The arms of the City of London are,Argent, a crossGules, with a sword the same. Some say this was the sword of St. Paul; and others, that it is the sword of William Walworth Lord Mayor of London, who killed the rebel Wat Tyler, anno 1381, in the presence and defence of Richard II.
London Assurance, in Birchin lane, Cornhill, for assuring houses and other buildings, houshold furniture, goods, wares, and merchandize, from loss or damage by fire: except glass and china ware, not in trade, and all manner of writings, books of accompts, notes, bills, bonds, tallies, ready money, jewels, plate, pictures, gunpowder, hay, straw, and corn unthreshed; and for assurance of lives.
This society was incorporated by letters patent granted by King George I. for assuring ships and merchandize at sea; and for lending money upon bottomry; in consideration of which grant the Corporation were to advance his Majesty 300,000l. without interest, for the term of thirty years: towards the raising of which, and paying the just demands that might be made upon their respective policies, the Company were impowered to raise a sum,not exceeding 1,500,000l. to be called the stock of the Corporation: by a second charter, granted to this Corporation in the year 1721, they were impowered not only to insure ships, but houses, goods, and even lives.
This society is under the direction of a Governor, Sub-governor, and Deputy Governor, and twenty-four directors.
They assure houses and goods upon the following terms and conditions.
I. All manner of brick and stone buildings covered with slate, tile, or lead, wherein no hazardous trades are carried on, nor any hazardous goods deposited, are termedCommon assurances, and are assured for the following premiums, viz. any sum not exceeding 200l. at 4s.per annum; any sum above 200l. and not exceeding 1000l. at 2s.per cent. per annum; and any sum above 1000l. and not exceeding 3000l. at 2s. 6d.per cent. per annum; and goods and merchandize not hazardous, in brick or stone buildings, after the same rates.
II. For the accommodation of such persons as are desirous of being assured for a term of years, this Corporation will assure (on such buildings or goods as aforesaid) any sum not exceeding 1000l. at the rate of 12s.per cent.for seven years, andas far as 2000l. at the rate of 14s.per cent.for the like term of seven years, without subjecting the assured to any calls or contributions to make good losses.
III. Assurances on buildings and goods, are deemed distinct and separate adventures; so that the premium on goods is not advanced by reason of any assurance on the building wherein the goods are kept, nor the premium on the building by reason of any assurance on the goods.
IV. Timber or plaister buildings covered with slate, tile, or lead, wherein no hazardous trades are carried on, nor any hazardous goods deposited: and goods or merchandize not hazardous, in such buildings, are termedHazardous assurances, and assured as follows; any sum not exceeding 200l. at 6s.per annum: any sum above 200l. and not exceeding 1000l. at 3s.per cent. per annum: any sum above 1000l. and not exceeding 2000l. at 4s.per cent. per annum: and any sum above 2000l. and not exceeding 3000l. at 5s.per cent. per annum.
V. Hazardous trades, such as apothecaries, bread and bisket bakers, colourmen, ship and tallow-chandlers, innholders and stable-keepers, carried on in brick or stone buildings, covered with slate, tile, or lead; and hazardous goods,such as hemp, flax, pitch, tar, tallow, and turpentine, deposited in such buildings, may be assured at the annual premiums, set down under the head of hazardous assurances, in the above article.
VI. Any of the above hazardous trades carried on, or hazardous goods deposited in timber or plaister buildings; earthen, glass, and china ware, in trade; and thatched buildings, or goods therein, are termedDouble hazardous assurances, and may be assured upon the following conditions: any sum not exceeding 200l. at 10s.per annum: any sum above 200l. and not exceeding 1000l. at 5s.per cent. per annum: and any sum above 1000l. and not exceeding 2000l. at 7s. 6d.per cent. per annum.
VII. Deal yards, also chymists, distillers, sugar-bakers, maltsters, or any other assurances more than ordinarily hazardous, by reason of the trade, nature of the goods, narrowness of the place, or other dangerous circumstances, may be made by special agreement.
VIII. Two dwelling-houses, or any one dwelling-house, and the out-houses thereunto belonging, or any one dwelling-house and goods therein, may be included in the sum of 200l. But when several buildings, or buildings and goods, are assuredin the same policy, the sum assured on each is to be particularly mentioned.
IX. To prevent frauds, if any buildings or goods assured with this Corporation, are, or shall be assured with any other corporation or society, the policy granted by this Corporation is to be null and void, unless such other assurance is allowed by endorsement on the policy.
X. No policy is to be of any force, till the premium for one year is paid. And for all subsequent annual premiums, the assured are to take receipts, stamped with the seal of the Corporation, no other being allowed of.
XI. No policy is to be extended, or construed to extend to the assurance of any hazardous buildings or goods, unless they are expressly mentioned in the policy, and the proper premium for such assurances be paid for the same.
XII. No loss or damage by fire happening by any invasion, foreign enemy, or any military or usurped power whatsoever, is to be made good.
