§ MR. HORSFALLasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it was the intention of the Government to carry out the recommendation of the Manning Commission, as to placing twelve School Ships at the principal Commercial Ports; and if so, the probable time that will elapse before the scheme may be in operation?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETThe hon. Gentleman is probably aware that the Commissioners for Manning the Navy recommended two distinct schemes for the education of boys. The first was that 2,000 boys should be brought up in training ships for the navy, all of them to belong to the 561 navy. The second was, that there should be another class of boys which should be educated, partly at the public expense, and partly at their own expense; and that for them an additional number of training ships should be provided. The Admiralty have taken a very largo sum in the Estimates I have just laid upon the table for the general schemes of the Royal Commission; but we found that a very great expenditure would be incurred in preparing training ships for the Royal Naval Volunteers, and also for the boys included in the first scheme, that the Admiralty think it would not be wise, at present, to hold out any hopes that ships will be prepared, during the ensuing financial year, for carrying further the scheme of the Commissioners in this respect; but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we are fully alive to the importance of that matter, and we shall be very glad at some future period to take up this scheme of the Commissioners.