Kitabı oku: «The Ports, Harbours, Watering-places and Picturesque Scenery of Great Britain Vol. 2», sayfa 13
THE PORT OF LONDON
The Port of London commences at London Bridge. The forest of masts which rises in direct view – thickening in perspective till it is lost in the distance – announces the vast extent of that Commerce which stretches its arms to the "uttermost parts of the globe." The Pool, as this part of the river is called, extends from London Bridge to Deptford, – a distance of nearly four miles, with an average breadth of from four to five hundred yards. It consists of four divisions, called the Upper, Middle, and Lower Pools, and that occupying the space between Limehouse and Deptford. The Upper Pool extends from London Bridge to Union Hole – a space of about sixteen hundred yards; from this to Wapping New Stairs forms the Middle Pool – about seven hundred yards. The Lower Pool extends from the latter point to Horseferry Pier, Limehouse – about eighteen hundred yards. The fourth Pool occupies the space between Limehouse and Deptford – about two thousand seven hundred yards.
The Custom-House, which is a prominent feature in this View, was first erected in 1559 – very shortly after the accession of Queen Elizabeth; but, having shared the fate of the other public buildings in the great fire of London, it was rebuilt, two years after by Charles the Second. By a similar calamity, however, this was also burnt to the ground in 1718, and a third erected, which – strange to say – was also consumed in 1814. The fourth, which is the present magnificent structure, was opened for business in May, 1817. It was erected from the designs of David Laing, Esq.; but, in consequence of certain defects, which threatened destruction to a considerable portion of the building, the Long Room, as it is called, was shored up, the front next to the river taken down, and the present front as shown in the Engraving, was substituted by Mr. Smirke. The whole is erected on an extensive and magnificent scale.
The London and St. Katherine's Docks are seen a little to the right, and afford accommodation to a vast number of shipping. The London Dock covers twenty acres: fourteen tobacco-warehouses cover an acre each; the cellars occupy three acres, and can accommodate twenty-two thousand pipes of wine. The St. Katherine's Dock covers the extensive area of ground which a few years ago was occupied by the parish of St. Katherine; the whole of which, comprising above twelve hundred houses, was bought and pulled down, at an outlay of two millions sterling, for the construction of these magnificent basins and warehouses, with which nothing that mercantile enterprise has hitherto effected can bear a comparison. The old parish church of St. Katherine was built on the site of an ancient monastery founded in the twelfth century by Matilda of Boulogne. A rich hospital and various benefactions have belonged to this parish ever since its original endowment; for the perpetuation of which a handsome church and several dwelling-houses were erected near Gloucester Gate, Regent's Park, the emoluments connected with which were bestowed by the late Queen Adelaide, in whose gift they were, upon persons belonging to the royal household, or otherwise recommended to her Majesty.
In front of these docks is a spacious steam-packet wharf; and from this point to Rotherhithe the river – here called the Middle Pool – is generally so crowded with shipping at anchor, or rapidly passing up and down, that it requires both skill and caution on the part of the helmsman to avoid collision. It is here that strangers can form an exact idea of the vast traffic by which the Thames is continually animated, and to which there is no parallel in the cities of commercial Europe.
Notwithstanding the obvious utility of wet-docks, and the vast trade of the British Metropolis, there was no establishment of this sort on the Thames till nearly a century after a wet-dock had been constructed at Liverpool. The inconvenience arising from the crowded state of the river at those periods when the fleets of merchantmen were accustomed to arrive, the very insufficient accommodation afforded by the legal quays and sufferance-wharfs; the necessity under which many ships were placed of unloading in the river by means of fighters, and the insecurity and loss of property thence arising, had been felt and complained of as an intolerable grievance. But so powerful was the opposition to any change, made by the private wharfingers and others interested in the support of the existing order of things, that it was not till 1793 that a plan was projected for making wet-docks for the Port of London, yet the activity and enterprise of the merchants and shipowners of the metropolis have, since that date, amply compensated for their lost time, and the docks of London are now models of superiority in that peculiar department of civil engineering.
