The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-08-06 00:00:00

THE AKBAR.

The age we live in is filled with anomalies. Crimes
of the most inhuman character are chronicled day by
day : Christianity is blazed abroad upon every side.
But we ought not, therefore, to infer that the efforts of
Christianity and philanthropy are futile, or that the
nineteenth century is so much worse than its predecessors.
On the contrary, there are many bright examples of the
fallacy of such a supposition, and of the efficacy of
Christianity, when rightly directed and judiciously
exercised. In proof of this we need give no other
illustration than is to be found in the juvenile reforma-
tories Which are now happily becoming so general
throughout the country, and among which the Akbar
holds so distinguished a position. On last Saturday
afternoon this vessel was inspected by a number of gen-
tlemen, among whom were his worship the Mayor-(T.
D. Anderson, Esq.), William Brown, Esq., George Holt,
Esq., William Rathbone, Esq., Samuel G. ,Rathbone,
Esq., J. Beazley, Esq., John Cropper, Esq., J. R.
Brougham, Esq., M. D. Hill, Esq. (Recorder of Bir-
mingham), and Mr. Raffles, the Stipendiary Magistrate.
The result of the examination completely verified the
truth of our remark, and was most satisfactory to all
who had the good fortune to be present. The boys were
questioned in Bible history by the Rev. .T>S. Howson
(Principal of the Collegiate), and displayed a thorough
knowledge of the fuudamental doctrines of Christianity.
Their acquaintance with more practical subjects was
equally good. This was particularly the case with sea-
manship, their capabilities in this respect being tested
by an order from Lieutenant Fenwick, R.N. (com-
mander of the ship), to unfurl the main topsail the main
topgallant sail, the fore topsail, and the fore top gallant
sail, which was executed in exactly one minute, the re-
furling taking about half a minute longer. The boys
have a very fine appearance ; they are kept neat and
clean, and they manifest an amount of intelligence rarely
found in the class from which they have been taken.
They are treated with great kindness ; corporal punish-
ment is seldom necessary, and is scarcely ever resorted
to. Their religious instruction is under the direction
of the Rev. Daniel Bell Rankin, and Mr. Bell, the
schoolmaster, and !all the departments are under the
superintendence of Lieutenant Fenwick. Mr. Cropper,
who has taken a great interest in the scheme, announced
to the officers and boys that he was much pleased with
the conduct of the 140 boys he had invited to his house;
no fault could be found with any of them, and not one
depredation had been committed. The same gentleman
also related some instances in whiob boys who were
formerly on this ship had, on their return, visited him,
and told him how well they were getting on. The
following is an abstract of the report read by the
commander. Since 1853 the number gone to sea has
been ninety-one, twenty of these have been unreported
of. Out of the seventy-one who have been reported
upon, forty-one have a good character, three fair,
thirteen doubtful, that is they have broken their inden-
tures for higher wages, but eight of them are still doing
well in other ships, eight bad, out of whom two have
been re-convicted. The report also contained a com-
plete refutation of certain statements published in a
London shipping
paper to the effect that the Akbar
and the Cornwall were filled with boys from other reforma-
tories, who were the most vicious and unmanageable ;
also that the boys were not amenable to the discipline
of the navy. To refute this Lieutenant Fenwick states
that six boys from the Akbar have joined the navy,
and four of them were bearing excellent characters.
These facts speak for themselves, and testify to the
utility and importance of such institutions as the
Akbar.