EXCURSION I.

LONDON TO GREENWICH-BILLINGSGATE-THE CUSTOM HOUSE-THE TOWER-SAINT KATHERINE'S DOCKSLONDON DOCKS-WAPPING-ROTHERHITHE-THE TUNNELWEST INDIA DOCKS-DEPTFORD-GREENWICH-THE HOSPITAL-THE PAINTED HALL-THE ROYAL OBSERVATORYTHE PARK-BLACKHEATH-LEE-SHOOTER'S HILL-ELTHAM -ELTHAM PALACE-WOOLWICH-THE ARTILLERY BARRACKS -THE ROYAL ARSENAL-THE "REPOSITORY" AND "ROTUNDA" -THE "MILITARY COLLEGE"-THE DOCKYARD-ARRANGEMENTS OF ADMISSION-RETURN TO TOWN.

THERE are no less than four modes of getting to Greenwich, each of them to be severally commended as speedy, agreeable, and economical. They are:-1. By omnibus from Charing Cross down the New Kent Road. 2. By Greenwich Railway from the south side of London Bridge. 3. By Blackwall Railway from Fenchurch Street to Blackwall, crossing the river by a steamer; and 4, by Steamboats from Westminster, Waterloo, Blackfriars, and London Bridges, from which two companies keep up a constant succession of departures every twenty minutes throughout the day. For the sake of variety we shall proceed to describe the journey by water, which, of a fine day, is not only the most agreeable, but, as furnishing an excellent opportunity of seeing the scenery of the Thames, is perhaps most desirable to strangers.

Leaving London Bridge, a perfect forest of masts, belonging to ships of all sizes and all nations, looms out in the Pool. Billingsgate, situated chiefly at the back of that cluster of buildings by the Custom House, has been since the days of William III. the most famous fish-market in Europe. The Custom House, likewise on our left, was begun in 1813, and finished four years afterwards, at a cost of nearly half-a

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million. It contains nearly 200 distinct apartments, each having a range of communication with the Long Room, which is 197 feet long, and 50 feet high. One hundred clerks are engaged about this room alone, and the principal business of clearing" is here conducted. We next see the Tower, said to have been built by Julius Cæsar, and afterwards reconstructed by William the Conqueror. The last state prisoners here were Thistlewood and his associates, in 1820, for the Cato Street conspiracy. The public have free access from ten till four: one shilling being charged to view the regalia. About half-a-mile lower down are the warehouses of Saint Katherine's Docks, which cost one million in construction, and were first opened in 1828. The London Docks, close by, opened in 1805, occupy a space of about 30 acres. Wapping is a well-known resort for sailors and those connected with maritime pursuits. At Execution Dock pirates were formerly hung in chains. Rotherhithe, opposite, is, in its river frontage, only distinguished by a mass of warehouses, and the glimpse we get of the old parish church, where Prince Lee Boo was buried. The Tunnel, over which we next pass, was first commenced, to afford a subaqeous communication between the two sides of the river, in 1825, and was completed, after much difficulty and expense, in twenty years. Sir I. Brunel was the projector and engineer. The height is nearly 25 feet, and the length 1,300 feet. One penny toll is charged for each passenger. Entering the Lower Pool we pass Limehouse, where the Regent's Canal communicates with the Thames, and have next to notice the West India Docks, opened in 1802, after an expenditure of £1,200,000, and extending over an area of 204 acres. On the opposite side of the river are the Commercial Docks, after which is passed Earl's Sluice, forming the boundary between Surrey and Kent. Deptford, where the dockyard and its bustling animation gives a lively appearance to the shore, reminds one of Peter the Great, who, in 1698, came to Sayes Court and studied the craft of ship-building at the once picturesque retreat of Evelyn, the auto-biographist and author of “Sylva."

But, alas for the glories of Sayes Court-its glittering hollies, long avenues, and trim hedges! That portion of the victualling yard where oxen are slaughtered and hogs salted for the use of the navy occupies the enchanting grounds wherein Evelyn was wont to delight, and on the site of the mansion itself is the common workhouse of the parish. Approaching Greenwich Reach, where large quantities of white bait are caught in the season, the opening of the river discloses a pretty view of a distant country beyond, and, with a few more revolutions of the paddle wheel, we are brought to our destination.

Greenwich presents a striking appearance from the river, its Hospital forming one of the most prominent attractions of the place. Here was the palace erected by Humphrey Duke of Gloucester, and by him called Placentia, and here were born Henry VIII. and his two daughters, Queens Mary and Elizabeth. Charles II. began the present magnificent edifice, and William III. appropriated it to its present patriotic purpose, since which time successive sovereigns have contributed to enrich it with various additions. As the first generally seen we shall begin our description with an account of its interior. The Chapel and Picture Gallery are open gratis on Mondays and Fridays; on other days threepence each is charged for admission. It is as well to remind the reader that the Hospital consists of four distinct piles of building, distinguished by the appellations of King Charles's, King William's, Queen Mary's, and Queen Anne's. King Charles's and Queen Anne's are those next the river, and between them is the grand square, 270 feet wide, and the terrace by the river front, 865 feet in length. Beyond the square are seen the Hall and Chapel with their noble domes, and the two colonnades, which are backed by the eminence whereon the Observatory stands throned amid a grove of trees. In the centre of the great square is Rysbrach's statue of George II., carved out of white marble, from a block taken from the French by Sir George Rooke, and which weighed eleven tons. On the west side is King Charles's building,

erected chiefly of Portland stone in the year 1684. The whole contains about 300 beds, distributed in 13 wards. Queen Anne's building, on the east side of the square, corresponding with that on the opposite side, was began in 1693 and completed in 1726. There are here 24 wards with 437 beds, and several of the officers' apartments. To the south-west is King William's building, comprising the great hall, vestibule, and dome, erected, between 1698 and 1703, by Sir Christopher Wren. It contains 11 wards and 554 beds. Queen Mary's building was, with the chapel, not completed till 1752. It contains 13 wards and 1,100 beds. The Painted Hall, a noble structure opposite the chapel, is divided into three rooms, exhibiting as you enter statues of Nelson and Duncan, with 28 pictures of various sizes; the chief are Turner's large picture of "The Battle of Trafalgar," the "Relief of Gibraltar," and the "Defeat of the French Fleet under Compte de Grasse." On the opposite side is Loutherbourg's picture of Lord Howe's victory on the memorable 1st of June, 1794, whilst above are suspended the flags taken in the battle. The other pictures up the steps are chronologically arranged, the most prominent being "The Death of Captain Cook," the "Battle of Camperdown," "Nelson leaping into the San Josef," and "The Bombardment of Algiers." It may not be generally known that every mariner, either in the Royal Navy or merchant service, pays sixpence a month towards the support of this noble institution, which has, of course, besides a handsome revenue (£130,000) derived from other sources. The pensioners, who are of every rank from the admiral to the humblest sailor, are qualified for admission by being either maimed or disabled by age. Foreigners who have served two consecutive years in the British service are equally entitled to the privileges, and the widows of seamen are exclusively appointed nurses. The Hospital was first opened in January, 1705, and now the pensioners provided with food, clothes, lodging, and a small stipend for pocket-money, number nearly 2,500. The number of out-pensioners is about 3,000. The