The record-union., 1892-08-13


ana good greeting. All have pipes in
their mouths, and all hold them there
Win ferocious kind of grasp, as though
whatever else they might lose, the pipe
was the one good friend OF old that should
never be torn from them without
mighty struggle.
Many an odd little study you will find
among these cantankerous past age he
roes IN the quiet streets of Chelsea.
chelsea would hardly be Chelsea without
thenl. Struggling along its thorough
fares, sitting bent and silent on sunny
benches, leaning against fountains, vases
ana statues, resting as composedly as
mouse owners on house steps and vesti-
bules, or stumping along with orders to
this and that servant. as if long habit had
given them acquired supervisory rights
over the affairs OF residents, they irresist-
IDLY suggest beVy OF croaking cockatoos
turned loose III park and garden, each one
narplng upon some fancied grievance or
delight.
Many are the snug little public houses
nara by, worse luck to tue British citizen
and pensioner, and you will find it easy
enough to make friendships with these
old fellows, who have little to do and
mucn to remember while awaiting the
last, long muster. 1t would be sorely UNI
gracious IN you not to cement an ac-
workmanship of this sort with little
puAShdSS VI DaChy, ana several pUr-
chases of -four ale," even though an I'M
relenting prohibitionist at home Thus
you Will learn marvellous things of Brit
lsh valor atield, all, Of course, in the old
days when, different than now. fighting
was lighting indeed. y on will secure
willing and taleful guide TO Chelsea Hos
pital. And, above all, you will learn
how British pensioners pride in his
own and his country's achievements
may be mingled, in the same breath.
with his own everlasting discomfort and
contempt.
You will find Chelsea Hospital dark
and imposing structure, possessing that
indetinable gloomy grandeur which its
builder, Sir Christopher Wren, gave as
marked characteristic to all his achitect-
ural creations. Indeed one may well saw
Wren seems to stare at you from out the
iacades OF all great London buildings.
But the grounds are wide and ample, and
the nobIeSt trees insLondon 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 the Thames embark
ment. The building comprises three
huge courts, the largest facing the south,
the Thames and the masses of foliage Of
Battersea Park across the river.
The wings OF the great southern court
are 365 feet long and are 20 feet wide. In
these are found the pensioners wards.
Each one is about 2U0 feet in length
Iwenty-six compartments are situated on
each side OF division partition running
along the center of each ward These
partitions are open at each end, where
the ward officers have rooms, and as the
pensioners compartments, or rooms, face
the outer walls, which are provided with
huge, closely clustered windows, each
ward in itself provides about 500 lineal
-SAf Il
promenade floor, for use during incIem-
ent weather.
These pensioners rooms within the
wards are tight little cubby holes indeed,
almost as tiny and snug as the hunks of n
sailing crafts forecastle. They are seven
feet long and six in width, but are given
the entire hight Of the ward room. A
curtained entrance is IN the center. At
either side is large sliding window, its
slIls at the hight OF an ordinary tabletop.
At the left of each door, as you enter, is a
folding, or falling table, for books, writ
ing and the like. Opposite, and of pre-
cisely of the same size and pattern, is the
little table where the pensioner takes his
solitary meal. His bunk is on a level
with the window sills and tables Be
low 1t is his trunk, or 'boX," and on
shelves above are any nicknacks he may
possess. A sort of privacy may be en-
joyed, but doors and windows remain
open, under the rules, so that even unex-
pected inspectors may observe the condi-
tlou Of everything in each compartment.
prison-like, at a glance.
If the allowance to the Chelsea pen-
sioners in the matter of clothing. food
and ale money are somewhat meaoer.
their duties and restrictions are exceed
ingiy light. On entrance to the hospital
the pensioners previous total Govern
ment allowance Of one shilling per day is
entirely relinquished. This refers exclu-
siyely to private soldiers, of whom there
are over 500 among the about $50 inmates
of the hospital.
in lieu OF this shilling per day pension
they receive each a room such as Dreyj-
ously described, a yearly allowance of
TWO pairs OF trousers, one cap and fatigue
jacket and four complete suits of under
clothing, with flaming red Prince Al
bert coat, decorated with blue cuffs and
huge brass buttons with the monogram,
''R. FL. &. P."-Royal Hospital of Chel-
sea Pensioners in three wears.
Their food consists of half a loaf of
bread and an ounce of butter daily per
man, with bowl of cocoa for breakfast:
soup, mutton or beef and potatoes for
dinner, and bowl of tea 1880 for ''tea,' -
which is the last meal of the day. Be
sides this they are each paid one penny
per day for ale and tobacco money, and
each also receives a quarter of pound of
tobacco every three months.
There are practically no restrictions
upon these old wards Of Chelsea They
go and come at will, and punishments for
infraction OF always lenient discipline are
confined to the wearing of black cap for
extraordinary revolt against good order,
or few hours in the guard-louse for =
pensioner taken red-handed in battle
with John Barleycorn at the ale-house
Ihey are royal grumbiers all. 70 them
their clothing is ''shoddy, "soup is 'swiu,''
cocoa and coffee are ''pizen," butter is
Thames skimmin's," and, in scornfIlI
intimation OF the officers appropriating
all the joints OF mutton while leaving
them but the ribs and briskets theV
stoutly assert that EVERY sheen killed
for Chelsea has nine breasties!' But be-
lIeYe they are, on the whole, very com
Portable and considerably treated. and
fully as well served and cared for as
are the veterans of our own Soldiers
HOMES.
The most interesting places in Chelsea
are the ward-rooms, the Kitchen
when the MONDAY meal is nearly ready,
the chapel and the great hall In the
Ward-rooms l discovered one clipper old
fellow who will be % years old in Octo-
Der. He is VIM. Merrill, late of the Thir-
ty-6rst Foot, is native of Bedfordshire.
in 1919, and has seen over forty
years OF actual service. My companion
said he was the ''slyest rogue and Joker
in No. 10 Ward" Gay old William also
has the record of countless firtations
over the area ratings of Chelsea's man
sions. Carlyle chased him ali the wav
back to the hospital one day for too Wig
orous{ badinage with the serving maids |
OF the philosophers family in Cheyne
Row.
The great hall is spacious, lofty pam
eled room In which are famous frescoes
and paintings, many tattered battle ffars.
a raised dais Tor the Queen, good libra
ry, many newspapers and periodicals, and