The tablets above quoted, which, of course, had been attached to the original buildings, were then removed to the front of the new premises, with the addition of another, setting forth—
The hospital was removed from its original site to the present buildings in 1860.
Additional accommodation became necessary as patients increased in number; also wards built of materials not permanent had from time to time to be replaced, and the money for these purposes was commonly raised by appeals for subscriptions from members of the Chinese community. Mr. Tan Kim Ching by no means stopped at the liberality which is recorded on the tablet above quoted, and many Chinese gentlemen of means have from time to time freely contributed. In 1879 Mr. Tan Beng Swee, then a member of the Committee of Management,—son of Tan Kim Seng, in whose memory the fountain near the Exchange was built, and father of the Hon'ble Tan Jiak Kim,—built three wards at his own expense, one of which was of permanent materials, accommodating about 30 patients.
In process of time the expense of the Hospital has become so great that it has to be mainly supported by Government grant, but it still has an income derived from interest on invested money, from subscriptions and donations, and rents of property made over to the Hospital, which was incorporated by Ordinance No. VII of 1880.
The Corporation consists of the holders for the time being of certain high offices in the Public Service (the Colonial Secretary being President), of the eldest resident male descendant of the Founder, and of subscribers (generally Chinese) of not less than $12 per annum and donors of not less than $1,000. The late Mr. C. B. Buckley was also one of the original members of the Committee of Management.
While it is interesting to note that so far as the institution is and has been indebted to private support it is almost wholly to Chinese, there is one notable exception which should not be passed over—that is the gift of the property now known as Syed Ali's Land, by an Arab merchant, Syed Ali bin Mahomed al Junied. This property abuts on Victoria Street, Queen Street, and Arab Street, and contains an area of over five acres. It was taken by this Arab gentleman in 1857 on a lease from Government for 99 years, and he in the same year assigned it for a nominal consideration to trustees for the benefit of the Hospital. By the Incorporation Ordinance the property is vested in the Hospital, and it has
