The hall of this hospital is finely painted by Sir James Thornhill, particularly the ceiling and upper end; on the latter are represented in an alcove, the late Princess Sophia, King George I. King George II. Queen Caroline, the Queen Dowager of Prussia, Frederic Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland, and the five Princesses, the daughters of his present Majesty. On the ceiling over the alcove are her late Majesty Queen Anne and Prince George of Denmark: and on the ceiling of the hall are King William and Queen Mary, with several fine emblematical figures. All strangers who see this hall pay two pence each, and this income is applied to the support of the mathematical school, for the sons of sailors.
For the better support of this hospital every seaman in the royal navy and in the service of the merchants pays 6d. a month. This is stopped out of the pay of all sailors, and delivered in at the Six penny Receiver’s office on Tower hill. And therefore a seaman who can produce an authentic certificate of his being disabled, and rendered unfit for the sea service, by defending any ship belonging to his Majesty’s British subjects, or in taking any ship from the enemy, may be admitted into this hospital, and receive the same benefit from it, as if he had been in his Majesty’s immediate service.
There are at present near 2000 old or disabled seamen, and an hundred boys, the sons of seamen, instructed in navigation, and bred up for the service of the royal navy: but there are no out-pensioners, as at Chelsea. Each of the mariners has a weekly allowance of seven loaves, weighing sixteen ounces each; three pounds of beef; two of mutton; a pint of pease; a pound and a quarter of cheese; two ounces of butter; fourteen quarts of beer, and 1s. a week tobacco money: the tobacco money of the boatswains is 2s. 6d. a week each; that of their mates 1s. 6d. and that of the other officers in proportion to their rank. Besides which, each common pensioner receives once in two years, a suit of blue cloaths, a hat, three pair of stockings, two pair of shoes, five neck cloths, three shirts, and two night caps.
This hospital has about 100 Governors, composed of the nobility, great officers of state, and persons in high posts under the King. The principal officers of the house, with their annual salaries, are:
| The Governor | £1000 |
| Lieutenant Governor | 300 |
| Treasurer | 200 |
| Three Captains, each | 200 |
| Six Lieutenants, each | 100 |
| Two Chaplains, each | 100 |
| A Physician and Surgeon, each | 200 |
| A Clerk of the cheque | 100 |
| Auditor | 100 |
Greenwich alley, Brickhill lane.
Greenwich street, Dowgate wharf.
Greenwood’s court, Nightingale lane.†
Green yard, 1. Basinghall Postern. 2. East Smithfield. 3. Fore street, Cripplegate. 4. Goswell street. 5. Green Bank, Wapping. 6. Horselydown. 7. Milk yard, New Gravel lane. 8. Pepper alley. 9. Tooley street. 10. Upper Ground street. 11. White’s yard, Rosemary lane.
Gregory’s court, High Holborn.