room are the official property of successive
Governors. The last three mentioned were bequeathed by William Evans in
1739. We can pass from this room through the vestibule, and along the
wards, and thus reach the central wing, and pass under the colonnade into
the hall beneath the cupola, without once going into the outer air. From
this central hall open off the chapel and great hall on the east and west
sides respectively. In this central hall it is possible to look right up
into the hollow interior of the cupola at an immense height. Both hall
and chapel are considerably raised above the ground-level, and are
reached by a flight of steps. They are of the same dimensions--108 feet
by 37 feet--but, as the roof of the hall is flat, and that of the chapel
hollowed out, the former looks much larger.

In the 'History of the Diocese of London' Newcourt gives the following
quotation from the Bishop of London's Registry: 'The chappel of this
Hospital (which is a very large and stately one, as is also the hall,
which is of the same dimensions) is 108 feet long, and 37 feet and 9
inches wide ... consecrated by the Right Reverend Father in God, Henry,
Lord Bishop of London, on Sunday, August 30, 1691.' The prelate here
referred to was Bishop Compton.

The chapel is paved with black and white marble, and all the fittings and
wainscoting are of oak. The altar-rails and the side of the wainscot
compartments are carved by Grinling Gibbons. Over the altar is an immense
painting, made to fit the apse-like end. It represents the Resurrection,
and was executed by Sebastian Ricci. The altar itself is heavy and
ugly--a great oak canopy supported by Corinthian columns in oak. The
feature of the chapel is, however, the number of standards which are
suspended from either wall all down the nave. The greater number were
transferred here from the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, and India House, by
order of King William IV., in 1835. Captain J. Ford, to whose laborious
and painstaking work is due the record of the tombstones in the old
burial-ground, made also a list of these flags, and drawings of those
recognisable. This collection was purchased by Queen Victoria, who caused
it to be made into a book, and presented it to the Hospital, adding an
autograph inscription. The flags are chiefly American and French. There
are also several French eagles and some native Indian flags. On the
latter the mark of a hand, supposed by the natives to be the impress o