XIII. All persons assured by this Corporation, are upon any loss or damage by fire, forthwith to give notice thereof, by letter, or otherwise, to the Directors or Secretary, at their house in London: and within fifteen days after such fire, deliverin as particular an account of their loss or damage, as the nature of the case will admit of, and make proof of the same, by the oath or affirmation of themselves, their domestics or servants, or by their books of accounts, or other proper vouchers, as shall be required; and also to procure a certificate under the hands of the Minister and Church-wardens, together with some other reputable inhabitants of the parish, not concerned in such loss; importing, that they are well acquainted with the character and circumstances of the sufferer or sufferers; and do know, or verily believe, that he, she, or they, have really, and by misfortune, sustained by such fire the loss and damage therein mentioned. And in case any difference shall arise between the Corporation and the assured, touching any loss or damage, such difference shall be submitted to the judgment and determination of arbitrators indifferently chosen, whose award in writing shall be conclusive and binding to all parties. And when any loss or damage is settled and adjusted, the sufferer or sufferers are to receive immediate satisfaction for the same.
XIV. In adjusting losses on houses, no wainscot, sculpture or carved-work, is to be valued at more than 3s.peryard.
N. B.There is no average clause in the policies of this Corporation; but the assured, in case of loss, receive the full damage sustained, deducing only threeper cent.according to the terms of the policy.
Persons assured by this Corporation do not depend upon an uncertain fund or contribution, nor are they subject to any covenants or calls to make good losses which may happen to themselves or others. The capital stock of this Corporation being an unquestionable security to the assured in case of loss or damage by fire, and in case of such loss or damage the assured have as easy methods of recovery as can be had against any person or society whatsoever.
For the timely assistance of such as are assured by this Corporation, they have provided several engines and watermen, with proper instruments to extinguish fires, and porters for removing goods, all cloathed in green; and having every one a badge, with the figure of Britannia, holding a harp, and supported by the London arms, to distinguish them from servants belonging to other offices, and the badges are all numbered; of which all persons are desired to take notice, who intrustthem with goods, or have any complaint to make.
The same figure as on the badges is affixed on buildings, &c. assured by this Corporation.The proposals printed for the Corporation, in 1758.
London Bridge, appears to have been originally built between the years 993, and 1016, since in the first-mentioned year, Anlaf, the Dane, sailed up the Thames, with a fleet of ninety-three ships, as far as Stanes; and in the last, Canute, King of Denmark, caused a canal to be formed on the south side of the Thames, for conveying his ships above the bridge.
If the traditionary account of the origin of the ancient wooden bridge, delivered by Bartholomew Linstead, alias Fowle, the last Prior of St. Mary Overy’s convent, is worthy of credit, we are indebted to the public spirit of that religious house for this structure: “A ferrie being kept, says he, in a place where now the bridge is builded; at length the ferrieman and his wife deceasing, left the same ferrie to their only daughter, a maiden, named Marie, which, with the goods left by her parents, as also from the profits arising from the ferrie, builded a house of sisters in a place where now standeth the east part of St. MaryOverie’s church, unto which house she gave the oversight and profits of the ferrie: but afterwards the said house of sisters being converted into a college of priests, they builded the bridge of timber, as all other the great bridges of this land were, and from time to time kept the same in good reparations; till at length, considering the great charges of repairing the same, there was, by aid of the citizens of London and others, a bridge builded with arches of stone.”
However, the continuators of Stow imagine, that Linstead, in this account, exceeds the truth, in ascribing all the praise of so public a work to a small house of religious, who might probably only consent to its being built, upon the monks receiving a sufficient recompence for the loss of the ferry, by which they had always been supported; the probability of this appears from there being lands appropriated for the repairs of the bridge so early as in the reign of Henry I. Besides, it can scarcely be supposed, that a petty convent could be able to erect and support such an edifice, which, besides other accidents, was burnt down in 1136, and was again so ruinous in 1163, that it was obliged to be new built, under the inspection of Peter, Curate of St. Mary Colechurch,in London; a person who had obtained great reputation for his skill in architecture.
At length, the continual and large expence in maintaining a wooden bridge becoming burthensome to the people, who, when the lands appropriated to that use fell short of their produce, were taxed to make up the deficiencies, it was resolved in 1176, to build one of stone, a little to the west of the other, which in the time of William the Conqueror began at Botolph’s wharf; and this structure was completed in 1209.
The foundation is, by the vulgar, generally believed to be laid upon woolpacks, which opinion probably arose from a tax being laid upon every pack of wool, towards its construction. Mr. Stow is of opinion, that before the bridge was erected, they were obliged to turn the Thames into a large canal made for that purpose, which began at Battersea, and returned into the bed of the river at Rotherhithe; but this supposition has not the least foundation. Mr. Maitland justly observes, that the purchase of the ground through which this spacious water course was to run; the expence of digging and raising the banks of sufficient strength; and the prodigious expence of damming off theriver above and below the intended bridge, would have amounted to treble the sum of erecting the bridge itself; and that the space of thirty-three years, which the bridge took up in building, is sufficient to destroy so wild a notion; since if the people concerned in erecting it had dry ground to build upon, it might have been finished in a tenth part of the time, and in a much more durable manner.
