The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-28 00:00:00

Never before convicted 32
Once
Twice

Thrice
Four
Five ..
Six

4 ..• . - ~ . . 1 • . • 5
1 •. • • - .. • • 1 •. • • 2

•••• •••• ••••
Total
The Akbar is at present moored in the middle of the
Greif Float at Birkenhead. In clearing, altering, rigging,
end equipping the ship, a large sum, as may be seen from
the accounts, has been expended. The staff of superintend-
ence necessary to the efficient carrying on of such an
institution is also large : and this, together with the
unremunerative nature of the work on board, necessarily
makes the cost per head of such a reformatory considerable.
The staff at present consists of a superintendent,
schoolmaster, boatswain, boatswain's mate, cook and
steward, carpetter, and two seamen—all living on board ; a
staff sufficiently large for the care of 150 boys, yet equally
necessary for the number at present on board. Thus
making the cost per head for the past year much greater
than they anticipate in future years.
The Akbar being the first ship reformatory, the commit.
tee have,. es might have been expected, incurred many
expenses which the experience they have now acquired
would have enabled them to avoid.

The boys are divided into two divisions—the port and
starboard watches. Each of these again are divided into
sub divisions.

Each subdivision has a first and second captain over them,
selected for conduct and ability from among the leading
names on the tablet of trustworthy boys, and these, together
with the assistant purser's stewards, and the cook's mate,
all rank as petty officers among the boys, and receive a small
we, kly pay, which they are allowed to spend, under the
direction of the superintendent.

The tablet referred to is a large slate hung up in a
ponsnicious part of the ship, and on which are written the
names of suph boys as by their conduct on hoard the super-
intendent considers worthy of honour and confidence.
The subdivisions sleep, mess,- and are instructed and
employed on the duties of the ship together, so as to form
a separate little c.)mpany or family in itself, of whom the
captain is the head ; and he is responsible to a certain
extent for the conduct and work of the boys under his charge,
*hose confidence and affection he is to endeavour to gain,
And prevent there from breaking any of the regulations of
the ship; but under no circumstances is he allowed to
atrike or pnni;h a boy.
In all the arrangements, the most perfect order and discip-
line is endeavoured to be caaried ont, as nearly as possible
to that of a man of war, modified to meet the exigencies o f
such a school ship.

It will be seen that each boy has at least two hours and a
half instruction in school each day, except Saturday
17
one halfl of the boys being at sceool, while the other half are
being instrected in their nautical exercises, and othereiso
engaged in the duties of the ship—each watch alternating
morning and afternoon in this respect.
The comae of instruction, consists of the ordinary routine
of reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography, and includes
a short Bible lesson every day ; the bois are also instructed
by the schoolmaster in the leadline marks and the use of the
compass. The nautical instruction, consists of teaching to
knot and splice ; to hand, reef, furl, bend, and unbend
topsails; to reeve and unreeve running gear; to shift yards,
topmasts, and rigging ; to make sails ; to heave the lead ;
to make sianet and gaskets ; to draw and knot yarna ; and
to row in the boats. They have also to wash and mend their
own clothes, and some of them are always employed with
the carpe;iter.
On Sundays they are frequently landed and taken to
the Mariners' Church in the Great Fl al, where their
behaviour has always been perfectly orderly and attentive.
Table showing the Number of Attempts to Escape from
the Akbar up to the 31st December, 1856.
Aver. No. of
Attempts to Nut Boys during
Escape. Re-taken. the period,
During the first four months... 16 1 . 26
. • .
During tte last seven months... 8.. 0 . . 60

Total .. 24 1
A reference to the previous table will show that the
number of attempts to escape was considerable at first ; but
the diminished frequency of such attempts lately is the
most convincing proof that satisfactory progress has been
made, because this diminution has been accompanied by
an increase in the amount of confidence placed in the boys