SEA-TRAINING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 478, 10 April 1909, Page 6

SEA-TRAINING.

' PROPOSED HOME ON SHOEB. Current discussion of tho defcnbo question in all its bearings has doubtless suggested to tho local Navy League a further effort to give prominonco to its scheme for air'extended system of sea-training for boys.'Tho following' letter has been sent to tho Secretary of the Marino Department:— : " Dear Sir,—Would you kindly bring under the notice of tho'Hon. the Minister'- for' Mariuo tho oncloscd leaflets issued by tho Navy League, also tho rough skotch plan (recently handed to you') of tho suggested local shore sea-training home? The league hopes that ore long the Government ;may (when finances' permit) decide upon the establishment of such a homo, to be used in conjunction with tho Amokura. It is felt that the cramped conditions of life aboard such a small craft .as tho latter may havo the tendency of. discouraging enlistment. ' In tho. Mother Country "the opinion appears to bo gaining ground that training ships arc not as good for young /people as' tho, homes on shoro, witli appliances for putting the. lads afloat from time to time." Tho 'foregoing quotation is from a letter just received from the Navy League headquarters in London. Apart from other advantages, tho cost of upkeep of the shore'homes is less than that of training ships. Tho establishment of a shore homo such as that now suggested would",lmve the Amoknra available for tho boyV,of the industrialschools for part of tho year, i.e., in the event of tho adoption of a suggestion recently submitted by the league, and now under consideration by the Education Department. As already explained orally, the lough sketch plan was prepaied under the direction of an enthusiastic member of tho league, and who has made a point, of inspecting all the important institutions of tho kind in England. Tho present may not bo an opportune limo . to urge further expenditure in this direction, but the league hoj>os that at no very , distant date tho Government may sec its waj to give effect to tho suggestion. The'leaflets enclosed consist of the report, of a special Conference of County' Councils, tho Marine Society,iand other , bodies,, at which resolutions "were carried in' regard, to . tho training of "British seamen for British ships," also' a series of illustrations of the Navy Lcaguo Shoro Sea-training Homo ,at Lesc'ard,' and a report on tho working. of same.' ■ I am, Dear Sir, ... Yours faithfully, CECIL W. PALMER, .",-'..,.