§ Sir O. PHILIPPSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller what number of youths were under training at the Gravesend School for Sea Training during the year September, 1918, to September, 1919, and subsequently, respectively; and what, was the length of the training undergone by them —e.g., how many were trained for six weeks and how many for eight weeks?
Colonel WILSONOne thousand and forty youths were trained, or were in the course of training, at the Gravesend. Sea School during the year September, 1918, to September, 1919, and 100 youths were withdrawn or dismissed during the course of training in addition to that number, owing to their having been found unsatisfactory. The length of training undergone by those intending to become sailors was on the average over eleven weeks; 738 were well over eight weeks, 178 were over three months and 124 youths, in training as coal trimmers and stewards, were only six weeks in the school. Since September, 1919, 150 youths have gone to sea whose average training was thirteen weeks, and 190 are at present under training.