LONDON. 



Tower is called Tower-liill. The right of the city to this fpot 

 was long difputed by the ci'Own, but in the roign of Edward 

 III., feme of the king's officers having eredted a gallows 

 here, the citizens remonftrated, whereupon that monarch 

 iffued a proclamation, which he difavowed in the aft, and 

 virtually acknowledged the city's jurifdiftion, by delivering 

 over the perfons about to be executed to the flieriffs ; and 

 defiring that they (hould prefi Je at their execution. On the 

 fcite of the old viftualling office, to the eaft of the Tower, 

 an extenfive building has been lately erefted from defigns by 

 Mr. Smirke, jun. for the Mint. It is cempofed of a long 

 front of ftone, confiding of a ground-floor, with two (lories 

 above ; the whole furmounted by a handfome baluftrade. 

 The wings are ornamented with pilafters, and in the centre 

 are feveral demi-coliimns, over which is a pediment, decorated 

 with the arms of England. The porch is covered with a 

 gallery, baluftrades, &c. all of the Doric order. Adjoin- 

 ing are houfes for the principal officers. 



Mnnfion-hoiife. — This building, the refidence of the lord 

 mayor of London, is iituated to the weft of Lombard- 

 ftreet and Coi-nhill. It is of an oblong form, and con- 

 ilrufted of Portland ftone. From its maffive ftyle and vail 

 extent, it is calculated to make a magnificent appearance, 

 but the efFeft is deilroyed by its confined fituation. A wide 

 and lofty portico, compofcd of fix fluted pillars of the 

 Corinthian order, with two pilafters at each fide of their 

 pediment, of the fame order, form the chief ornament of 

 the front. Under this portico is a low bafement ftorv, in 

 the centre of which is the gate-way leading to the kitciien 

 and o£Eces. A flight of fteps afcends to the principal en- 

 trance door-way beneath the portico. Thefe flairs are in- 

 clofed by a ftone baluftrade, continued along the whole 

 length of the front. The pediment of the portico is 

 adorned with a piece of fculpture emblematical of the 

 wealth and grandeur of the city. In the centre is a fe- 

 male figure reprefenting the city, having a wand in her 

 right hand, and her left refting on the city arms. On her 

 head is a mural crown, and under her left foot a figure of 

 Envy. Near her on the right is a cupid, with the cap 

 of liberty affixed to a fhort ftafT, leaning on his fhoulder, 

 and beyond him reclines a fea god, to reprefent the 

 Thames, having at his fide an anchor fattened to a cable. 

 To the left of London is Plenty, with a cornucopia, and 

 behind her two naked boys, with bales of goods to denote 

 Commerce. The weft fide of this edifice prefents a range 

 of very noble windows, placed between coupled Corinthian 

 pilafters. Its interior exhibits a fufficient degree of fplen- 

 dour, but is far from being comfortable, as many of the 

 rooms are dark. Some of the apartments are very large, 

 and fitted up in a; fumptuous ftyle ; particularly the Egyp- 

 tian hall, the ball-room, &c. 



Commercial Hall. — It has long been a complaint in tlie 

 city that fome refpeftable place of general accommodation 

 v/as wanted for the difpofal of imported merchandize, but 

 principally for that of colonial producer Several attempts 

 have been made to remedy this defeft, but without fuccefs. 

 About a year ago, Meffrs Smith, Marten, and St. Barbe 

 called a meeting of merchants and brokers, in order to efta- 

 bh(h an inftitution for this purpofe. A large fubfcription 

 wasraifed almoft inftantly, and as foon as a plot of ground, 

 fufficiently large, and in a fuitable fituation, could be pro- 

 cured, a number of plans were fnbmitled by different archi- 

 tects, from an examination and comparifon of which, a new 

 defign was formed and carried into execution under the direc- 

 tion of J. Woods, jun. whom the committee chofe for their 

 architeft. The original intention of the eftabliftiment was 



Vol. XXI. 



principally for the accommodation of public fales, but it 

 has been extended to provide equal conveniences for fale by 

 private contraft ; and thus to form a complet" market for 

 lugar, cotton, coftee, tobacco, indigo, and other imported 

 goods. 



The building is compofed of two principal parts. The 

 front confifts of an entirely new edifice, 64' feet long, and ?o 

 feet broad, with a ftone front, ornamented with fix columns 

 of the Ionic order, adopted, with little variation, from the 

 temple of Minerva Polias, at Priene. Thefe columns are 

 fupported on pedeftals, which reft on the cornice of an in- 

 ferior order, compofed not of columns but of piers, whofe 

 fquarenefs and fclidity form a contrail with the Lghter and 

 more varied proportions of the columns above. This order of 

 piers forms the ground ftory of the building. The fpaces be- 

 tween the pedeftals are filled up with balufters, and above the 

 windows, which are large and fuited to the fcale of the 

 building, are five bas-rehefs, executed in artificial ftone by 

 Bubb : the middle compartment reprefenting the city of 

 London, the four others, Navigation, Commerce, Agricul- 

 ture, and the Arts. The whole of the ground floor of this 

 edifice is occupied by a magnificent coffee-room, at one end 

 of which, between two columns, appear the ilairs leading 

 to two public fale-rooms, one cf whicii is about 35 feet by 

 30, and again on the upper floor to three more falc-rooms, 

 each about 25 by 20 feet. 



The fecond building formerly confiftcd of three houfes, 

 which are now thrown into one : the lower floors are divided 

 into a number of counting-houfes, the upper into five (how- 

 rooms, the largeft of which, fixty feet long, is appropriated 

 for the exhibition of goods intended for fale. 



Particular attention has been paid to the lights in thefe 

 rooms, and by a fucceffion of fky-lights Hoping to the north 

 the perfect light of day is admitted, and the fu;i;;fFeclually 

 excluded. The fpace between thefe buildings, and that be- 

 hind the latter on the ground-floor, is occupied by a number 

 of rooms hghted in the fame way, all of wliich are intended 

 for the fale of fugars. 



The objeft of this building is the attainment of public 

 convenience ; by bringing into one point what before had 

 been fcattered among feveral coffee-houfes, and the rooms of 

 individuals. 



Eafl India Houfe, — This edifice is fituated on the fouth 

 fide of Leadenhall-ftreet, and comprifes the principal offices 

 of the Eaft India Company. It was originally founded in 

 the year 1726, but has recently been fo much altered and 

 enlarged, under the fuperintendance of Mr. .Tupp, architeft 

 to the company, as to appear like an entire new building. 

 The front, compofed of ftone, is very extenfi\'e, and dif. 

 plays a general air of grandeur and fimplicity. In the cen- 

 tre rifes a noble portico, fupported by fix Ionic fluted co- 

 lumns. The frieze is fculptured with a variety of antique 

 ornamenf;, and the pediment exhibits feveral figures emble- 

 matical of the commerce of the compariy, protected by his 

 majefty, who is reprefented in the aft of extending a fhield 

 over them. On the apex of the pediment is placed a 

 ftatue of Britannia, to the eaft of which is a figure of Afia, 

 and on the weil another of Europe. The interior can 

 boaft of feveral very noble apartments, particularly the fale- 

 room, which may be juftly reckoned among the curiofi- 

 ties of the metropolis. In this houfe tlie courts of the Eaft 

 India Company are held, and all its oflicial and geoeral 

 bufinefs tranfafted. Several large and commodious ware- 

 houfes are diflributed in different parts of the towns, where 

 teas and other imported goods are depofited. See Com- 

 pany, Eaft India. 



T r Tii 



