521
In the year 1904, legal proceedings were taken over the will to determine certain questions connected therewith, such as the nature and scope of the hospital, and if there was an unexhausted portion of the estate, whether it could be applied to charitable purposes generally. The result of these legal proceedings was a lengthy order made by the Chief Justice, who held that the residuary bequest was a good charitable bequest, that the executors and trustees should proceed with the hospital project according to Mr. Sharp's instructions, and that any surplus should be applied to charitable purposes.
After the opening of the Hospital, it was found difficult to apply in actual practice the terms which the testator expressed in his will - "the helpless, forsaken, and him who is alone and desolate." After a time, the governing body adopted a resolution that any person who was unable to pay the usual medical fees chargeable for hospital treatment might, on explaining his financial position to his doctor, be nominated for admission. This has been found to work quite well, and the Hospital is still open to receive needy cases at all times.
It will be recalled that in the old map of the Wanchai area published not long ago (see 30-9-33) the position of the Royal Naval Hospital is marked as the Seamen's Hospital, and it was mentioned then that this building was sold to the Navy in 1873 by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. The place has an interesting history, which might be elaborated somewhat.
For the records of the hospital's expansion after the Navy acquired it, I have searched the files in the Commodore's office, permission to do this having been courteously granted by Commodore F. Elliott, O.B.E.
There might be some confusion about the Seamen's Hospital if it be not explained at the outset that there were two such institutions in the old days, one of them being referred to in the old chronicles also as the Marine Hospital. It will be as well to get this quite clear.
The Hospital at Wanchai was opened on June 1, 1843, by the Medical Missionary Society of Canton and Macao, and was placed under a Dr. Hobson, of the London Missionary Society.
It was originally a general hospital, but appears to have been converted into an institution for seamen, later.
The oldest institution of this kind for seafarers was built on the site of the present Government Civil Hospital, and was the real Seamen's Hospital of the Forties. It is interesting to note that Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., were instrumental in having this place built, for they generously added the necessary funds to a sum of $6,000 collected by public subscription. The building was opened in August, 1843, under Dr. Peter Young (of the Hongkong Dispensary), who gave his services free. It is recorded that a Seamen's Hospital was erected in 1844, apparently at the Wanchai site; meanwhile the one on Queen's Road continued until 1848, when it was partly organised into a Colonial Hospital, the oldest part of the Government Civil Hospital, which later replaced it, being erected in 1861. Up to 1864 we find references to the Seamen's Hospital (run under Government supervision) at Queen's Road West. The G.C.H. was expanded from 1874 onwards, but before this the marine hospital, as such, had gone out of specific existence and been merged into the larger institution.
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