The same gentleman observes, that having carefully surveyed the bridge in the year 1730, in company with Mr. Sparruck, the water carpenter thereof, he observed in many places where the stones were washed from the sterlings, the vast frames of piles, whereon the stone piers were founded. The exterior part of these piles were extremely large, and driven as close as art could effect, and on the top were laid long beams of timber of the thickness of ten inches, strongly bolted; whereon was placed the base of the stone piers, nine feet above the bed of the river, and three below the sterlings; and that on the outside of this foundation were driven the piles called the sterlings.
Mr. Sparruck informed him, that he and the bridge-mason had frequently taken out of the lowermost layers of stonesin the piers, several of the original stones, which had been laid in pitch instead of mortar; and that this occasioned their being of opinion, that all the outside stones of the piers, as high as the sterlings, were originally laid in the same matter, to prevent the waters damaging the work. This Mr. Maitland naturally supposes, was done at every tide of ebb, till the work was raised above the high water mark.
It is remarkable, that the master mason of this great work erected at his own expence a chapel on the east side of the ninth pier from the north end, and endowed it for two priests, four clerks, &c. This chapel, which was dedicated to St. Thomas, was a beautiful arched Gothic structure, sixty-five feet long, twenty feet and a half broad, and fourteen in height. Great part of this edifice lately remained very perfect; it was paved with black and white marble, and in the middle was a sepulchral monument in which was probably interred Peter, curate of Colechurch, the architect, or master mason, who began the work, but died before it was completed. Clusters of small pillars arise at equal distances on the sides, and bending over the roof, meet in the center of the arch, where they are bound together bylarge flowers cut in the same stone: between these pillars were the windows, which afforded a view of the Thames on each side, and were arched, and far from being unhandsome: but these have long been closed up with brick-work. It had an entrance from the river as well as the street, from which last there was a descent to it by a winding pair of stone steps twisting round a pillar. These stairs opened into a short passage, on the right hand of which was a cavity in the wall for holding the bason of holy water. On the 30th of September 1758, when we had the pleasure of seeing it, this edifice existed in the above form, only a part of the arch was obliged to make way for a shop floor, and some of the body was divided into an upper and lower story for the convenience of warehouse room, it then belonging to an eminent stationer.
But notwithstanding all this art and expence in building the bridge with stone, it was soon in great want of repairs: for about four years after it was finished, a fire broke out in Southwark, which taking hold of the church of our Lady of the Canons, or St. Mary Overy’s, a south wind communicated the flames to thehouses on the north side of the bridge, which interrupted the passage, and stopped the return of a multitude of people who had run from London to help to extinguish the fire in Southwark: and while the amazed croud were endeavouring to force a passage back to the city through the flames on the north end of the bridge, the fire broke out at the south end also; so that being inclosed between two great fires, above three thousand people perished in the flames, or were drowned by overloading the vessels that ventured to come to their assistance.
By this dreadful accident, and other circumstances, this new stone bridge was in so ruinous a condition, that King Edward I. granted the bridgekeeper a brief to ask and receive the charity of his subjects throughout the kingdom, towards repairing it: besides which, he caused letters to be wrote to the clergy of all degrees, earnestly pressing them to contribute to so laudable a work; but these methods proving ineffectual, he granted a toll, by which every foot passenger carrying merchandize over the bridge, was to pay one farthing; every horseman with merchandize, 1d. and every saleable pack carried and palling over, a halfpenny.
But while these affairs were in agitation, the ruin of the bridge was completed, by five arches being borne down and destroyed by the ice and floods, after a great frost and deep snow in the year 1282.
However, the drawbridge, which had at first a tower on the north side, and was contrived to afford a passage for ships with provisions to Queenhithe, as well as to prevent the attempts of an enemy, was begun to be built in the year 1426; but about ten years after two of the arches at the south end, together with the bridgegate, fell down; and the ruins of the latter still remaining, one of the locks or passages for the water, was almost rendered useless; whence it received the name of the rock lock, which has occasioned the citizens to take it for a natural rock; and indeed though these ruins have lain in the water for above three centuries, they are still as impenetrable as a solid rock.
From that time the buildings on the bridge increased slowly; for in 1471, when Thomas Fauconbridge the Bastard, besieged the bridge, there were no more than thirteen houses besides the gate, and a few other buildings erected upon it.
However, in Stow’s time, both sideswere built up, and it had the appearance of a regular street, there being only left three openings, with stone walls and iron rails over them, to afford a prospect east and west of the Thames. These were over three of the widest arches, usually called the navigable locks.
Thus we see that the bridge in Stow’s time nearly resembled what it was before the houses were lately pulled down: and the continuator of Mr. Stow observes, that it continued in the same state till the year 1632; when on the 13th of February, the buildings on the north end of the bridge to the vacancy on both sides, containing forty-two houses, were burnt down by a maid servant’s carelessness, in setting a tub of hot sea-coal ashes under a pair of stairs, at a needle-maker’s near St. Magnus’s church: this fire burnt very furiously, and there being a scarcity of water, occasioned by the Thames being almost frozen over, these buildings were all consumed within eight hours.
In this condition the bridge continued for several years; the confusions in the state interrupting the government of the city, and putting a stop to all farther improvements. However, some of the houses next the city were rebuilt of timber in the years 1645 and 1646; these edifices werethree stories high; they had flat roofs adorned with balustrades, and had cellars contrived within and between the piers.
