ether of his Majesty's subjects, and the public in general, if a Bridge were erected over the River Thames, from some part of the Precinct of the Savoy, or near, or adjoining thereunto, in the County of Middlesex, to the opposite shore at or near Cuper's Bridge in the said parish of Saint Mary, Lambeth, in the said County of Surrey; and if convenient roads and avenues were made to communicate therewith from a certain road leading from the east end of Westminster Bridge to the Stones End, in Blackman Street, in the parish of Saint George, in the Borough of Southwark, near a certain place called the obelisk in Saint George's Fields, in the parish of Saint George, Southwark, and from a certain other place called Oakley Street, in the parish of Saint Mary, Lambeth, both in the said County of Surrey, and from a certain other place called Stamford Street, in the parish of Christchurch, in the County of Surrey, to the Westminster Road, near Westminster Bridge, in the parish of Saint Mary, Lambeth aforesaid: and whereas the King's Most Excellent Majesty is seized in fee in right of his Duchy of Lancaster, of the Manor, Liberty, and Precinct of the Savoy, and of, and in certain messuages or dwelling houses, buildings, tenements, and grounds, situate within the same; and also of and in the site of a certain building used as a place of worship, by certain persons calling themselves the German Reformed Protestants; and whereas by an Act passed in the fifteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled an Act for settling Buckingham House, with the appurtenances on the Queen, in case she should survive his Majesty, in lieu of His Majesty's Palace of Somerset House, for enabling the Lord's Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury to sell and dispose of Ely House, in Holborn: and for applying the money to arise by sale thereof, together with other monies in erecting and establishing Public Offices in Somerset House, and for embanking certain parts of the River Thames, lying within the bounds of the Manor of the Savoy, and for other purposes therein mentioned; the ground and soil of the said River Thames on the north side thereof, from the south

south-east corner of Kitchener's Wharf, and projecting from thence thirty feet into the river, and so continued in an uniform line, and extending from thence eastward to the west corner of his Majesty's Palace, or capital messuage of Somerset House and Garden thereunto belonging, is vested in his Majesty, his heirs and successors in right of and as parcel and member of his Duchy of Lancaster, and his Majesty, his heirs and successors, is and are therein and thereby under his, or their Sign Manual, to appoint any one or more person or persons to inclose or embank, or cause to be inclosed or embanked the ground and soil of the said river herein before mentioned and described.

"And whereas no embankment of such part of the ground and soil of the said River has yet been made; and whereas His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is seized in fee, as parcel of the possessions of the Duchy of Cornwall, of and in certain lands, grounds, erections, buildings, houses, tenements, and hereditaments, situate, lying, and being in the County of Surrey; And whereas the several persons herein after named, are willing and desirous, at their own expence, to erect, build, and make such bridge, roads, and other works, requisite and necessary for the purposes aforesaid; but cannot effect the same without the authority of Parliament; may it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in the present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That, &c."

Then follow the proprietors' names, who are united into a Company, by the style of "The Company of Proprietors of the Strand Bridge," and by that name have perpetual succession and a common seal.

The Company are then empowered to raise among themselves à sum of money, not exceeding 600,0007, to discharge the expences of obtaining the act, surveys, plans, estimates, and to complete the works.

These were divided into 1007, shares, the profits, of course,

to be proportionally distributed, and to be deemed to be personal estate, and transmissable as such, and not of the nature of real property. Every share entitles the owner to a vote in the several assemblies and meetings to be at any time holden, of the Proprietors, not, however, exceeding five shares.

By the sixth Clause of this Act, the Company is empowered. to raise among themselves the further sum of 300,0007. if necessary; for which purpose, they may mortgage the undertaking; the interest to be paid half yearly, in preference to dividends: mortgagees not to be considered as proprietors of shares.

The Act then provides for regulations respecting the calling and meeting of general assemblies, the power and appointments of officers, powers of committees, &c. &c.

Various clauses are then introduced respecting sale and transfer of shares.

