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medy is earnestly sought for. The conduct of the girls is represented by their female superintendents as marked with frequent insubordination, and as not less free than that of the boys from the vices of deceit, falsehood, and pilfering. No corporal or other punishment has hitherto been found effectual to put an end to these evils.

Dormitories.-These are inconveniently crowded, and those of the boys inadequately furnished with essential accommodations. Ventilation. The ventilation appeared imperfect in the dormitories, dining-hall, and school-rooms. There seemed also considerable imperfection in the means of warming the two latter.

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With regard to general manners, habits, and respect for the property of the establishment, it appeared, both from observation. and from the report of the various authorities, that the results were far from corresponding with what might reasonably be expected from the ample means devoted to the purposes of these schools.

II.-Suggestions for their Improvement.

In obedience to the desire conveyed in my instructions, I proceed to submit an outline and some leading details of an organization which, departing as little as possible from that which at present exists in these schools, may afford some probability of effecting a desirable improvement in the standard of morality and intelligence, and may, at the same time, impart an acquaintance with certain branches of instruction which bear reference to the probable future career of the class of children for whose benefit this instruction is designed.

The first evil to be dealt with is the extremely crowded state of the establishment. In the boys' dormitories their hammocks hang touching each other, and in a double tier, the higher being only about two feet and a half above the lower. The arrangement in the girls' dormitories is still more objectionable.

The schools are so crowded as very materially to interfere with the process of instruction; and in the dining-hall the boys are so close together, and the numbers so great, that due order can scarcely be expected to be attained.

Considering the evils which, under actual circumstances, have been found to result from the close contact of the boys' and girls' schools, and considering also that the disposition of the buildings is such that it is hardly practicable altogether to prevent the frequent occurrence of clandestine intercourse, a strong opinion appears to prevail that it will be necessary to discontinue the girls' school, and to offer to the parents who have claims on the institution the sum of 127. per annum for a certain time, for maintenance and instruction, in the place of the advantages now offered at the school. These advantages cannot at present be

said to be great. In fact, inasmuch as these children learn very little in school, and scarcely anything of domestic employments or the rudiments of trades, which might make them correct in their habits, useful in their stations in life, or acceptable in any appropriate branch of industry; and as they are, at the age of 14 or 15, returned to their homes in the seaport towns with very little power of self-guidance, and no great prospect of receiving much useful aid in that respect from the examples around them, it has been seldom found that the opportunities afforded them at these schools have exercised, to any great extent, a beneficial influence on their future lives.

Two objections occur to the plan of discontinuing the girls' school and offering a certain sum per annum to the parents to provide maintenance and instruction at home.

1st. It appears by the accompanying Paper, marked A, that an arrangement was entered into on the 3rd May, 1821, by which the Directors of Greenwich Hospital engaged, in consideration of receiving the sum of 61,000l. Consols from the Royal Naval Asylum, to maintain and educate such children, of either sex, as may be recommended by the Committee for managing the Patriotic Fund, and come within the rules of that institution.

How far this arrangement would interfere with the one proposed, in respect of the girls eligible by virtue of it to the establishment, will remain for the consideration of the authorities of the Royal Hospital.

2nd. Taking into account the general habits of the class of society to which these girls belong, it cannot be considered very probable that they would receive much benefit from any sum placed at the disposal of their parents for their maintenance and education. They would, in all likelihood, remain, during the entire period of their parents receiving such sum, as much exposed to the vicious influences of the sea ports to which they chiefly belong, and would receive as few advantages with reference to their future lives, as if no such sum had been designed for their profit and advancement.

The removal, however, of this school from its present locality seems indispensable.

It may, perhaps, be thought worth while to consider whether it could not be re-organised, and established at some spot near London. A sound and useful course of moral and industrial instruction might there be given, which would effectually correct the habits acquired amidst early contamination, and prepare the children for situations and employments to which they might be removed immediately on quitting the establishment, the facilities for effecting which are probably greater in London and its vicinity than elsewhere.

The sum which might be available for such a purpose may be thus calculated. Taking the total cost of the school establishment at Greenwich in 1839, exclusive of the infirmary, as

19,736l. 5s. 11d., and the average number on the books as 930, an average cost is given of 211. 4s. 5d. per head.

The Girls' School, consisting of 200, and the annual cost per head being taken as 217., the whole annual cost of the 200 girls would amount to 42007. Making the further deduction of 2007., in consideration of some difference of expense between the boys' and the girls' establishment, the sum of 40007. per annum would remain disposable for the support of a school of 200 girls.

