eleven arches that had spanned the 

 Medway so efficiently for five centuries, and it was 

 removed in 1856 ; but how cruel the necessity, and 

 how heavy a toll we pay for our progression perhaps 

 only those who had stood upon the ancient ways can 

 tell. The masonry was so strong that it was found 

 necessary to blow it up. 



Meanwhile, we must clear our minds from a very 

 reasonable prejudice, and acknowledge that, as an 

 example of modern engineering, the new Rochester 

 Bridge is very fine. It is of iron, broad and graceful 

 as its iron construction will allow, and it spans the 

 river in three great arches. It cost £160,000, exclusive 

 of approaches, to build, and was opened in 1856. The 

 old bridge had a protecting balustrade which more or 

 less effectually saved the lieges from being blown by 

 furious winds into the water. Before the balustrade 

 there were high iron railings, which were fixed according 

 to the French Ambassador, the Due de Nivernais, 

 " so that drunkards, not uncommon here, may not 

 mix water with their wine." 



That the balustrade was not very greatly to be relied 



