ndon Bridge, designed by Rennie, but built after his death, was
completed in 1831. In 1812, the architect Nash was employed in laying
out the Regent's Park, and in 1813 an act was passed for the
construction of Regent Street, as a grand line of communication between
it and Carlton House, the residence of the regent.

The work of geographical discovery had been well commenced before the
end of the eighteenth century, and was inevitably checked during the
great war. The wonderful voyages of Cook had revealed Australia and New
Zealand; Flinders had carried on the survey of the Australian coast;
Vancouver had explored the great island which bears his name with the
adjacent shores; Rennell had produced his great map of India; Bruce had
published his celebrated travels in Abyssinia; and an association had
been formed to dispel the darkness that hung over the whole interior of
Africa. Among its first emissaries was Mungo Park, who afterwards was
employed by the British government, and died in the course of his second
expedition in 1805-6. The idea of Arctic discovery was revived early in
the nineteenth century, and was no longer confined to commercial aims,
such as the opening of a north-east or north-west passage, but was
rather directed to scientific objects, not without the hope of reaching
the North Pole itself. Meanwhile, the ordnance survey of Great Britain
itself was in full progress, and that of British India was commenced in
1802, while the hydrographical department of the admiralty, established
in 1795, was organising the system of marine-surveying which has since
yielded such valuable fruits.

The progress of philanthropy, based on religious sentiment was very
marked during the later years of the war. The institution of Sunday
schools between 1780 and 1790 had awakened a new sense of duty towards
children in the community, and the growing use of child-labour, keeping
pace with the constant increase of machinery, forced upon the public
the necessity of legislative restrictions, which have been noticed in an
earlier chapter. Banks of savings, the forerunners of savings banks
under parliamentary regulation, had been suggested by Jeremy Bentham,
and one at least was instituted in 1802. The idea of penitentiaries, for
the reformation as well as for the punishment of criminals, had
originated with the great philanthropist, John Howard. It was adopted
and popularised by Jeremy Bentham, and might have been further developed