The bridge had not indeed intirely recovered from its ruinous condition in 1666, when it again suffered in the general conflagration of the city, most of the buildings being totally consumed, except a few at the south end, erected in the reign of King John; and the very stone work of the bridge was so injured and weakened by this melancholy event, that it cost the bridge-house 1500l. to make good the damage of the piers and arches.
The stone work was, however, no sooner secured, than a sufficient number of tenants offered, who agreed with the bridge-house for building leases of sixty-one years, paying to the city the annual rent of ten shillings per foot running, and to build in such a form and manner as was prescribed. This was carried into execution with such dispatch, that within five years the north end was completely finished, with houses four stories high, and a street twenty feet broad between side and side: after which all the old buildings at the south end were rebuilt in the same manner.
In the year 1722, the Lord Mayor,Aldermen, and Common Council, being sensible of the great inconveniences and mischiefs which happened by the disorderly driving of coaches, carts, and other carriages, over the bridge, published an order, that all carriages coming out of Southwark into the city, should keep all along on the west side of the bridge, and those going out of the city on the east side; appointing three persons at each end to see this order executed: and this method is still observed.
Three years after this order, the gate at the south end being greatly damaged by a fire which broke out at a brush-maker’s, and destroyed several of the adjacent houses, it was built with stone, with two posterns for the convenience of foot passengers. This gate was finished at the expence of the city in the year 1728.
At length the building leases being expired, the city was sensible of the inconvenience of not having a footway, which had occasioned the loss of many lives, from the number of carriages continually passing and repassing, projected a plan for rebuilding the street over the bridge with colonades on each side, by which foot passengers might be both secured from the horses and carriages, and sheltered from the weather. Part of this plan was afew years ago carried into execution, from the first opening on the north-east end, and its advantages were so obvious, that every body was desirous of seeing it completed.
However, in 1746 the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, considering the many lives that were lost thro’ the streightness of the arches, and the enormous size of the sterlings, which took up one fourth of the water way, and occasioned the fall at low water to be no less than five feet; as well as the great expence of repairing the bridge, which for several years had annually amounted to 2000l. came to the resolution of taking down all the houses, and to widen and enlarge one or more of the arches. Accordingly the Court ordered their surveyor to draw a plan, and make an estimate of the expence; which having done, the total amounted to 95,000l. when it was immediately agreed not to grant or renew any lease or leases of the houses, but to let those unexpired run out, and consequently the houses run to ruin.Stow.Maitland.
Indeed this scheme was in part proposed immediately after the fire of London, by both Sir Christopher Wren and Sir John Evelyn; these ingenious gentlemen proposing, instead of houses, to have a substantialbalustrade on each side; and after them, the author of theReview of the public buildingshad the following remarks, “As some people are ignorant enough to admire the bridge merely because it is encumbered with houses from end to end; it will not be amiss to observe, that nothing can be more ridiculous than this invention; nothing can possibly offend the eye more, or extinguish so many beauties as might take place, in case this popular nuisance was removed: suppose the present structure of the bridge was still to continue as it is, there would, at least, be room for a magnificent breast-work and balustrade above, and the top would afford one of the finest prospects in the world: on one hand a fleet of merchant ships, equal in value and importance to half a nation; on the other, two of the most considerable cities in Europe, stretching along the banks of a beautiful river, and ending with a distant view of the adjacent landscape.”
At length the leaning houses on each side seemed ready to fall into the river, and the passenger could scarcely forbear shuddering, when he observed that any of them was inhabited. At the same time, the structure of the noble bridge at Westminster,with the magnitude, safety, and convenience of the arches, convinced the citizens more and more of the advantages that would arise from the resolution of pulling down the houses; and in the year 1756, every one was pleased, that the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council, had applied to parliament to enable them to put this resolution in practice. In short, an act was obtained, and they were enabled to provide for the expence, by collecting a toll for every horse and carriage that passed over it, except those used for tillage, till the principal and interest of the money that should be borrowed and laid out upon it, should be repaid.
These measures being taken, orders were soon given for taking down the houses on both sides of the way, for a considerable distance north of the gate. This not only pleased every inhabitant of the city of London and the borough of Southwark, but every one who had occasion to pass and repass over this useful bridge; and all whose business leads them to pass in any kind of craft thro’ the arches, began to please themselves with the thought, that their lives would hereafter be secure in the exercise of their lawful employments.
The houses and arches that extended across the bridge being taken down, in all the middle part of that structure a strong temporary bridge, made of wood, was with amazing expedition erected upon the western sterlings of the old structure, for the passage of carriages, horsemen, and foot passengers, till the intended alterations should be completed; and this edifice, which was rendered as safe and convenient as possible, was opened in October 1757.
But when the pavement was dug up, and an opening made into the cavities of all the piers; when some of them were demolished almost to the water’s edge, and the whole space where the houses had been taken down was a confused heap of ruins, that had not the least resemblance of a bridge, the temporary structure burst into a flame, and was intirely consumed.
