tower one hundred feet high, within the re-entering angle formed by the two fronts. The building is faced throughout with Portland stone, and contains on the ground floor, in addition to suits of offices, an area of upwards of four thousand superficial feet, for the meeting of the merchants, including a circle sixty feet in diameter, the whole height of the building, covered with a glazed dome of cast-iron ribs, supported on each story by ornamented cast-iron stauncheons. This, from its magnitude and novelty of design, forms a prominent feature of the building. The height from the floor to the top of the dome is about seventy feet.

THE AUCTION MART,

Lothbury: erected by a company composed principally of auctioneers, between the years 1808 and 1810, from the designs of Mr. John Walters. The architecture is of a simply beautiful character; the attached portico of the principal entrance being composed of two stories, the lower of the Doric and the upper of the Ionic order, surmounted by a pediment. The interior is very conveniently disposed, and contains a spacious saloon, a coffee room, and various apartments and offices.

THE STOCK EXCHANGE,

Capel-court A neat plain building, erected in 1801, from the design of Mr. James Peacock: the expense being defrayed by a subscription amongst the principal stockbrokers of fifty pounds transferable shares. No person is allowed to transact business here unless ballotted for annually by a committee: persons so chosen

subscribe fifteen guineas each. The hours of business are from ten to four o'clock.

COMMERCIAL HALL.

Mincing-lane: erected by subscription in 1811, for the sale of colonial produce of every description, from the designs of Mr. Joseph Woods, and contains five public sale ooms, a large coffee-room, several show-rooms, and numerous counting-houses, let out to various merchants. The front is ornamented with six Ionic columns, between which are introduced five emblematical devices, in bassorelievo, executed by Bubb; representing Husbandry, Science, Britannia, Commerce, and Navigation.

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CHAPTER IX.

THE BRIDGES AND THE TUNNEL.

In splendour with those famous cities old
Whose power it hath surpassed, it now might vie
Through many a bridge the wealthy river rolled,
Aspiring columns reared their heads on high,
Triumphant fanes graced every road, and gave
Due guerdon to the memory of the brave."

Southey.

of Gracechurch-street and King William-street, and connects the city with the borough of Southwark. It consists of five immense semi-elliptical arches, exceeding in extent the span of any other stone bridge in Europe. It was commenced in 1824, from the designs of Mr. Rennie; the first stone having been laid by the Duke of York, on the 27th of April, 1825. It was opened on the 1st of August, 1831, by his late majesty William IV. with all the pomp and ceremony which such an important occasion demanded. The architect having died during the progress of the work, it was completed by his son, in conjunction with Mr. Joliffe. The site of the

bridge is about one hundred feet westward of the old structure, which stood in a direct line from Gracechurchstreet and Fish-street-hill. The total height from lowwater mark is forty-five feet; the carriage-way is thirtysix feet wide; and the foot-way nine feet. At each extremity are handsome flights of steps, twenty-two feet wide; and the bridge is lighted by elegant bronze lamps, cast by Mr. Parker, from captured cannon, from the Woolwich arsenal.

SOUTHWARK BRIDGE

Was originally projected by Mr. John Wyatt, and commenced in September, 1814, under the direction of John Rennie, Esq. It is of cast-iron, and consists of three wide arches, the centre arch of two hundred and forty feet span, and those at the ends two hundred and ten feet each. The centre arch exceeds in span, by four feet, the famous iron bridge at Sunderland; and that of the Rialto of Venice by one hundred and sixty-seven feet. The weight of the iron is three thousand six hundred and eight tons; the distance between the two abutments is seven hundred and eight feet; and the entire expense

BLACKFRIARS' BRIDGE.

This elegant structure leads from Farringdon-street to the Surrey-road, and is a most essential medium for the traffic of the metropolis. It was built after the designs of Mr. Robert Mylne, and completed in the year 1769. It consists of nine elliptical arches, the centre of which is one hundred feet wide. The whole length of the bridge is nine hundred and ninety-five feet. The first stone was laid the 30th of October, 1760; and the bridge completed about the latter end of the year 1768, at an expense of £152,840 3s. 10d. It commands a fine view of St.