MR. MILESsaid, he rose to ask the hon. Gentleman the Clerk of the Ordnance what the Government proposed to do with the boys at the Ordnance School, Carshalton, who were eligible and ready for examination on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 5th and 6th of June instant, but were not examined; why they were not examined; and whether they would be on the 8th of July; or, if not, how the Government proposed to deal with them?
§ MR. MONSELLsaid, he must beg to state that any boys fit for examination would be examined at the earliest possible opportunity. The delay which had taken place was owing to the state of transition in which the whole arrangements connected with the Ordnance had been for some time placed. He must, however, at the same time state that the decision which his noble Friend the Secretary of State for the War Department had come to was to abolish altogether the preparatory school at Carshalton; but that would be done in such a manner as not to interfere with existing nominations. With regard to admissions into Woolwich generally, as it had been decided upon altering the system of admission into the academy, he could not at the present moment inform the hon. Gentleman how the boys in question would be dealt with. He might add, that the only admissions as yet made by competition were into the practical class; but it was under the consideration of his noble Friend whether the same principle would not be extended to the theoretical class also, and to the academy generally.
§ MR. HEYWOODsaid, after the statement which had been made of the intentions of the Secretary for War with regard to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, he thought it would not be expedient to bring forward the Motion of which he bad given notice for an Address praying Her Majesty to substitute an open examination in place of the present system of nominations for admission into that academy.