Though not included in the engraving, the recent improvements which have been effected in its vicinity by the public spirit of the Corporation of London, demand a passing tribute of admiration. The New Coal Exchange is an edifice worthy of the purpose for which it was designed – the mart for the sale of one of Great Britain's most valuable products; and Billingsgate is now a market fitting for a city containing two millions of inhabitants.
THE TOWER OF LONDON
This celebrated fortress is situated on the east side of the City, a short distance from London-bridge, near the banks of the river Thames. It at first consisted of no more than what is at present called the White Tower, traditionally reported, without any authority, to have been built by Julius Cæsar, though there is the strongest evidence of its being marked out and a part of it first erected by William the Conqueror, in the year 1076, doubtless with a view to secure to himself and followers a safe retreat, in case the English should ever have recourse to arms to recover their ancient possessions and lost liberties.
The death of the Conqueror, however, in 1087, about eight years after he had commenced this fortress, for some time prevented its progress, and left it to be completed by his son William Rufus, who, in 1098, surrounded it with walls and a broad and deep ditch, which is in some places about one hundred and twenty feet wide, into which water from the river Thames was introduced. Henry III., in 1240, ordered a stone gate, bulwark, and other additions to be made to this fortress, and the ancient tower to be whitened, from whence it was called the White Tower. In 1465, Edward IV. greatly enlarged the fortifications, and built the Lion's Tower, for the reception of foreign beasts, birds, &c., presented to the kings of England; the zoological collection have, however, long since been transferred to more eligible quarters in the Regent's-park. By the command of Charles II., in 1663, the ditch was completely cleansed, the esplanade rebuilt with brick and stone, and sluices were erected for admitting and retaining water from the Thames, as occasion might require.
The Tower is in the best situation that could have been chosen for a fortress, lying near enough to protect the metropolis and the seat of commerce from invasion by water. It is parted from the river Thames by a commodious wharf and narrow ditch, over which is a drawbridge. Upon this wharf is a noble platform, on which are placed sixty-one pieces of cannon, nine-pounders, mounted on handsome iron carriages, which were fired on state holidays, but small pieces are now used for those purposes.
Parallel to the middle part of the wharf, upon the walls, is a platform, seventy yards in length, called the Ladies' Line, from its being much frequented in the summer evenings, as on the inside it is shaded with a row of lofty trees, and without affords a fine prospect of the shipping and of the boats passing and repassing on the river. The ascent to this line is by stone steps, and, being once upon it, there is a walk almost round the walls of the fortress without interruption, in doing which the visiter passes three batteries: the first called the Devil's Battery, where there is a platform on which are mounted seven pieces of cannon; the next is named the Stone Battery, and is defended by eight pieces of cannon; and the last, called the Wooden Battery, is mounted with six pieces of cannon.
The wharf, or esplanade, which is divided from Tower-hill at each end by gates, is opened every morning for the convenience of a free intercourse between the respective inhabitants of the Tower, the City, and its suburbs. From this wharf is an entrance for persons on foot, over the drawbridge already mentioned; and also a water-gate under the Tower-wall, commonly called the Traitor's-gate, through which it has been customary, for the greater privacy, to convey traitors and other state prisoners by water to and from the Tower; the water of the ditch had here a communication with the Thames, by means of a stone bridge on the wharf. Over this water-gate is a regular building, terminated at each end by a round tower, on which are embrasures for pointing cannon.
The principal buildings are the church, a small edifice, dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula, the White Tower, the Governor's House, the Bloody Tower, the Offices of Ordnance, of the Keepers of the Records, the Jewel Office, the New Spanish Armoury, the New Horse Armoury, the Grand Storehouse, in which is the small armoury, the train of artillery, and the tent room; the New Storehouse, wherein are three armouries; handsome houses for the chief and inferior officers; the Mess-house for the officers of the garrison, and the barracks for the soldiers. In addition to these, there is a street called the Mint, which includes nearly one-third part of the Tower. The principal part of the houses were formerly inhabited by the officers employed in the coinage, but now by the military and various persons employed in the different offices.
The ravages of the fire which occurred in this fortress a few years since have now been repaired, and its ancient walls strengthened and improved in accordance with the rules of fortification adopted by the best engineers of the day. The stagnant moat which formerly encircled it has been drained and converted into an exercise ground for the soldiers in the garrison.
