es, Royal Marines, the
Superintendent of the "Middlesex Industrial Schools at Feltham," where
about 800 boys sent by magistrates are trained for the Army, the Navy,
and various other modes of life:--

"The 150 boys composing the Nautical Section are dressed as sailors, and
their everyday life is assimilated as much as possible to what it would
be in a stationary Training Ship--they sleep in hammocks, live in messes,
and are daily exercised in seamanship on board the full-sized model brig
'Endeavour,' built on play-ground. Boats are provided on the river at
Staines for instruction in rowing, and the boys are taught to swim in a
large swimming bath in the grounds.

"The brig was built in 1866, between which date and the end of last year
748 boys (about an average of 70 per annum) have been trained and sent to
sea.

"There is a home at Poplar for the reception and care of boys about to be
sent to sea under the charge of the shipping officer, who is duly
licensed by the Board of Trade. This is a most valuable branch of the
school, offering a home to lads returning from sea, who would otherwise
fall into the hands of low lodging-house keepers.

"The school authorities constantly receive the most favourable accounts
of the lads thus sent to sea, who are well reported on by captains of
ships both as regards character and ability in seamanship.

"The result of this experiment, now extending over a period of ten years,
proves beyond question that boys can be as speedily and efficiently
trained on board a model training ship built on land, as on board a
stationary one moored in a harbour or river.

"This opinion has been fully and publicly endorsed by Captain Burney,
R.N., Superintendent of the Royal Hospital School at Greenwich, where a
large model full-rigged ship (most complete and thorough in all its
arrangements) has been built, and by means of which, he maintains, he can
prepare boys for sea as efficiently as on board a floating training ship.

"In this, as in many other matters, there is a great deal of popular
prejudice to overcome, and perhaps the most effective way to do so would
be by inducing the governing bodies of such schools as Eton, Harrow, and
Rugby to erect model training ships on their grounds for the use of their
boys. It cannot be doubted that these ships would be as popular amongst
them as their present School Volunteer Corps undoubtedly are."

* * * * *

[After many visits to the floating trai