The fire began on Tuesday the 11th of April 1758, at about eleven at night; and by nine o’clock the next morning, the whole temporary bridge was consumed; though the drawbridge and some pieces of timber among the ruins of the old structure continued burning all the next day.
Various have been the reports of the manner in which this useful structure wasset on fire. Some have said, that about ten in the evening they saw several persons who appeared in liquor, coming over the bridge with a torch, and endeavouring to get it from him who held it, while he strove, in play, to defend himself by burning them, at last threw it over the boarded fence of the bridge, when the light disappeared, till the timber below burst into a flame. On the other hand, the watchmen on the Customhouse key on the east side, and at the Steelyard on the west, with many others, are said to have observed about eleven, some lights under the bridge, which appeared in several places like candles in lanthorns; and that soon after, the bridge, from one end to the other, burst into flames: but those who first saw the progress of the fire, observe, that it began in one spot, and extended itself both ways progressively.
At this disaster the citizens were filled with consternation, imagining that the communication between the city and borough of Southwark would for a long time be in a great measure cut off; and every body naturally concluded, that this dreadful disaster was occasioned by some vile incendiaries. The Lord Mayor, who had attended almost the whole time of the conflagration, and did his utmost to stopit, waited in the morning on Mr. Pitt with the dreadful account; and having immediately obtained his Majesty’s pardon for any person who would discover the authors of the calamity, except the identical perpetrators of it, called a court of Common Council, who came to the resolution to offer a reward of 200l. for discovering the base and villainous incendiaries. But though a considerable time is elapsed, no discovery has yet been made.
This prudent step being first taken, the builders of the bridge were asked, how soon they could possibly render it passable for carriages; when they promised to complete it within three weeks, on condition of being allowed to work on Sundays, and to employ a sufficient number of men. This news filled the people with equal joy and surprize; but this surprize was greatly increased, when they found that by keeping men constantly at work day and night, this great work was completed and the old bridge opened again in less than a fortnight; and that in this short time those arches that had been taken down, and the deep cavities in all the piers lately used for cellars, were covered over; the piers which had been demolished had stages formed of large beamsof timber raised to support the upper works, and the whole track of ruins was covered with rows of strong beams placed close together; these were gravelled over to a considerable depth; and a strong wooden fence, on each side, raised about six feet high, with places formed for foot passengers to stand in at proper distances, to secure themselves from being hurt by the carriages.
This great work was no sooner finished with such amazing expedition, than preparations were made for a new temporary bridge, which was soon after begun, and in a short time was opened.
The great loss the city had suffered by the burning of the temporary bridge, induced the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, to apply to Parliament for relief; when that body, rendering the repairing and the beautifying of London bridge a national concern, an act was passed the same year for granting the city 15,000l. towards the carrying on of that work; upon which two toll booths that had been erected for receiving the toll granted by a former act, were immediately taken down, and all horses and carriages suffered to go toll free.
To prevent posterity being deceived by the pompous elogiums bestowed on thisbridge, which has been stiledThe wonder of the world,The bridge of the world, andThe bridge of wonders, the following faithful description of it, we apprehend, will not be improper. And indeed this is the more necessary, as no accurate description of this bridge has ever yet been published. The Thames in this part is 915 feet broad, and that is the length of the bridge, which was forty-three feet seven inches in height. The street, which before the houses fell to decay, consisted of handsome lofty edifices, pretty regularly built; it was twenty feet broad, and the houses on each side generally 26½ feet deep. Across the middle of the street ran several lofty arches extending from side to side, the bottom part of each arch terminating at the first story, and the upper part reaching near the top of the buildings, the work over the arches extending in a strait line from side to side. These arches were designed to prevent the houses giving way. They were therefore formed of strong timbers bolted into the timbers of the houses on each side, and being covered with laths and plaister, appeared as if built with stone; and in some of them a closet, or little room, was formed in the cavities next the houses,with a window to the north, and another to the south.
It has been already observed, that this street had three openings on each side, adorned with iron rails, to afford the passengers a view of the river, and placed over three of the widest arches, called navigable locks; because vessels of considerable burthen have been used to pass thro’ them. That arch next the gate has obtained the name of the rock lock, from the cause already mentioned: that under the drawbridge was called the drawbridge lock; and the third, near the chapel (which could not easily be distinguished from the rest of the houses) was called St. Mary’s lock: and there was a fourth between St. Magnus’s church at the foot of the bridge, and the first vacancy northward, called the King’s lock; from its being customary for the King to go thro’ it in his passage through the bridge.
Thus the street on the bridge had nothing to distinguish it from a common handsome narrow street; but the high arches towards the middle, and the three openings on each side, which afforded an agreeable view of the river. But on the outside the view from the water, and from the keys, was as disagreeable as possible.Nineteen unequilateral arches, with sterlings increased to a monstrous size by frequent repairs, supported the street above. These arches were of very different sizes, and several that were low and narrow, were placed between others that were broad and lofty. The back part of the houses next the Thames had neither uniformity nor any degree of beauty; the line was broken by a great number of closets projecting from the buildings, and by mean necessary houses hanging over the sterlings. This deformity was increased by the houses extending a considerable distance over the sides of the bridge, and by some of them projecting farther over it than others: by which means the tops of almost all the arches, except those that were nearest, were concealed from the view of the passengers on the keys, and gave the bridge the appearance of a multitude of rude piers, with only an arch or two at the end, and the rest consisting of beams extending from the tops of flat piers, without any other arches, quite across the river.
