• 1 <

to it at London bridge , and not trust to intuitiveopinions, however eminent may be the persons whoventure them, before such a river, as the Thames , is letloose from a bondage of some centuries on a populousneighbourhood, in low lands, occupied like the theatreof the Philistines at Gaza , in the confidence of itsenemy being shorn of his strength. *

Mr. Foulds, engineer to London bridge water-works, being asked,_ “ Do you know what effect theenlargement of the centre arch had upon the influxand reflux of the tide?” answered, “ It loweredthe river so much upon the reflux, that craft couldnot navigate it in the accustomed manner.” t

* The crown, the city of London , the Dean and Chapter ofWestminster, the Dukes of Northumberland and Devonshire, theBishop of London , and other proprietors, can be paid for theinjury they may sustain ; but how those, living in the low lands,where the soil-will be kept constantly saturated with water, and-who will have the Thames , or rather the washings of the sewers,in their cellars and parlours, can be compensated; it is difficult toimagine. . Sections of the Thames , between London and Black-friars bridges, were in 1799 taken by order of the Trinity House.Similar sections ought to be taken, extending, in the lowlandsadjoining, to a distance where the level of five feet above the pre-sent high water of ordinary spring tides, cuts the land as far upthe river as the tide runs, before the bill for removing the dam ofLondon bridge is introduced into Parliament .

f It is manifest from the Trinity House Sections, that if lowwater should be lowered the whole fall at London Bridge , the river eastward of Blackfriars Bridge to London Bridge will be reduced'to a brook at low water of ordinary spring tides. And it may beconcluded that between Westminster and Blackfriars bridges,where the river is very wide and shallow, it will assume the stateof a ditch in an offensive swamp ; for now, eight of the arches ofWestminster bridge, five of Waterloo, and three of Blackfriars,are nearly dry at low water of spring tides.

See Proceedings and Evidence relative to London Bridge 1799 to 1819, and an Appendix 1820 to 1821, published by thecity of London ; and Reports of the House of Commons orderedto be printed 25th May, 1821, and 6th June, 1821 ; and ReportsImprovement of London , May, 1796, and June, 1799.