The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-24 00:00:00

GREENWICR HOSPITAL.

Greenwich Hospital is among the few picturesque
institutions which remain to England. A foreign
traveller, after giving an account of the spectacle
presented by the House of Lords on the openingor
proroguing of Parliament by Majesty, after dilat-
ing on the gilded hall, the throngs of ladies, the
gorgeous costumes of Embassies, the quaint but
impressive robes of Peers and Judges, and the lawn
sleeves of Bishops, generally devotes a chapter to
the beautiful work of Wren, placed so strikingly on
the bank of a tidal river, with its aged inmates,
dressed in the traditional costume of the Navy, tot-
tering about with their wooden legs, or sunning
themselves under the gray columns of their hospi-
tal, The institution is certainly a noble one, and
Lord Macaulay does not carry his partiality too far
when he says that the affection of King William
111. for his Queen has been " attested by a monu-
ment the most superb that was ever erected to any
Sovereign." For 150 years Greenwich has been the
refuge of a body of men without an equal on earth
for courage, and devotion, and long service, rendered
in all simpleness of heart to their country. The
long and almost unbroken period of naval war
which extended from the breaking out of the Ame-
rican Revolution to the Battle of Waterloo filled
the hospital with veterans whose lives were almost
an index to the history of the British Empire.
Nothing more romantic or adventurous could be
imagined than the narratives which even a few
years back some of the oldest men were able to give
of fights under Jervis or Nelson—of cruises to in-
tercept Mexican silver, or rich cargoes from the
Spice Islands—of cutting out expeditions—of the
capture of Sugar Islands—of the landing in Egypt,
in Flanders, or in Portugal. But time and altered
circumstances have, it is said, wrought a change
for the worse even in this time-honoured asylum.
If man does not innovate for the better, says the
philosopher, time will innovate for the worse; and so
it has been with Greenwich Hospital. For 50 years
there has been no naval war to speak of. In that
time the wealth of the country has increased enor-
mously, the means of livelihood possessed by our
seaman have become larger and more various, the
education and the desires even of this uninstructed
class have been devel'ped, and a berth in Greenwich
Hospital is, unfortunately, not now that object of
ambition to a worn-out seaman that it was during
the first thirty years of this century. Increasing
complaints and the falling off in the number of the
pensioners induced her :Majesty to issue a commis-
sion of inquiry, and in November last the commis-
sioners began their labours. Their report has now
been made, and has just been presented to Parlia-
ment.

Greenwich Hospital was founded in the year
1694, in memory of Queen Mary, who had long
had at heart the foundation of such an institution.
It was also designed to be a monument of the great
victory of La Hogue. Wren furnished gratuitously
the plans for the edifice. The objects of the foun-
dation were "to encourage the seamen of this
kingdom to continue the industry and skilfulness
in their employments by which they had for a long
time distinguished themselves throughout the
world ;" to encourage them to continue also their
ancient reputation for the courage and constancy
manifested in engagements for the defence and
honour of their native country;" "to invite greater
numbers of his Majesty's subjects to betake them-
selves to the sea;" " to promote the furnishing and
supplying of his Majesty's Royal Navy with a com-
petent number of able mariners and seamen, who
might be in readiness at all times for that service."
These objects Greenwich has, on the whole, nobly
attained ; to continue the usefulness of the institu-
tion has been the object of the Commission, and it
lies with her Majesty's Government and with Par-

liament to take such-steps as shall be necessary for
carrying into effect its recommendations. The rise
and comparatively recent decline of the Hospital
are very interesting. The complement of pension-
ers, which in 1705 was 100 only, has been increased
from time to time, asgthe requisite building and funds
permitted, until it reached in 1814 its maxinitenz of
2,710 men. From its foundation the number of
pensioners had gradually increased, but the greatest
influx was, of course, after the naval patties
which distinguished the struggle against the
French Republic and the earlier Empire. The
nominal complement for which accommodation is
said to be provided is now 2,642 men, but there are
berths for. 2,352 only. The hospital is, however,
so little an object of desire to sailors that almost
half of these are unoccupied. Out of 61 wards
which the building contain, seven are at present
closed. The falling off of pensioners has taken
place almost entirely within the last 12 years, but
during that time it has advanced with great rapi-
dity. In 1848 there were only 11 vacancies in
the complement of 2,642 admitted by the hospital.
In 1852, however, the vacancies were 180 ; in 1856,
720; and in 1860 no less than 1,124. The actual
residents now are fewer than 1,600.
For this progressive decrease there are, of
course, several causes, the principal of which are
the gradual removal of the survivors of the great
war, the facility with which out-pensions may be
obtained, and the opportunities of obtaining em-
ployment in the merchant service,., But among
the causes is, "we regret to add, say the Com-
missioners, "an unwillingness on the part of many
seamen of the most valuable class to enter Green-
wich Hospital under the existing arrangements."
The feature of the institution which chiefly deters
applicants seems to be the absence of the " coal_
forts peculiarly suited to old age and infirmity,
and the prospect of a provision for their wives,
widows, and children." To insure these to the
men will be to carry out most fitly the wishes of
Queen Mary. How not only the self•esteem of the
men but their domestic attachments are disregarded
in the hospital system is fully shown in the rnnort.
The badges of good conduct earned by seamen in the
royal navy are allowed to be worn, but, in contra-