GREENWICH HOSPITAL. An institution for naval pensioners, founded by William III. in memory of his Queen. The buildings were suf ficiently completed by 1705 (at a cost of £50,000) to admit 100 disabled seamen. By July 1, 1708, 350 had been admitted. The income derived. from bequests, the original royal grant, and from contributions made under coercion by sail ors, amounted to £12,000 a year, half of which was expended in maintaining the charity, and the other half in completing the buildings. In the reign of George II. the forfeited estates of the Earl of Derwentwater were granted to the hos pital, and produced an additional income of about £6000 a year. The compulsory contribution of 6d. a month by every seaman, whether of the naval or merchant service, was in 1834 remitted, an annual grant of £20,000 from the consolidated fund being substituted. The income from all sources by 1865 had reached £150,000 a year, out of which were maintained 1600 pensioners, and the necessary executive and medical officers, nurses, and servants. Many widows of sailors were employed as nurses or servants.
In 1865 the institution ceased to exist as an asylum for aged sailors, while its funds were con verted into out-pensions, providing for a larger number than were maintained in the hospital. The buildings, after lying vacant during the fol lowing five years, became a royal naval college. All officers in the combatant branch of the service, on reaching the rank of midshipmen, as well as a number of engineers, were obliged to take a course of study in this college.
At the present time attached to the hospital, and consolidated with it, is a school for the gratuitous education of one thousand sons of sea men, under the superintendence of the commis sioners of the hospital. The education given is such as to fit the recipients for either the navy or the merchant service. The term of study is from three to four years. In the 'great hall' there are several pictures of memorable naval battles, and of the nation's heroes who took part in them, while chief among the cherished exhibits is the coat Nelson wore at Trafalgar.