THE REJECTION OF NAVAL CANDIDATES.
SIR.,—As a parent of a Naval Cadet still undergoing his year of probation at Osborne, I feel I must take up my pen in answer to one or two statements made in your correspondent
"Usher's" letter of October 7th.
To begin with, 460 for a Cadet's outfit is surely an unusually large sum ; 435 would be much nearer the mark, granting that a boy starts with a certain stock of underclothing, &c. As to the outfit being useless afterwards, I fail to see ;here such a loss could come in. The sea-chest and the best uniform might be counted as such, but the working suits, caps, and boots would be pretty well worn out at the end of a year, especially if worn in the holidays as well as during the terms, and all other articles could be made of further use. I consider that in every way the authorities have been most considerate to the parents in the event of their boys being withdrawn at the end of the third term, and the only point on which I agree with your correspondent is that the Latin should not be altogether dropped, as, in the event of entering a public school a Latin paper forms part of the examination. Where would a boy elsewhere than at Osborne have so many advantages, physical and mental, given him for such a very moderate sum (£100 for the year more than covers fees and extras) ? The boys even in the short space of a year must derive enormous benefits, and personally I shall always feel grateful for the advantages that my son has received there. Everything is planned on the most healthy and generous scale. The splendid playgrounds, the excellent drilling, and the interesting workshops are delightful to the boys themselves, even should they unfortunately fail to keep up with the work. Certainly, after visiting Osborne and comparing it with the leading public schools of England, one comes away wishing that there could be a public school run on the same lines. The airy dormitories, the common dining-hall, and the perfect cleanliness, order, and discipline which prevail might with advantage be copied. Such a public school would not, I think, be long in want of candidates, especially were such a man as Mr. Benson, with his views on modern education, to undertake any such scheme. As to the entrance examination to Osborne being made more of a test, it was, I believe, made specially easy with a view to doing away with the possible evils of early cramming. If a boy leaves at the end of his year, he is probably not much over thirteen and a half years old ; and one could not say with truth that his future prospects were marred at that early age, even if all are not agreed as to the benefits that a boy derives from his stay there.
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