48o | 
moved, being expenfive and dangerous in 
-3tfelf, and forming an obfruétion in the 
moft valuable part of the river; if the 
prefent bridge is to be removed, the 
new bridge fhould be rébuilt upon that 
plan which fhould leave the river clear of 
obfacles,and at the fame time refle& mott 
credit on the Britifh artifts. 
Ifa fingle arch can be con#rugted with- 
out engangering the folidity ard duration 
of the firu€kure, moft undoubtedly there 
can be only one opinion as to the propriety 
of adopting it: it would be a great na- 
tional work, combining the greateft degree 
of utility and magnificence, and fuperior, 
an its kind, to any thing the world has yet 
feen. 
In a work of this nature, it would have 
been imprudent to have been guided by 
the judgment or opinion of any individual; 
it thexefore became neceflary to collec the 
fentiments of ail the perfons moft eminent 
for icientie knowledge and p-aétical fkill: 
——this has been done by the Committee, 
an the moft effeétual and impartial manner 
that could be cevifed, by tran{mitting co- 
pies of the plans, explanatery drawings, 
and the queries relating thereto, to perfons 
who are well qualified to inveftigate the 
Subject; thefe gentlemen have taken it up 
with an impartiality, candour, and patri- 
otifm, which does them honour, and have 
furnifhed able and fatisfaGtory demonftra- 
tions and opinions ; the refult is, that an 
arch of the plan and dimenfions referred 
to their confideration may be conftructed 
fo as ta be rendered a fubftantial and dur- 
able edifice. 
The particulars of thefe mafterly difqui- 
fitions are contained in the Appendix to 
the 4th Report of the Seleét Committee 
for the further Improvement of the Port of 
onden: they will be the means of throw- 
ang much new light on this important 
Subje&, and will, mof probably, change 
the principles and prattice of this f{pecies 
of architeéture. 
It would require manydrawings,and much 
detail, toconvey anadequateideaofthe form 
and confiruction of this magnificent arch ; 
4t cannot properly be fhewn as a whole in_ 
a drawing upon any {cale that would {uit 
a publicatien of this nature: we under- 
fiand:the public curiofity will be fpeedily 
gratified with a perfpeCiive view taken 
from the Surry end of the prefert London 
Bridge, on a plate four feet long and two 
feet wide, and which, befides the new 
bridge, comprehends the principal objects 
‘gx the Cities of Lordon and Wefminfier, 
fon Bow Church to Whitehall, and the 
prepoled wharis, warchoufes and terraces 
| Improvements in the Port of London. 
[July x, 
between the bridges: the bridge part is 
engraved by. that eminent artift, Mr. Low- 
ry, whofe {cientific knowledge is only ex- 
ceeded by his dexterity as an engraver 5 
.and the reft by Mr. Malton, wholé views 
of London have done him honour, and qua- 
lify him to give the back-ground with a 
precifion which no.other artiit could’be ex- 
pected to equal. 
According to this plan, the bridge is to. 
be compofed wholly of caft-iron, which is - 
much lefs liable to decay oralteration than 
hammered iron; the ribs are to be caft in 
portions, of as large a fize as to be conve- 
niently moulded and caft correctly, and 
fuch as can be readily managed in the 
removing and putting up; they are to be 
connected together by crois and djagonal 
tyes and braces, placed in fuch a mannet 
that any.of the pieces of the ribs, or tyes, 
or braces may be taken out feparately, » 
and be replaced without imjury or inter- 
ruption to the bridge. The ribs will re- 
ceive the weight and prefiure in a direétion 
that the ftrefs will operate upon the pieces 
of iron endways;therefore, before the bridge 
can give way the iron muft be crufhed ta 
pieces. Ail the frames or ribs are to be 
conneted vertically and herizontally, from 
the fofit of the arch to the road-way, fo 
that the whole bridge will a&t as one'frame, 
and by that means lefien the lateral pref-. 
fure again the abutments, and guard 
azainft any error ia the equilibration of the- 
arch. The ribs are to be fo difpofed, that 
they fpread from the middle of the bridge 
to the abutments, with the view of eauing 
the abutments to embrace a greater {pace 
in the fhore, to increafe the width of the 
bridge,-to accommodate the roadway in 
turning towards the inclined planes, and to 
prevent any tendency the bridge might 
have to fide vibrations; the fide vibratiens 
will be further oppofed, by the. crofs and 
diazonal tyes and braces, and by the plate 
or grating which 1s to_be laid acrofs the 
ribs to receive the road-way:—the road- 
way is to be compoled, firft of a light, dry, 
and durable fubftance laid next to the iron- 
plates ; fecondly, of a compagt fubfance, 
which will not admit of water pafiing 
through it; and thirdly, of the fide paths 
and pavements forthe driving way. The 
whole external form of the bridge is to bé- 
ecmpofed of Gothic tracery; the railing 
is alfo to be Gothic work, with Gothie 
pinacies to receive the lamps, fo that the 
bridge will, at a diftance, have the appear- 
ance of a frame of licht Gothic tracery, 
finithed on. the top with that wildnefs of 
outline of which the Gothic ftyle is fo ca- 
able, v i 
The 
