Friday, March 18 1757

…About 5:40 my father Slater came in and stayed with us all night. This day read part of The New View of London and Westminster, whereby I find the river of Thames is about 1500 feet over at London Bridge. In the perusal of Martin’s Magazine for February I find that Westminster Bridge is 1223 feet over and cost in building £389500. I also find that in the River Thames from Battle Bridge on the Southwark side and the Hermitage Bridge on the city side, reckoning Blackwall inclusive, are as under: 3 wet docks for laying up; 22 dry docks for repairing; and 33 yards for building merchant ships. From Limehouse Reach to the custom-house quays there have been enumerated at anchor at one time 1000 vessels, exclusive of barges, lighters, pleasure-boats and yachts, they being all vessels which go to sea.

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