§ EARL FORTESCUEinquired of the Lord President of the Council, Whether it was true that the London School Board had bought a ship for training purposes; and, if so, whether he could inform the House what was the estimated cost of the purchase and fitting up of that ship, and what were the numbers and salaries of the staff employed in it, and what arrangements were proposed to be made about the meals of the boys to be trained on board. The noble Earl said, that a report had reached him that a ship had been purchased at the expense of the ratepayers, which he thought ought not to have been the case, because the School Board seemed to forget that their rate was levied upon one kind of property alone. He was not disposed to join in a too general condemnation of the course which had been pursued by the London School Board, because he believed that since its establishment it had done a great deal of good; although he doubted the prudence of some of the steps it had taken, and entertained no doubt whatever of the too great costliness of others. What he desired to do was to ascertain for the information of the already heavily burdened ratepayers of 1501 the Metropolis, whether the London School Board had done anything of the kind; and, if so, exactly what it was? He thought it desirable that they should have some details respecting the ship alleged to have been purchased. He must confess he viewed with some jealousy the proceedings of school boards in some parts of the country. For instance, in Bradford, a particular class of school had been established for boys of a more advanced age than usual, and he thought that, in some degree, the result had been inadequate. He would not, however, attempt to raise any discussion on that point at present, and he merely alluded to it to show that there was a disposition on the part of school boards generally, with reference to expenditure, that required some watchfulness on the part of the public and by Parliament. With respect to this particular purchase, he concluded that inasmuch as the boys would be trained on board, they could hardly land for the purpose of taking their meals. In other training ships, the boys had their meals and slept on board. He could hardly believe that that was contemplated by the school boards in the case of boys who were neither paupers nor in receipt of charitable assistance.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONsaid, that the Question which had been put to him by the noble Earl was one in respect of which he was unable to give him any information at present, further than he believed it was the fact that the London School Board had made such a purchase. It was not a matter within the Educational Department of the Privy Council; because, in making this purchase, the London School Board had acted under the 15th section of the 39 & 40 Vict., in which it was provided that in the event of any such purchase being contemplated, it must be made with the sanction and approval of the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
§ THE EARL OF REDESDALEsaid, that the case was really one of great importance, and he was sorry that his noble Friend (Earl Fortescue) had not asked the Home Office for a little further information. If he was really responsible for it, he pointed out that the education of boys who ought to be maintained by their parents in the training ship was really the introduction of an expense to 1502 the country at large which had not hitherto been incurred, and was, therefore, quite a novelty. If this was the beginning of anew system, he considered it deserving of serious inquiry.
§ EARL FORTESCUEthen gave Notice that he would put a Question to the noble Lord who represented the Home Office in their Lordships' House on this subject to-morrow.
§ House adjourned at half past Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter before Five o'clock,