§ Order for Committee read.
§ MR. ALCOCKrequested that the measure might be postponed, in deference to the expressed wish of the City of London, as the proposed alterations would interfere with the navigation of the river.
§ SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTHsaid, that the Bill had been carefully considered by the Select Committee. The navigation of the river would not be interfered with by the proposed bridge, and the traffic over the present bridge was so great that no further delay ought to take place in the construction of a more convenient structure. The number of vehicles passing over the present bridge upon an average of four days, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., was 8,441 vehicles per day, drawn by 9,600 horses. The traffic under the bridge was much less considerable, consisting, on an average of four days, of 468 vessels per day, 144 of which were steamboats, and 52 were sailing barges and billyboys. The only vessels that could possibly be affected by the diminished elevation of the proposed bridge were the straw barges, of which there was but one a day. These barges would require either to have the means of lowering their masts, or would have to wait a short period for the falling of the tide. The gradients of the new bridge would exhibit a great improvement as compared with those of the present bridge, and would greatly diminish the load at present borne by the horses in crossing the bridge.
§ House in Committee; the several clauses were agreed to without discussion.
§ House resumed.