Although this second recommendation was not im mediately acted on, it had a decided influence on public opinion; and, at length, the Corporation, in June 1822, offered premiums of £250, £150, and £100, for the three best designs that might be sent in for inspection. This produced about one hundred drawings, which were referred for examination to the Messrs. Nash, Soane, Smirke, and Montague, the three former being ranked among our first architects, and the other being the principal surveyor to the city. In the following January, the premiums were adjudged to three plans, which, on a more minute inquiry, were found not to be suited to the situation; and a design of the late John Rennie, Esq., was ultimately adopted.

Application was then made to Parliament for the necessary powers to erect a new Bridge, improve. avenues, &c.; and on the 4th of July, 1823 (4th of George IV.), the act for those purposes received the royal assent. Under the provisions of this statute, (which is to remain in force for ten years,) the site of the New Bridge was fixed at the distance of about

the above estates amounted, in 1820, to £25,805. 13s. 2d. It further appeared, that the city was indebted to the Bridge-House the sum of £45,383. 4s. 6d, of which £36,383. 4s. 6d. was in cash, and £9,000. in 3 per cent. Consols; and that its capital in the funds, exchequer bills, and floating cash, amounted to £80,168. 11s. ld.

* Mr. Rennie had thus the unparalleled fortune of immortally associating his name with three of our Metropolitan Bridges namely, Waterloo Bridge, Southwark Bridge (of cast iron), and London Bridge.

thirty-four yards westward, from the old Bridge, which is to remain open as a thoroughfare until the former be completed. The first pile of the coffer-dam for laying the foundation of the first pier, was driven, on the Southwark side, on Monday, March the 15th, 1824, and the first stone within that coffer-dam was laid, with great ceremony, on the 15th of June, 1825, by the then Lord Mayor (John Garratt, Esq.), in presence of his late Royal Highness, Frederick, Duke of York, and many other persons of distinguished birth, rank and eminence.*

The New Bridge, now in progress, consists of five semi-elliptical arches, the respective spans of which are as follow:-centre arch, 150 feet; second and fourth arches, 140 feet; land arches, 130 feet; the width of the centermost piers is 24 feet, and of the others, 22 feet; the abutments at the base are 73 feet.†

The architectural features of this structure are of the most simple kind, and well suited to harmonize with the bold character of the arches. The piers have plain rectanglar buttresses, standing upon plinths, and the pier-ends which support the same, have an effect from the River infinitely more grand than that of any other Bridge that has been hitherto erected over the Thames.

*For a very particular account of this ceremony, see Thomson's "Chronicles," pp. 635-664; it is illustrated with four beautifully-executed wood-cuts, shewing the interior and fittings up of the coffer-dam; and a fifth cut, representing the elegant silver trowel that was used in laying the first stone.

+ The exterior of this Bridge will be of three sorts of granite;

The stairs at each end are also in good keeping with the rest of the work, and will consist of two straight flights of steps, of about 22 feet wide, from high-water. The road-way will have an easy ascent from each end of the Bridge; the parapet is to be plain, with a handsome block cornice.

This vast work is now in a great state of forwardness, and its principal features are fully developed.. All the piers and abutments are completed, and the last key stone of the City land arch was driven on the 19th of November, 1828, with some ceremony, by the Right Hon, the Lord Mayor (Wm. Thompson, Esq.), accompanied by several Aldermen, and other persons of distinction. Many other parts are in an equally forward state, and it is expected that this noble pile will be opened for the public, in about two years from the present period.

Under the Act of Parliament for the re-building of

the eastern side being of purple Aberdeen, the western of the light-grey Devonshire Haytor, and the arch stones of both, united with the red-brown of Feterhead; the heartings of the piers are of hard Bramley-Fall, Derby, and Whitby stone. These materials are roughly shaped at the quarries, and alter being carefully wrought at the Isle of Dogs, are finally dressed and fitted to their places at the Bridge. The Pier-foundations are formed of piles, chiefly beech, pointed with iron, and driven about twenty feet into the blue clay of the bed of the River, about four feet apart, having two rows of sills, each averaging about a foot square, and filled in with large blocks of stone, upon which is laid a six-inch beech planking, bearing the first course of masonry. Vide Thomson's "Chronicles," p. 629.

London Bridge, the Lords of the Treasury are to disburse £150,000 towards the expenditure; and £42,000 has been since granted by the Treasury to increase the width of the Bridge six feet beyond what had at first been determined on, by which acts they reserve to themselves the power of a superintendence over the whole work. The work is executed under the general direction of Messrs. George and John Rennie, the sons of the late Mr. John Rennie, and under the constant superintendence of Mr. William Knight and Mr. Hollinsworth, the resident engineers. The contractors for building it are Mr. William Jolliffe and Sir Edward Banks, who have undertaken to complete it in six years from March 2nd, 1824, for the sum of £460,000, in addition to which there is a separate contract of £42,000 for widening the Bridge six feet; £30,000 has also been set aside as the probable expenditure required for maintaining the Old Bridge, &c. The contractors are bound down in sureties to the amount of £200,000, to complete this great work within the prescribed time.

For the following interesting particulars of the discoveries made in laying the foundations of the new structure, the author is indebted to the kindness of Mr. Knight-whose zeal for the success of this great undertaking is equalled only by his industry in all his professional pursuits :

"In dredging round the parts where the coffer dams. were required, a great quantity of miscellaneous matter was brought up, amongst which were numerous coins, consisting of several Roman ones, both of brass

and silver, Saxon and Danish, and various English, of different reigns; a considerable number of gold pieces of the Seventh and Eighth Henrys; several ancient seals; a crucifix, broaches, and gold rings, which were evidently of monastic periods; ancient daggers and swords; a beautiful little statue of a horse, of theRoman era, of the most exquisite workmanship, equal in many respects (particularly about the head and neck) to those in the Elgin marbles. These discoveries were chiefly made about the western points of the old sterlings, on the city side, where a series of banks has been formed by the strength of the current, through the small locks of the old Bridge. A great portion was discovered both round the parts where the last cofferdam was formed, and near the embankment.

"Upon the spot now occupied as the stairs on the east side of the bridge, amongst the upper surface of the bed of the river (which consisted apparently of burnt ruins), were found between thirty and forty gold sovereigns, half sovereigns, and angels of the Henries VII. and VIII. Upon excavating the earth and other obstructions (which consisted of three separate lines of old embankments, constructed of elm and fir piles), at about thirty feet from the surface, a considerable quantity of Samian ware was found, which was unfortunately broken by the labourers in digging; but, from the pieces which were preserved, the ware appears to have been of the most beautiful workmanship. Many ancient keys were also found upon the line of the abutments of the new Bridge, next the sterlings; old watches, and ancient seals; and in that line of the river near the Chapel sterling, was