But most of these deformities will be soon removed. Instead of a narrow street of twenty feet wide, there will be a passage of thirty-one feet broad for carriages; with a handsome raised pavement of stoneon each side, seven feet broad, for the use of foot passengers; and, instead of houses projecting over the river, the sides will be secured and adorned by an elegant balustrade. Like Westminster bridge, it will be handsomely enlightened with lamps from sun-setting to sun-rising, and guarded in the night by a number of watchmen; the expences of both which are to be defrayed out of the bridge-house estate.
London Bridge Water Works.In the reign of Queen Elizabeth were erected in the arches at the south end of this bridge, mills for grinding corn, in order that the city might supply the poor with meal, at a reasonable rate, in a time of scarcity, or when the price was unjustly raised by avaricious badgers and mealmen. Afterwards, in the year 1582, Peter Morice, a Dutchman, contrived a water engine to supply the citizens with Thames water: this was, about fifty years ago, improved by Mr. Sorocold; and, since that time, by that great master of hydraulics, Mr. Hadley, who rendered it far superior to the so much famed water-engine at Marli in France; which is so ill contrived in its cranks, that it is said to cost 25,000l. sterlingper annumto keep it in repair.
This machine was at first made to forcethe water no higher than Gracechurch street. The first engineer obtained from the city a lease for 500 years, at the annual rent of 10s. for the use of the Thames, and one arch, with a place for fixing his mill upon. The citizens soon experienced the benefit of this invention, and granted him a like lease, two years after, for another arch: by which means he grew very wealthy; and it continued in his family, under various improvements, till the year 1701; when the property was sold to one Richard Soams, a citizen and goldsmith. Morice having first, at the purchaser’s request, obtained another lease of the fourth arch, for the further improvement of the said works, after selling the whole property thereof for 36,000l. Mr. Soams, to prevent all disputes with the citizens, then applied to the city for a confirmation of his bargain with Mr. Morice, and obtained a fresh lease from them for the term unexpired of that gentleman’s lease, at the yearly rent of 20s. and 300l. fine. After which he divided the whole property into three hundred shares, at 500l. each share, and made it a Company.
The wheels placed under the arches are moved by the common stream of the tidewater of the river Thames. The axle-tree of the water wheel is nineteen feetlong, and three feet diameter; in which are four sets of arms, eight in each place, whereon are fixed four rings on sets of felloes, twenty feet in diameter, and twenty-six floats, fourteen inches long, and eighteen inches deep.
The wheel lies, with its two gudgeons or center pins, upon two brasses, fixed on two great levers, whosefulcrumor top, is an arched piece of timber, the levers being made circular on their lower sides to an arch, and kept in their places by two arching studs, fixed with a sock through two mortises in the lever.
By these levers the wheel is thus made to rise and fall with the tide: the levers are sixteen feet long, that is, from the fulcrum to the gudgeon of the water wheel six feet, and thence to the arch ten feet. To the bottom of this arch is fixed a strong triple chain, made like a watch chain, but the links are arched to a circle of one foot diameter, having notches or teeth to take hold of the leaves of a pinion of cast iron, ten inches diameter, with eight teeth in it, moving on an axis. The other loose end of this chain has a large weight hanging at it, to help to counterpoise the wheel, and to preserve the chain from sliding on the pinion. On the same axis is fixed a cog-wheel, six feet in diameter,with forty-eight cogs; to this is applied a trundle or pinion of six rounds or teeth; and upon the same axis is fixed another cog-wheel of fifty-one cogs, into which a trundle of six rounds works, on whose axis is a winch or windlass, by which one man with the two windlasses raises or lets down the wheel, as there is occasion.
By means of this machine, the strength of an ordinary man will raise about fifty tons weight. But, besides these levers and wheels, there is a cog-wheel eight feet diameter, fixed near the end of the great axis, and working into a trundle of four feet and a half diameter, and twenty rounds; whose axis or spindle is of cast iron, four inches diameter, and lying in brass at each end: a quadruple crank of cast iron, six inches square, each of the necks being turned one foot from the center, which is fixed in brass at each end, in two head-stocks fastened down by caps. The end of one of these cranks is placed close abutting to the end of the axle-tree last mentioned, and fixed thereunto by an iron wedge drove through a slit in them both for that purpose. The four necks of the crank have each an iron spear or rod fixed at their upper ends to the respective lever, within three feet of the end; which levers are twenty-four feet long, movingon centers in a frame, at the end of which are jointed four rods, with their forcing-plugs, working into four iron cylinders, cast four feet three quarters long, seven inches bore above, and nine below, where the valves lie, fastened by screwed flanches over the four holes of a hollow trunk of cast iron, having four valves in it, just at the joining-on at the bottom of the barrels or cylinders, and at one end a sucking pipe or grate, going into the water, which supplies all the four cylinders alternately.
