built by Sir Christopher Wren, on the site of the former college, which had escheated to the crown. The edifice was begun in the year 1682, but not completed till 1690. The whole expense of the building is computed to have amounted to 150,000l. and the three fol lowing personages were appointed commissioners, by patent, March 3, 1691, for the conduct of Chelsea Hospital: Richard, earl of Ranelagh, paymaster general; Sir Stephen Fox, knt. lord commissioner of the treasury; Sir Christopher Wren, surveyor-general of the works. The general appearance of the building is plain, yet not inelegant; the architect, indeed, scems to have carefully avoided all superfluous ornaments, for the obvious reason of wishing to save expence. The different wards allotted to the pensioners, are light and airy; the chapel and the hall are well disposed, and the house allotted to the governor contains some noble and spacious apartments; the colonade and portico towards the river, are handsome and well proportioned, and afford a comfortable sheltered walk, and communication between the two wings, for the pensioners during wet weather; and the good disposition and proportions of the extreme north front, convey a high idea both of the judgment and taste of the architect. The structure is of excellent brickwork: the quoins, cornices, pediments, and columns, are of free-stone. The whole building, together with the out-buildings and gardens, occupy a space of about thirty-six acres, as will appear from the following survey made in the year 1702, of all the different courts, gardens, and appurtenances of the college: S.... Great court, north of the buildings Garden on the east side of the hospital, Kitchen garden towards the river Acres. Rods. Feet. The hospital consists of three courts, the principal one of which is open to the south side. In the centre of this court is a bronze statue of the royal founder, Charles the Second, supposed to be the work of Gibbons, larger than life, in a Roman habit, for which the hospital is indebted to Mr. Tobias Rustat. The eastern and western wings of this court are each three hundred and sixty-five feet in length, and forty feet wide, and are chiefly occupied by the wards of the pensioners; these are in number sixteen, each two hundred feet in length, and twelve in width: each of these wards contains twenty-six beds, and the officers have small apartments at the end of the rooms. At the extremity of the eastern wing is the governor's house; it is large and commodious, and contains a noble state apartment. The dimensions of this room are thirty-seven feet in length, twenty-seven in width, and about twenty-seven in height. The ceiling is divided into oval compartments, richly or namented with the initials of Charles II. James II. and William and Mary, with the royal arms and military trophies. The room is hung with portraits of Charles I. his queen, and two sons, Charles, prince of Wales, and James, duke of York, Charles II. William III. and their present majesties. There is nothing remarkable in the other apartments, excepting that known by the name of the Long Room, which is in the second story; here are views of the Royal Hospital, painted by TLEMANS; one, the gift of the honourable honourable brigadier general Charles Churchill, in the year 1722; the other presented to the hospital by general Evans, in the year 1729: they present different views of the Royal Hospital, and part of the adjacent country. On the roof of the Royal Hospital, near the governor's house, a telegraph has been recently erected, which com municates from the Admiralty to the telegraph on Wimbledon Common, and thence at distances to Portsmouth. The centres of the respective wings are ornamented with pediments of free-stone, which are supported by columns of the Doric order, and in the western wing are the lieutenant-governor's apartments. The south side is ornamented with a handsome portico also of the Doric order, and a colonade continued along the whole of it, upon the frieze of which is the following inscription: IN SUSIDIUM ET LEVAMEN, EMERITORUM SENIO, BELLOQUE FRACTORUM, CONDIDIT CAROLUS SECUNDUS, AUXIT JACOBUS SECUNDUS, PERFECERE GULIELMUS ET MARIA REX ET REGINA. M.DC.XC. The south side is divided into a chapel, a hall, and in the centre a large vestibule, terminated by a cupola, of considerable altitude; on the top is a large cistern of water, which supplies the whole of the hospital; this water is worked up from the river, by a patent engine placed in a small building erected for that purpose in the gardens, near the river side. The chapel is one hundred and ten feet