exists in Greenwich Hospital, where it was placed by the Admiralty in 1846. The fund, which, before the utilisation of banks, and the value of investments became properly appreciated, the chest contained, continued, under varying regulations, to exist, until in 1803 it was transferred to the supervisors and directors of the chest at Greenwich, and practically became part of the relief funds at Greenwich Hospital. Not until 1829 did the stoppage on behalf of it of sixpence a month from the wages of every seaman of the Royal Navy cease.
Henry VIII. contributed greatly to the creation and development of the bases and arsenals of the navy, and built numerous important works of defence along the coast. He founded Woolwich Dockyard, and much improved the yards at Portsmouth[1] and Deptford, erecting at the latter large magazines and storehouses.
The fortification of Gravesend and Tilbury was his work, as was also the building of the castles at Walmer, Deal, Sandgate, Sandown, Portland, Hurst, Cowes, Camber, Southsea, Queenborough, Pendennis, and St. Mawes. At several of these places there were earlier
- ↑ "The land here, on the east side of Portsmouth Haven, runneth further by a great way straight into the sea, by south-east from the haven mouth, than it doth at the west point. There is, at this point of the haven, Portsmouth town, and a great round tower, almost double in quantity and strength to that which is on the west side of the haven, right against it; and here is a mighty chain of iron to draw from tower to tower. About a quarter of a mile above this tower is a great dock for ships, and in this dock lieth part of the ribs of the Henri Grace à Dieu, one of the biggest ships that have been made in hominum memoria. There be above this dock creeks in this part of the haven. The town of Portsmouth is fended from the east tower ... with a mud wall armed with timber, whereon are great pieces both of iron and brass ordnance; and this piece of the wall, having a ditch without it, runneth so far flat south-south-east, and is the most apt to defend the town there open on the haven. There runneth a ditch almost flat east for a space, and within it is a wall of mud like to the other, and so thence [it] goeth round about the town to the circuit of a mile. There is a gate of timber at the north-east end of the town; and by it is cast up a hill of earth ditched, wherein are guns to defend entry into the town by land. There is much vacant ground within the town wall. There is one fair street in the town, from west to north-east. I learnt in the town that the towers in the haven mouth were begun in King Edward the Fourth's time, and set forward in building by Richard the Third. King Henry the Seventh ended them at the procuration of Fox, Bishop of Winchester. King Henry the Eighth, at his first wars into France, erected in the south part of the town three great brewing-houses, with the implements, to serve his ships at such time as they should go to the sea in time of war. One Carpenter, a rich man, made of late time, in the middle of the High Street of the town, a Town House. The town is bare, and little occupied in time of peace." — Leland, 'Itinerary,' iii., pp. 81, 82. Leland was on his journey between 1536 and 1542; so that this description of Portsmouth applies to the town as it then was. The allusion to the ribs of the Henri Grace à Dieu is obscure, seeing that the ship was in existence until a later date.
