Age at examination.

Yrs. m. Yrs. m.

I give herewith the results, taken quite at random, in the cases of some of the boys who were examined in July of this year. The scale upon which they are marked is that in which 100 is the maximum, so that the marks show the percentage of correct answers. Two sets of examination papers are printed and distributed, as in the training ships. The mistakes on which they are marked in spelling are those made while writing, this writing being entirely from dictation. I would call particular attention to the very few mistakes in this, which, when the age of these boys is considered, are remarkably few.

96. 191. 599. 5 86. 4 74. 2 85. 4 89. 7 58, 982. 589. 3 92. 2 75.5 73. 4
94. 189. 298. 5:76. 068, 0 75, 4 90. 6 48. 974, 0 80.6 81.3 75. 3 59.7
95. 0 89. 098. 2 84.0 71. 8 67. 4 58. 0 43. 894 8 62.8 79. 2
95. 8 89.6 97. 0 79, 863, 9 64. 7 62. 9 49. 7 89. 1 49. 1 82.6
90. 2 90. 897. 2 74. 660. 3 60, 6 64. 4 44. 8 66, 5 75. 1 66.4
95.8 90. 897.7 68 5 53, 6 61, 5 60. 5 49. 6.69. 1 63. 2 56.5
92.8 91.697. 1 85. 7 65. 5 67. 2 80. 0 72.0
87.7 89.0 99. 5 79, 678.3 59. 6 77. 2 73. 8
85, 8 88. 996, 0 68. 254. 7 41.6 64. 0.50. 0
82. 188.0 95. 2 54. 2 65. 2 32. 4 57. 0 56. 0
85, 6 90, 396. 8 62, 971. 4 38. 4 48. 2 20. 0
83. 1 92. 097. 0 69. 3 65. 6 50. 4 31. 4 31. 8,
81.7 88. 790, 2 53. 850, 6 21. 0 59, 6 13. 0
90.9 89. 5 93. 2 50. 8 66. 4 29. 3 42.6 7.2
84.5 88. 597.9 93.3 73.0 37.0 (*) 34.0
75. 4 89. 398. 4 94. 481. 0 46. 2
85. 2 87.5 95, 6 84. 4 75. 1 31.0
79. 1 85. 7 95. 1 85. 0 68. 4 35. 4

*No history in the third class.

..

42. 6
28.8

51.4

E

Geometry.

French.

CHAPTER III.

SEAMANSHIP INSTRUCTION.

The seamanship instruction is given under men who have as a rule served their time for pension in the Navy as petty officers, or who have nearly finished such time, and are allowed to come here and complete it. In both cases their pay comes from the funds voted for the school. They are men specially selected as fitted for the management of boys; a most important desideratum, as it requires a character of much patience and firmness to deal successfully with boys of such tender years. The course in seamanship is the same as that laid down on board the training ships; the course in signals is, however, omitted.

It may be mentioned here that on the walls of the seamanship rooms are painted many of the sketches which appear in Burney's Seamanship Manual, especially such as refer to the exercise of sails and spars; every difficulty that one is apt to meet with aloft is represented. The sketches are on a very large scale and well painted; they are constantly under the eyes of the boys, who thus become familiarized with them, and have a means of reference to any difficulty which may occur in their exercises on board their stationary training ship. The idea appears a peculiarly good one, and well worth adopting.

The models are on a large scale; in one room is a brig, on the deck of which fifteen boys can work. It is so pivoted forward, and arranged that it can be headed in any direction by the men at the wheel. I would call particular attention to this model, which appears to me by far the most practical I have ever seen; the masts, yards, and gear are on a good working scale, and all the details of handling ship can be performed. There are many other models of various kinds which need not, with the exception of the one just spoken of, be particularly mentioned. All are on such a scale as not to serve for mere show; the rigging, for instance, going over the mastheads is of a size sufficient to show every detail, and can be taken off and replaced easily.