in length, and thirty in width, paved with black and white marble, and wainscoted with Dutch oak. It was consecrated by Dr. Compton, bishop of London, August 30, 1691. The altar-piece, representing the Resurrection, was painted by SEBASTIAN RICCI. The composition of this picture consists of the Roman soldiers, placed to watch the sepulchre, 'who stand lost in fear and amazement whilst Our Saviour rises from the tomb. The service of plate was given by king James the Second, consisting of a pair of massive candlesticks and flag gons, gons, and a perforated spoon, the whole is of silver, gilt, and valued at five hundred pounds. The organ was the gift of major Ingram. On each side of the chapel are the pews for the various officers of the house; the pensioners sit in the middle on -benches; regular service is performed in this chapel every Sunday, and prayers on Wednesdays and Fridays. The dining hall is on the opposite side of the vestibule, and of the same dimensions as the chapel. Dinner is served up every day (Sunday excepted) at twelve o'clock, and is placed upon the tables for the pensioners, but they never sit down to dine in the hall, as every man is allowed to take his meal to his own berth. At the upper end of the dining hall is a large portrait of Charles II. on a richly caparisoned horse, and in the back ground is a perspective view of the Royal Hospital. This picture was designed by VERRIO, and finished by HENRY Cook. It is partly allegorical, and the figures of Hercules, Peace, Minerva, and Father Thames, are introduced, with their several attributes. This picture was the gift of the earl of Ranelagh, and on the frame is the following inseription:" Carolo. Secundo, Regi optimo, hujus Hospitii Fundatori, Dominoque suo clementissimo, Ricardus Jones, Comes de Ranelagh, hanc Tabulam posuit." There are two other courts, one open to the east, usually called the Light Horse Yard; the other to the left, called the Infirmary Yard; the eastern court is occupied by the treasurer, secretary, clerks, apothecary, and other officers of the house; and the other by the major, butler, cook, and the infirmary, which is furnished with hot and vapour baths, and is kept extremely clean; owing to the skill and kind exertions of the medical gentlemen. resident in the hospital. The north front is handsome and extensive. To the north of the hospital is an enclosure of about fourteen acres, planted with avenues of limes and horse chesnuts. The principal and grand entrance to the Royal Hospital is by two iron gates, of elegant workmanship and great height, height, ornamented on each side by lofty stone pillars, surrounded with military trophies. The entrance is also ornamented with two handsome porter's lodges; in the right hand lodge are the portraits of Charles I. and II. The ground towards the south is laid out in gardens, which extend to the river side, where they finish with an elevated terrace. They are extensive, but planned and laid out in the age when the art of landscape gardening was at its lowest pitch; the principal absurdity in these gardens, is cutting two insignificant canals as ornaments, whilst one side of the gardens is bounded by the noble stream of the Thames. These gardens are open on Sunday during the summer months, and are much frequented as a public promenade. The establishment of the Royal Hospital consists of a governor, lieutenant-governor, major, two chaplains, organist, physician, surgeon, apothecary, steward, treasurer, comptroller, clerk of the works, and various subordinate officers. The ordinary number of pensioners is four hundred and seventy-two, which, with the officers, servants, &c. make the whole number to amount to more than five hundred persons. The vast charges of this institution are paid out of the poundage of the army, besides one day's pay from each officer and private; the remainder of the expences an defrayed by an annual vote of parliament. The Hospital being considered as a military station, the pensioners are obliged to mount guard, and perform other garrison duties. They are divided into eight companies, each of which has its complement of officers, sergeants, corporals, and drummers. The officers, who have the nominal rank of captain, are chosen from the most meritorious old sergeants of the army, and have an allowance of three shillings and sixpence per week; the sergeants are allowed half-a-crown, and the drummers receive tenpence per week. Two sergeants, four corporals, and fifty-two privates, who are selected from the most able of the pensioners, are appointed by the king's sign manual, to act as a patrole 3 upon |