Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-13
A VISIT TO CHELSEA.
Historic Home of British Army Vet
Grams Beside the Thames.
DAILY LIVES OF PENSIONERS.
Romantic Traditions as to the Finding of
the Institution.
THE DISCIPLINE MADE MOST LENIENT
rcoRRtsposprNcE OF THE prspArcE.1

lCORRESPONDENCE OF THE pISPATCH.l
LONDON, Aug LIN olden times dis
charged and destitute veterans OF the Brit
isA army wandered from door to door,
usually from taproom door to door, and Sc
cured food and drink bv exhibiting their
scars or spinning delectable yarns for the
entertainment of any who might bestow
charity upon them. They could also knock
at the doors of monastic houses with the as
surance of receiving bread and ale and
lodging for the night.
After the restoration their condition was
q scandal to King Charles II. and the coun-
try. Authorities differ not only widely but
vituperously as to the origin of practical
effort for their betterment Some hold that
the English we're piqued into action
through the establishment by Louin XIV.
Of the invalides in Paris as retreat for
French veterans. There is record that as
early as 1906 a scheme for an infirmary for
disabled English sailors had been submitted
to Pepys, as Clerk of Admiralty. Others
contest that the second Charles had lazy
sort of design to house and comfort the
ragged old veterans who had been loyal to
his father before the latter had lost his
kingly head.
But sometimes tradition has longer legs
than history. British folk will never cease
believing the tradition that rough, kind
hearted Nell Gwynne had all to do with the
founding of Chelsea Hospital for British
pensioners
The Work of Woman.
There are two pretty stories of how it
finally came about that an army of savage
old critics and iconoclasts can never dis
parage among the British masses. One is
that one day Nell was sitting with Charles
in her summer house at Chelsea, one of
whose windows overlooked the fine mead
ows surrounding King James College, when
the paymaster of the forces entered, and
the subject of the projected hospital and
the difficulty of finding proper site was
resumed 'Your majesty could not do bet
Ter, said Sir Stephen Fox, 'than give up
for the purpose your recent purchase from
the Royal Society" This comprised King
James College and grounds which
had Just been bought as gift
to Nell at cost of e, 300. "'Tis well
thought Of" replied the King, cast
ing his eve over the beautiful plot ofground.
you shall have it," but recollecting him.
self, he instantly added, "Odso! 1 forgot-I
have already given this land to Nell here"
gaily; then L will return it to you again for
so good purpose" The offer was ac-
cepted, and Nell was transferred to man.
sion built for her in Pail Mall by the king
Another romantic version is that one day
pretty Nell was riding in the kings gilded
coach, and being most disconsolate the king
rallied her, when she confessed that her dis
tress was owing to the following dream:
''Methought was in the fields of Chel-
sea, and slowly there rose before my eyes a
beautiful palace of a Thousand chambers;
and in and out thereof walked divers many
old and wornout soldier men with all kinds !
of scars, and many MANNED as to their
limbs. All of them were aged and past
service; and as they went out and came in,
the old men cried: God bless King
Charles! And / awoke, and 1 was sore
discounted that it was onlv DREAM
The story goes that the King was touched
BY Nell's dream and then and there swore a
great oath that it should come to reality.
And SO it did.
An lndefinable Gloomy Grandeur
You will find Chelsea Hospital dark and |
imposing structure, possessing that jnde- |
Unable gloomy grandeur which its builder |
Sir Christopher Wren, gave as a marked |
characteristic to all his architectural crea-
tions. Indeed one may well say Wren
seems TO stare at you from out the facades
of all great London buildings. But the
grounds are wide and ample, and the noblest !
trees in London everywhere flank the fine
old building, far enough away to give floods
OF sunshine in the courts and large parade
grounds between the Hospital and Thames
embankment The building comprises three
huge courts, the largest facing the south,
the Thames and the masses of foliage of Bat
tersea Park, across the river
The wings of the great southern court are
365 feet long, and are 40 feet wide. In
these are found the pensioners wards
Each one is about 200 feet in length.
Twenty-six compartments are situated on
each side of division partition running
along the center of each ward. These par
titions are open at each end, where the
ward officers have rooms; and as the pen
sioners' compartments or rooms face the