MILITARY EDUCATION.—QUESTION. (Hansard, 28 May 1858)

§ MR. MONSELL

said, he rose to put three questions to the right hon. Secretary for War of which he had given him notice. The first question related to the carrying out of the Resolutions of that House with regard to the education of the scientific corps of the army. He was quite satisfied the right hon. and gallant Gentleman was doing all in his power to carry into effect the decision of the House, but until the heads of the various colleges and schools throughout the country where young men received a training preparatory to proceeding to Woolwich were assured that the system now pursued there would be permanent it was not probable that they would adopt such a mode of education as 1104 would fit young men for the scientific corps. He begged therefore, to ask whether, with as little delay as possible, a minute would be issued cancelling the minute of December last, and assuring the public that the system now pursued at Woolwich would be continued; and whether, if that were done, the right hon. and gallant Gentleman would lay such minute upon the table? His second question also had reference to Woolwich. He (Mr. Monsell) called attention some two or three weeks ago, when the Army Estimates were under discussion, to the absolute necessity of an alteration in the buildings at Woolwich, which would render them more fit for the class of cadets by whom they were now occupied. There were, in some cases, three or four young men of twenty, twenty-one, or twenty-two years of age, sleeping in the same apartment, without any private rooms for study; and he wished to know whether the right hon. and gallant Gentleman had considered this subject, and whether he intended to take measures for rendering the buildings more suitable for the young men who were now received as cadets, and who were considerably older than those for whom they were originally intended? The next question he wished to put, referred to the Council of Military Education. He thought they were greatly indebted to His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief for establishing that Council, which would doubtless produce most important results with regard to the education of officers of the army, but he thought the Council—probably from a desire not to expend too large an amount of money upon this new establishment—was not constituted in a satisfactory manner. One member of it was General Portlock, an engineer officer, and an excellent and en able man, and there were also two officers of the line who, he believed, had been selected with admirable judgment; but when it was considered that a very considerable portion of the scientific branch of the army was composed of the artillery, he thought it was obvious that an artillery officer ought to be placed upon the Council. As the examinations which were to be established both at Woolwich and at Sandhurst were to be founded, not upon any special education, but upon the general education of the country, he was of opinion also that some gentleman thoroughly conversant with that general education—such a man as Canon Moseley, who had taken so much interest in the subject—should be ap- 1105 pointed a member of the Council. He wished, therefore, to ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman whether he is prepared to recommend the addition of an artillery officer and a civilian to the Military Council of Education?