If the Girls' School be removed their present building might be appropriated between the two Boys' Schools, relieving them of 100 each. This would still leave them too crowded, with a view to effectual discipline and instruction. I would suggest that the Upper and Lower Boys' Schools be limited to 250 each, and that the present Girls' School be superseded by one to be denominated the Middle School, and to consist of 100 boys of the same class as those constituting the Lower School. It is manifestly desirable that the whole course of training in these schools should partake largely of a professional character, while at the same time the claims of the religious and moral portion of instruction should suffer no neglect. Some care also may be bestowed on useful acquirements of a more general character. In the Upper School the navigation course may remain open to those who have ability for it, and who may be inclined to look forward to such employments as a proficiency in that branch may procure for them in the naval or merchant service. The construction and powers of the steam-engine might very usefully form a prominent subject of instruction at this school, with a view to lay the foundation of such knowledge as is required for engineers of steamships, for the management of machinery in dock-yards, or for the various processes of making and repairing engines. Book-keeping might receive some attention, together with such other points of information as may be requisite to the discharge of the duties of clerks on board ship, pursers, masters of vessels, or other similar employments. The gymnastic and professional practice is capable of much extension for the whole school, in the manner to be hereafter specified. The boys of the Upper School might, with advantage, be slightly distinguished in their dress, by an alteration in the cap, and a different button. The quantity of their diet might be slightly improved, and somewhat superior arrangements made for them in a separate hall. To this school those most distinguished for industry, ability, or good conduct might be removed from the Middle School; the boys of which might also wear a distinguishing button, and receive certain advantages of instruction which might make it an object of emulation among those of the Lower to be removed to the Middle School.

The entrance-hall of the present Girls' School might be the school-room for the Middle School, and other rooms in the same building might be available as class-rooms for the Upper School, and for other purposes.

Tables B, C, and D are intended as a sketch of a proposed routine of instruction and discipline for the three schools.

The position which this magnificent establishment holds is such, and its opportunities are so great and commanding, that it is not unreasonable to expect that under an amended system it would furnish to the naval and mercantile marine an annual supply of youths, fully trained in all the acquirements appropriate to their age and station, and so imbued with the naval spirit as to look to no other than a seafaring life as the result of their course of instruction at these schools.

This object would be further promoted by a revision of the regulations concerning the periods of admission and departure. The age of departure is at present between 14 and 15. Boys of that age are not arrived at sufficient strength to be useful on board ship, either in the mercantile marine or the naval service. Consequently it is said frequently to happen that on being returned to their parents and friends, who are seldom able to maintain them long in idleness, they are either put into some trade, by which whatever professional training they may have received is lost, or they fall into habits, to preserve them from which was, it is to be presumed, the first aim and intention of this establishment.

It is therefore recommended that, for the Upper School, the age of admission be from 12 to 13, and for the Middle and Lower School, from 10 to 12; the age of leaving the institution to be 15 for all, with discretionary power to the Governor to extend the period to the age of 16 in cases where it would seem to be for the applicant's advantage.

With respect to the industrial occupations mentioned in the Tables, it is to be observed that, so far as they relate to the ordinary manual trades and to domestic employments, they apply only to the boys of the Lower and Middle School, and are to be pursued by the whole of those boys in strict rotation; more for the sake of imparting to all a certain amount of skill and experience that may hereafter be of use in the course of service, than with the object of specific training to those trades, or of relieving to any considerable extent, by the profit derived from the boys' labour, the expenditure incurred on their behalf at the establishment.

It is recommended that no corporal punishment should be resorted to except in extreme cases, which are afterwards to be reported to the Governor; and that on the necessity arising a second time the boy should be dismissed. Ordinary punishments might consist of extra drill, fatigue duties, deprivation of walks and recreations, rolling the play-ground, solitary confinement, and confinement with labour, as at the Royal Military School, Chelsea. On the supposition that, for the purposes of such amendments as have been indicated, the principles above proposed be adopted, namely,

1. The removal of the Girls' School;

2. The separation of the Boys' School into Upper, Middle, and

Lower, and the limitation of their numbers to 250, 100, and 250, respectively;

3. The contingent extension of the period of quitting the establishment to the age of 16; but some little time would be required before these principles could be carried into effect;-

The steps requisite to be immediately taken would be,-first, to put a stop to the admissions to the Boys' Schools until the numbers were reduced to the point stated; secondly, to make inquiries and preparations, with a view to the removal of the Girls' School.

To carry out the system above mentioned, the following officers and servants would be required, according to the scale at present sanctioned:

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I Mate 10., for gymnastics; another as Clerk
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1 Dormitory Labourer, assisted by School Labourer
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