Section 39th, provide, that the names of proprietors and number of their shares shall be entered in a book, and certificates of the number delivered to them.

The next clause enjoins the Company to deposit 50,0007. in the Bank.

Then follow several clauses, directing the Company to make landing places, how to construct the centres, &c. At the north end of the Bridge is to be constructed one, and at the south end two convenient stone stairs, or plying places, for the use of the watermen or wherymen rowing upon the river, from Windsor to Gravesend; and they are to have the free use of the stairs, in the same manner as they have of the stairs and plying places at Westminster and Blackfriars Bridges.

The 42d clause prohibits the Company, during the erection of this Bridge, from erecting more than two centres at one time under the intended arches; but this clause, in a subsequent Act, obtained in 1813, is repealed; and the Company were allowed to place three centres, and no more, under the arches.

These regulations, with respect to the number of coatres, were to prevent obstructions on the river during the erection of the Bridge;

Bridge; and, for the same reason, provision is made for a clear waterway of 1080 feet at least within the banks; and that every arch of the Bridge shall have a free waterway of not less than 120 feet.

After, in the customary forms, empowering the Company to build the Bridge, the Act carefully provides for the convenience of the public; and directs that no house, except toll-houses, shall be erected on the Bridge; and also that commodious access may be had to it on both sides of the water; particularly, on the Surrey side, a road is to lead from this Bridge leading to the east end of Westminster Bridge, to the Stones End in Blackman Street, in the Borough of Southwark, near the Obelisk in St. George's Fields; and also another road from the Bridge to Oakley Street; and also another from Stamford Street, Blackfriars, into the first-mentioned road, and to continue the same across that road to Westminster Road.

Making a compensation to the Proprietors, the Company may take and use wharfs, warehouses, private houses, &c. for these several improvements, particular provision being made as to the lands belonging to Jesus College, of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation; and also as to some premises now in the occupation of Messieurs Beaufoy and Jarvis, belonging to the same College, situate near the Obelisk.

The pavement in the Strand is also to be altered in a manner suitable to the intended improvements, and for convenient access to the Bridge; and for this purpose also several houses will be removed; similar cautions, provisions, and compensations being made.

By the 84th clause, the Company are empowered and enjoined to embank the River Thames on the north side; and by the suc ceeding clause they are required, within six months after receiving an order or warrant, under the King's sign manual, or an order made by the Chancellor and Council of the Duchy of Lancaster for the time being, to commence the embankment, or other improvements of that part of the River Thames which lie

to

to the east of the Bridge, as far as the present embankment of Somerset House. This embankment is ordered to be of the height of three feet at the least above high-water mark, and extend to the distance of thirty feet into the river. "And be it. further enacted, that the nearest part of the east side of the said Bridge, or of the Road or Way to be used as an approach or access thereto from the Strand, shall not be within a distance nearer than sixty feet to the outside of the walls of the houses or buildings forming the west side of Somerset House, or the buildings and premises thereunto belonging the road distance of sixty feet to be measured from the outside west walls of the said houses ar buildings."

Clanse 100, empowers the erection of toll-gates and turnpikes on the Bridge and Roads, and specifies the amount of rates to be taken. The 32d states, that this Bridge shall be deemed to be in Middlesex and Surrey: on this side in the parish of St. Clement Danes, and on that in the parish of St. Mary, Lam

beth.

It is not necessary to pursue this abstract: sufficient has been given to shew what improvements, &c. are likely to be made in consequence of this new erection; and to manifest the care which the government of this country at all times manifests that public works shall not be suffered to interfere with private interests without adequate compensation.

Though our government, generally speaking, is not the first to commence such works as these; it will be seen that it always holds out its fostering hand to those patriotic and public spirited citizens, who, either prompted by a love for the general good, or by a laudable anxiety for their own interests, undertake such works.

This Bridge is now passable for foot passengers. All the piers, are, of course, completed, and the rest of the works are proceeding with due alacrity.

It is not possible to describe this unfinished work in such a enanuer as to convey an adequate idea of its appearance when

completed;