244 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OF 
Academy/'* near the site of the present Laboratory pattern room, and a 
row of houses occupying the ground where now stand the Arsenal Hospital 
and Inspector of Works' quarters. “Prince Kupert's Walk"—north of 
the “ Storekeeper's orchyard"—consisted of an avenue of trees parallel, and 
close, to the river bank whence projected two practice batteries. Such was 
the Woolwich Warren in 1748. 
A newspaper of the 24th April, 1756, relates that “The old Chapel in 
the Warren at Woolwich is filled with Bombs, Grape-shot, Chain and 
Double-headed Shot, ready to be embarked at a Minute's Warning." 
It is curious to observe, in the present day, how changed have become 
the general features of the locality; to learn that Woolwich was a plea¬ 
sant country resort for Londoners only 200 years ago—when Mr Pepys could 
record in his diary “28 May, 1667. My wife away down with Jane and 
Mr Hewer to Woolwich, in order to a little ayre and to lie there tonight, 
and so to gather Maydew tomorrow morning, which Mrs Turner hath taught 
her is the only thing in the world to wash her face with; and I am contented 
with it." And that, even 90 years later, the river flowing past was found 
so enticing to bathers as to necessitate Colonel Belford's order of the 8th 
April, 1757, “The first Cadet that is found swimming in the Thames shall 
be taken out naked, and put in the guard room." 
A royal visit was paid to the Woolwich Warren on the 9th July, 1772, 
of which the following newspaper account is so curious, in many respects, 
that it must plead as my excuse for extracting the entire paragraph :— 
“On Tuesday last the King arrived at this place (Woolwich). At a 
little before 10 in the morning his Majesty entered the Warren (preceded 
by 24 rope makers dressed in white with round hats decorated by ribbons, 
who had run before his Majesty's carriage from Blackheath) attended by a 
party of the light horse. His Majesty stepped out of his carriage, and was 
received by Lord Townsend as Master-General of the Ordnance, on the 
Parade, when he was saluted by a discharge of 21 twelve pounders. The 
guard rested their arms, and the drums and music beat the march; the 
royal standard was displayed on the mortar battery, and every window filled 
with ladies. His Majesty passed in front of the old invalids and the guard, 
to the new-erected foundery, where Mr Yan Bruggen shewed his Majesty 
the various progressions of casting brass guns, such as the preparation of 
the clay, forming the moulds, fixing the trunnions, and the motion of the 
fire in the furnaces, occasioned by the subterraneous galleries that convey 
an uncommon blast of wind from every quarter. The King then entered 
the boring room, for boring guns cast solid, by an horizontal boring machine, 
extremely curious and well contrived (likewise the work of Mr Yan Bruggen) 
where a 42-pounder was bored in his Majesty's presence. Prom the 
foundery his Majesty went through the gun walk to the mortar-battery, and 
saw several shells thrown from mortars of various diameters both for land 
and sea service ; some ricochet granadoes were likewise thrown from howitzers. 
* The newspapers of 1758 contained an advertisement:—“ Gentlemen designed for the 'Royal 
Academy of Artillery at Woolwich are qualified by Mr Marquois at John Street, Oxford Market.” 
In the Rules, Orders, and Regulations issued 1764 by the Marquis of Granby, Master-General to 
the Ordnance, the Institution was denominated the “ Royal Military Academy.” 