From the lower part of these cylinders come out necks, turning upwards archwise, whose upper parts are cast with flanches to screw up to a trunk; which necks have bores of seven inches diameter, and holes in the trunk above, communicating with each of them; at which joining are placed four valves. This trunk is cast with four bosses, or protuberances, standing out against the valves, to give room for their opening and shutting; and on the upper side are four holes stopped with plugs, which take out, on occasion, to cleanse the valves. One end of the trunk is stopped by a plug; and iron pipes are joined by flanches to the other end, thro’ which the water is forced up to any height or place required.
Besides these four forcers, there are fourmore placed at the other ends of the levers, which work in the same manner, with rods and cylinders, as above. And the same works are repeated at the other end of the water-wheel, viz. a cog-wheel, a trundle, a spindle, a crank, sucking-pipes, four levers, eight forcing-rods, eight cylinders, &c. four trunks, and two forcing-pipes: so that one single wheel works sixteen pumps.
In the first arch next the city, is one wheel with double work of sixteen forcers. In the third arch, where the first wheel has double work at the one end, and single at the other, there are twelve forcers: the second wheel, placed in the middle, has eight forcers; and the third wheel sixteen forcers. In all fifty-two forcers.
One turn of the four wheels makes 114 strokes; and when the river is at best, the wheels go six times round in a minute, and but four and a half at middle water; so that the number of strokes in a minute are 684; and as the stroke is two feet and a half in a seven inch bore, which raises three ale gallons, they raise 2052 gallons in a minute; that is, 123,120 gallons, or 1954 hogsheads in an hour, which is at the rate of 46,896 hogsheadsperday, to the height of 120 feet, including thewaste, which may be settled at a fifth part of the whole.Desaguliers Mathematics.
London Bridgeyard, Tooley street.
Londoncourt, 1. London street. 2. Rosemary lane.
London House, on the west side of Aldersgate street, was anciently called Dorchester House, and afterwards Petre’s House, from its having been possessed by the Marquis of Dorchester, and afterwards by the Lord Petre: but after the restoration being purchased for the residence of the Bishop of London, it obtained the name of London House. It is a large commodious brick building, with a neat chapel belonging to it; but being deserted by the Prelates of this see, is now let out into several tenements and warehouses.
London Houseyard, 1. Aldersgate street. 2. St. Paul’s church yard.
London Infirmary, on the south side of Whitechapel, is one of the many foundations that distinguish our country and the present age. It is supported by charitable and voluntary contributions, for the relief of all sick and diseased persons; and, in particular, manufacturers, seamen in the merchants service, and their wives and children.
This charity was instituted on the 2d ofNovember 1740, in a large house in Prescot street, Goodman’s Fields, which is now the Magdalen hospital; but that becoming too small for this extensive charity, a new, more capacious, and more commodious building was erected by the voluntary contributions of several Governors, in an airy situation, near the Mount in Whitechapel road.
This is a very neat brick building, contrived to be plain and yet elegant, without being very expensive; and it consisting of one extended front, without either wings or inner courts, the whole is seen at one view. To the middle door is an ascent by a flight of steps, and over this part extends a very large angular pediment, within which is a dial. Above the ground floor extend two series, of each twenty-three sash windows, their number and the length of the building giving it an air of dignity. The architect has properly considered the use for which it is designed, and has suited every thing to convenience. It is properly furnished, and fitted up with about 160 beds for the reception of the patients.
The society for carrying on this laudable undertaking, consists of a President, two Vice Presidents, and a Treasurer, annually elected out of the most considerablebenefactors to this charity, and of such persons, who by giving a benefaction of thirty guineas or more at one time, become Governors for life; and those who subscribe five guineas or more a year, are Governors during such subscription.
A general court of Governors is held in the months of March, June, September, and December, to take the report of the committees, elect a house committee for the ensuing quarter, inspect accounts, and transact such other business as may be then laid before them. The anniversary feast of this charity is held between the first of February and the last day of April, when a printed account of the general state of the hospital, the number of patients received and discharged, and an abstract of the accounts for the year past, is laid before them.
A house committee of thirteen Governors is appointed at every general quarterly court, who at their first meeting elect a Chairman to preside for the first quarter; who meet at the hospital, on Tuesdays weekly, at eleven in the forenoon, to receive and dismiss patients, to order and inspect the provisions and furniture sent in, and such necessaries that may be wanting, and to examine and regulate the conduct of the servants and patients; andother matters which come before them, according to the constitution of this charity. All Governors that please to attend, have a vote at this committee, and their attendance is esteemed a favour.
A committee of accounts, consisting of twelve Governors, is appointed at the general quarterly court in June, for one year, who meet at the hospital once a quarter, to examine and audit tradesmens bills, which are paid by the Treasurer within a fortnight after. The accounts are open at all times for the inspection of the Governors,
A physical committee, consisting of all such Governors who practise physic, surgery, or pharmacy, or are conversant in the knowledge of drugs or medicines (excepting such as shall be directly or indirectly concerned in serving the hospital with such necessaries) are summoned by order of the Chairman of the house committee for the time being every first Thursday in the month, and have power to order and inspect the necessary drugs and medicines, and report their proceedings to the general quarterly court by their Chairman.
