To the many improvements which have already taken place in the
neighbourhood of London, another will shortly be added; a
suspension-bridge, intended to facilitate the communication between
Hammersmith and Kingston, and other parts of Surrey. The clear water-way
is 688 feet 8 inches. The suspension towers are 48 feet above the level
of the roadway, where they are 22 feet thick. The roadway is slightly
curved upwards and is 16 feet above high water, and the extreme length
from the back of the piers on shore is 822 feet 8 inches, supporting 688
feet of roadway. There are eight chains, composed of wrought-iron bars,
each five inches deep and one thick. Four of these have six bars in each
chain; and four have only three, making thirty-six bars, which form a
dip in the centre of about 29 feet. From these, vertical rods are
suspended, which support the roadway, formed of strong-timbers covered
with granite. The width of the carriageway is 20 feet, and footway five
feet. The chains pass over the suspension towers, and are secured to the
piers on each shore. The suspension towers are of stone, and designed as
archways of the Tuscan order. The approaches are provided with octagonal
lodges, or toll-houses, with appropriate lamps and parapet walls,
terminating with stone pillars, surmounted with ornamental caps. The
whole cost of this remarkable object, displaying the great superiority
acquired by British artisans in the manufacture of ironwork, is about
80,000l. The advantages to be derived from this bridge in the saving of
distance, will be a direct passage from Hammersmith to Barnes, East
Sheen, and other parts of Surrey, without going over either Fulham or
Kew bridges.
The annexed engraving may be consulted, in illustration of the foregoing
remarks, as it is a correct and perfect delineation, having been taken
from an original sketch made by our artist on the spot.
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