TOWER _of London_, on the east side of the city, near the Thames. This edifice, at first consisted of no more than what is at present called the White Tower; and without any credible authority, has been vulgarly said 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 liberties. That this was the Conqueror’s design, evidently appears from its situation on the east side of London, and its communication with the Thames, whence it might be supplied with men, provisions, and military stores, and it even still seems formed for a place of defence rather than offence. [Illustration: _S. Wale delin._ _Elliot sculp._ _The Tower._] However the death of the Conqueror in 1087, about eight years after he had begun 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 was in some places 120 feet wide, several of the succeeding Princes added additional works, and Edward III. built the church. Since the restoration, it has been thoroughly repaired: in 1663 the ditch was scoured; all the wharfing about it was rebuilt with brick and stone, and sluices made for letting in and retaining the Thames water as occasion may require: the walls of the White Tower, have been repaired; and a great number of additional buildings have been added. At present, besides the White Tower, are the offices of Ordnance, of the Mint, of the keepers of the records, the jewel office, the Spanish armoury, the horse armoury, the new or small armoury, barracks for the soldiers, handsome houses for the chief officers residing in the Tower, and other persons; so that the Tower now seems rather a town than a fortress. Lately new barracks were also erected on the Tower wharf; and the ditch was in the year 1758, railed round to prevent for the future those melancholy accidents which have frequently happened to people passing over Tower Hill in the dark. The Tower is in the best situation that could have been chosen for a fortress, it lying only 800 yards to the eastward of London Bridge, and consequently near enough to cover this opulent city from invasion by water. It is to the north of the river Thames, from which it is parted by a convenient wharf and narrow ditch, over which is a drawbridge, for the readier taking in or sending out ammunition and naval or military stores. Upon this wharf is a line of about sixty pieces of iron cannon, which are fired upon days of state.