The seamanship division does not include any boys under thirteen years of age; nor do any, until they arrive at this age, receive any instruction pertaining to seamanship, the whole of their school hours being devoted to other studies and to their trades.

ORGANIZATION FOR TRADE WORK.

Boys on entering are assigned to such trade as they appear to have decided inclination for. Of course some are found without leanings of any kind. If on assignment they are found unfitted for the work, they

are given one opportunity for change, after which their position is fixed. This work has no reference whatever to their school organization; boys of the first and third classes may be working together in the same room and at the same work.

The entire labor of the establishment is done by the boys and their instructors; the school is entirely self-supporting, short of furnishing material. The making of the clothing and bedding, the washing and ironing, the baking, cooking, plumbing, and carpenter work, are all done by them. Nor is this work of a flimsy character; the coats, frocks, and trousers are well made and well fitted. The jackets of the pupil teachers, the uniform of the band, and all the other articles I examined were good. Sewing-machines and machinery for shoemaking are extensively used; the stockings are all made by machinery, and the latest and best appliances are used in the laundry.

A tour through the workshops shows an animated and striking sight. Beginning at the east end, at the bakery, where twelve boys in each watch are employed, one passes thence to the laundry, where he finds the machinery for the washing, wringing, and drying all under the charge of boys, even to the engine, which is looked after by a small engineer of twelve or thirteen. The whole of this department is under the supervising care of one man. As one passes to the folding and ironing rooms the number of boys increases, and one finds a busy hive of industry, where more than a hundred boys in each watch are employed. When it is considered that last year 460,000 articles (or 9,000 a week) were washed and repaired, folded and stowed in their proper places, it is easily seen that even this large force is not an idle one. After this come the general repairs and shirtmaking, and after this the sockmaking and mending. Further on are the tailor-shops, where there are 110 of these very young tailors at work, both with the sewing-machine and the needle; so on through the shoemakers, gasfitters, carpenters, and all the other trades which have been enumerated. It may not strike every one as it did myself, but it was to me a most surprising sight. Nor were these boys with the pale faces and thin bodies of factory children. In every case there were ruddy and redundant health, bright eyes, and evident strength and vigor. Among the faces of the thousand boys, whom I saw so frequently that I became familiarized with their appearance, I saw none that were not fine and open. There was not a trace of vice, inherited or acquired. If it existed before entry to the school, it had passed away under the influence of the healthful régime of mingled work, study, and play.

On one side at least, however, these boys have, as far as physique is regarded, almost an ideal parentage. Their fathers are picked and trained men, vigorous and healthy in early boyhood, and with this vigor sustained by the good food and the regular and energetic life of the man-of-war's man through a twenty years' service in the Navy. After this twenty years' service they are generally found in the Coastguard, where much the same conditions of life practically obtain; so that, from

these fathers at least, these boys come fairly by the exceptional appearance they present. England does well to cherish such a race, and the yearly supply of two hundred boys from this school she is sure to find a good leaven for the others with whom they are thrown.

The occupations, and numbers in each of the occupations, are as follows:

The tradestaff, or persons employed to superintend the departments and instruct the boys, is as follows:

14

Scullery..

10

26

In addition to these there are the following employed about the school: Gatekeeper

Laborers for general duty...

Laborer as store-issuer (this last has with him for a time the boys who are to serve as ships' stewards)......

1

2

1

This makes a total of sixty-two persons connected with the school, besides the boys and pupil teachers, of whom there are at present 39. There is thus a grand total of 1,101 persons belonging to the establishment.

A definite idea of the amount of work done will be given by the fol lowing list during the past year:

The number of articles washed in the laundry in the year ending June 30, 1879, was 460,190. The total value of industrial work done was £5,600, or $28,000. In washing the saving was over $4,700 by having it done by the boys.

One hundred and sixty-five wash-basins were placed in the new lavatory by boy labor, the plumbing and all other parts of the work being done by them. The repairs generally are done by the carpenter, plumbing, and other workshops of the establishment.