The total charge* under this head amounts to 151,375l. a year, being an average of about 601. each pension. allowances. Compassionate allowances are granted to the children Compassionate of deceased officers under the same regulations as apply to widows' pensions, provided they are left in such pecuniary circumstances as render the allowance necessary for their maintenance. This fund being limited, the claims of children are considered with reference to the services of the father, and in the following order:— 1. Children of officers killed in action. 2. Orphans having neither father nor mother. These allowances cease in the case of sons at the age of eighteen, or sooner, if provided for at the public expense; and in the case of daughters until they marry or reach the age of twenty-one, whichever may happen first. No one family can receive in the aggregate for widows' pension and compassionate allowance a larger amount than the half-pay attached to the rank of the deceased officer. The present charge for compassionate allowances is 22,1607, which, distributed among 1,618 individuals, gives to each an average pension of about 177. 8s. a year. Special annuities are granted to the widows, or, if the officer died unmarried, to the mothers and sisters of officers killed in action, or dying of their wounds within six months of receiving them, and the widow of an officer so killed or dying may receive a gratuity equal to one year's pay of the officer's regimental commission, in addi * The rates of widows' pension will be found at the end of this article. Rates. tion to her pension, and one-third of such gratuity to each of her children. The amount charged under this head is 22,1717., which, divided among 240 individuals, or families, gives an average of 921. to each. The following are the rates of widows' pensions, special pensions, and compassionate allowances. The total charge for widows' pensions, compassionate allowances, special pensions, is 190,378. Pensions and Gratuities for Wounds. wounds. These allowances are granted to officers as a compen- Pensions for sation for wound's received in action by which they have lost the use of an eye or a limb, or sustained other permanent injury equal to such loss. In these cases the officer is entitled to receive a gratuity of one year's pay of the rank he held when wounded, and a pension, according to the scale annexed, the continuance of which depends upon subsequent examinations before a medical board; after having been held for five years under medical approval it becomes permanent. In the event of the loss of more than one limb or eye, the officer may receive a pension for each. For wounds of minor severity officers are allowed gratuities varying from three to eighteen months full pay of their rank. Pensions for wounds " being granted as a compensation for the permanent disability sustained," may be held together with any other military pay or allow It is not quite intelligible how officers drawing a pension for wounds, supposed to disable them from military service, can yet be employed in military duties. Would it not be better in all cases of established disability from wounds to place the officer upon a high rate of retired pay, the receipt of which should involve a relinquishment of military service? Per Annum. Chelsea pensions. Management of Chelsea Hos pital. Three hundred and seventy-seven officers are at present in the receipt of pensions for wounds, the total charge for which amounts to 51,243l., being on an average 1367. a year to each officer. V. Chelsea Pensions. These allowances are of two kinds. In-pensions, which consist of the provision made for soldiers dwelling within the walls of Chelsea Hospital, where they are furnished with food and clothing, and receive a small daily pay as pocket-money; and out-pensions, which are paid to discharged soldiers irrespective of their abode, and without allowances of any kind. In-pensions. -The management and direction of Chelsea Hospital is confided to a board of commissioners, consisting of The President of the Council. The First Commissioner of the Treasury. The Paymaster-General. The Governor of Chelsea Hospital. The Lieutenant-Governor of ditto. *The first commissioners were appointed by letters patent of King Charles the Second, dated 17 May 1683. By the same instrument "Charles Fox, Esquire, paymaster-general of our land forces, was appointed receiver-general and treasurer." By this board all claims for pensions and other matters connected with the affairs of the hospital are considered and decided upon, and no expenditure can be incurred but upon their authority. The officers of the establishment consist of,— A governor. A lieutenant governor. A major. An adjutant. A chaplain. A physician and surgeon. A deputy surgeon. An assistant surgeon. A dispenser. Six captains of invalides. A quartermaster. With 64 subordinates and servants of various classes. The financial and account duties are conducted by a secretary with 12 clerks. mates. The number of soldiers at present inmates of the hos- Number of inpital is 538, who receive a weekly allowance according to their rank and class, the maximum, that of colourserjeants, being 58. 3d. a week, and the minimum for private soldiers 7d. a week. The funds for the support of Chelsea Hospital are voted Vote of funds. annually by Parliament upon estimates prepared by the commissioners.* Formerly a portion of the portion of the expense of * Chelsea Hospital has long ceased to answer its original purpose; formerly it afforded a retreat for the greater part of the old and wounded soldiers; now it cannot accommodate one per cent. of the number of military pensioners. The system of out-pensions and the superintending department which has been created in connection with it, tend to remove the necessity for a central place of refuge for discharged soldiers, and the policy of maintaining the institution, now that it has ceased to effect its object, is to be doubted. |