Down the river thames

The visitor to London who has a feeling for history, particularly maritime history, should take a boat at Westminster pier and sail down the river Thames to Greenwich.

The trip lasts about forty minutes and takes you through the Port of London. You go past St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London, under Tower Bridge and into the Pool of London, with the bustle of cranes and ships unloading. Farther on, the view is of grim warehouses, grimy wharves and groups of barges moored in the centre of the river. Then, suddenly, as you round a bend in the river, the scene changes dramatically. You see a magnificent three-masted sailing ship. It is the Cutty Sark, the last and most famous of the sailing clippers, now permanently berthed and open daily to visitors. Beyond the Cutty Sark you see, set in green lawns, the colonnades and columns, the courts and twin domes of what seems to be a magnificent eighteenth-century palace.

The palace you see from the river was built by Christopher Wren, the architect of St. Paul’s Cathedral. For nearly a hundred years it has been the Royal Naval College for the higher education of naval officers. In the south-west block is the Painted Hall, so called because of the effective paintings on its walls and ceilings. In another part of the building is the National Maritime Museum, where all aspects of naval history can be studied at leisure. Behind the museum is Greenwich Observatory. The Royal Observatory was established at Greenwich nearly three hundred years ago, primarily for the assistance of navigation, and the zero meridian of longitude which passes through it is marked on a path to the north. Owing to the growing pollution of the atmosphere at Greenwich, the observatory was transferred several years ago to the country.

bustle — суматоха, суета

warehouse — товарный склад

moor — причалить, стать на якорь

three-masted — трехмачтовый

clipper — клипер (быстроходное па­русное судно)

berth — ставить (судно) на якорь

longitude — геог. долгота

owing to the growing pollution — зд. из-за увеличивающегося за­грязнения (воздуха.)

SECTION RECAP

1. What is the City? What is its area?

2. Why is the City one of the major banking centres in the world?

3. How many people live in the City? How many of them come to the City to work?

4. What offices are there in Fleet Street?

5. When and with what aim was the Tower of London built? What has it served as? What is the Tower now?

6. What can you say about the Tower Bridge? What kind of a bridge is it?

7. What do you know about St. Paul’s Cathedral? What is the Whispering gallery?

8. What can people see when sailing down the river Thames?

9. Did you learn anything new about St. Paul’s Cathedral in the last text?

TALKING POINTS

• The Tower of London was built in 1087. And nowadays it is still a magnificent building. How did this one of the first London’s buildings happen to be preserved for about a hundred years? What do you think aboat the knowledge and skills of English people of that time? And what can you say about the attitude of British people to their historic past?

• St. Paul’s is another historic magnificent building. Who was its architect? What other works by Christopher Wren did you happen to read about? Do you know any names of architects in Britain (your country)?

Text 13. WESTMINSTER

Westminster is another central and important part of London. Most governmental buildings are situated there. On the left bank of the Thames is Westminster Palace, famous as the Houses of Parliament. It is the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower with the hour-bell called «Big Ben» is known the world over.