Two Governors are appointed visitors by the house committee, for one fortnight, to attend twice a week, or oftener, if theythink proper, to inspect into the management and conduct of the house, during the interval of the meetings of the house committee.
A Clergyman of the church of England reads prayers every day, and preaches every Sunday, and reads prayers morning and afternoon; administers the sacrament regularly every month; and is ready to visit, pray by, and administer the sacrament at all times when required, to the patients in the wards.
Three Physicians attend alternately; two of the Surgeons daily, from eleven o’clock till one, without fee or reward, and give their advice and assistance to all such objects as come within those hours, whether recommended or accidental. A Surgeon extraordinary attends in consultation, in all dangerous cases. The Surgeons in waiting have an apprentice, or pupil, constantly in the house, to receive, and, if necessary, to call the Surgeon to such accidents as shall be brought in at any hour of the day or night.
An apothecary (with an assistant) constantly resides at the hospital, who compounds and dispenses all medicines used there, and solely attends the business thereof.
A steward, (for whose fidelity propersecurity is given) has the charge of the house and furniture, keeps an account of every thing brought to or expended in the house, and subjects the same to the examination of the visitors, and house committee, and has the inspection likewise of the conduct of all the men-servants. Two matrons have the direction of the nurses and other women-servants, and see the diet and medicines administered according to order. Under them, are nurses, and watchers, in proportion to the number of patients, who are guided by written orders to prevent any misconduct. Proper diet for the patients has been settled by the Physicians and Surgeons engaged in this charity, and is fixed up in the wards for the satisfaction of the patients and their friends.
No officers or servants are permitted upon pain of expulsion to take of any tradesmen, patients, or other persons, any fee, reward, or gratuity of any kind, directly or indirectly, for any service done, or to be done, on account of this hospital.
Every Governor is intitled to send one in-patient at a time, and out-patients without limitation. Subscribers of smaller sums may likewise send what number of out-patients they please. All subscriptionsare during pleasure, and any small sums from well-disposed persons will be thankfully received; but in order to carry on this undertaking, all persons are desired to pay their subscription at the time of subscribing.
The poor objects recommended as in-patients, if there are beds empty, are received at any hour without difficulty or expence, and are supplied with advice, medicine, diet, washing, lodging, and every comfortable assistance during their cure; nor is any security required against future contingencies, they being, in case of death, buried at the expence of the charity, if not removed by their friends. All out-patients have advice and medicines administered from eleven till one.
All accidents, whether recommended or not, are received at any hour of the day or night.
This is the plan of this noble charity; and though this work has subsisted but eighteen years, yet such has been the extraordinary encouragement given to it, that since the 3d of November 1740, to the 1st of January 1759, the sums generously contributed to its support amount to 79,153l. a great part of which is laid out in government securities. But what is still more extraordinary, 137,252 distressedobjects have been relieved at this hospital; and from labouring under the oppression of some of the most malignant diseases, and unhappy accidents, have been reinstated in their honest and industrious capacities of working, and, so far as our observation reaches, their morals much amended, whereby the public again enjoy the benefit of their labour, and they, and their poor families, are preserved from perishing, and prevented from being an incumbrance to the community. And, notwithstanding the great number of objects relieved by this charity, it has not lessened the number of patients relieved by other hospitals.
The subscribers are desired to take notice, that if any patients do not conform to the rules of the house, or are guilty of any misbehaviour, they will be discharged, and never more relieved by this charity: and not to send any patient unable to walk, till they are first assured of room in the house; and when they recommend an in-patient, whose settlement is in the country, it is further requested, that they will satisfy the house committee, concerning the removal of such patient, when cured or judged incurable.
“No persons of known ability to pay for their cure, are allowed to partake ofthis charity; nor any with infectious distempers, or deemed incurable by the Physicians and Surgeons, or any in consumptive or asthmatic condition, are admitted into the house, being more capable, of relief as out-patients.”
The patients, being admitted without any expence, are required to be constant in their attendance on the Physicians, or Surgeons, at the hospital, before eleven o’clock; and, at nine o’clock, to return thanks at the chapel, and at the weekly committee next after their cure; and those only who attend their cure, and return thanks, will receive a certificate thereof, which will entitle them to future relief.The Account published by order of the Governors in 1759.
London Lying in Hospital, at Shaftesbury house, on the east side of Aldersgate street; an edifice built with brick and ornamented with stone, in a most noble and elegant taste. The front to the street is adorned with Ionic pilasters; the door is arched, and has a balcony supported by scrolls. This opens into a small area encompassed with buildings, within which are accommodations for the patients. This house, which was built by the masterly hand of Inigo Jones, was formerly the residence of the Earls of Shaftesbury, and deserves a much better situation. The polite part of the town is now so far removed from hence, that this edifice is neither known nor admired so much as it deserves. This structure, having been converted to several mechanic uses, was going to decay, but has, however, been thoroughly repaired, and happily applied to this noble charity; and in this house, support and every necessary accommodation and assistance are furnished for married women in the last stage of their pregnancy, time of labour, and month of lying-in.