London Docks on the River Thames, 1796.

Plan of the River Thames with proposed new docks and a channel or 'cut' (marked E) to Blackwall Dock to avoid the Isle of Dogs and the Pool (of London). Also shown are 'premises which consist principally of gardens, meadows, wastes and rope grounds'; these last were for making ropes used on ships, presumably. The Thames was one of the busiest waterways in the world, bringing cargo from all corners of the globe. Illustration from the 'Report from the Committee Appointed to Enquire into the Best Mode of Providing Sufficient Accommodation for the Increased Trade and Shipping of the Port of London', produced by the House of Commons and published in London in 1796.