National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-05-19
A Scholarship for Boys.

sh' tpilt'tipu VI Nlt' III ANNw A'ih WY
few perhaps are productive OF more i'm
mediate tangible good than the school
ship Mercury, whore young criminals m,
sent for reformation. The ship is undei
the charge of the Commissioners o
Charities and Corrections. At present
there are 257 boys on board the school
ship, Their ages usually range from
fourteen to twenty years, but there ar,
some not more than ten years old. The
majority Of these are young lads, whc
have been convicted OF petty offences
and sent away until they come OF age, in
the hope that they may reform. They
are generally drawn from the street boys
who, being left at an early age withou,
parents, or, still worse, being cursed
with brutal parents, earned precarious
living. nl-clothed ill-fed, often without
roof to shelter their heads at night, il
is not to be wondered that they frequent
" yield to the solicitations of those older
in crime. They are often detected in
the first offence, and, as there is nothing
radically corrupt in them, boys of thi,
class, when removed from evil associa.
tions, are easily reclaimed, and frequently
in afler life become worthy citizens.
Others there are who have for long
time successfully operated as thieves or
pickpockets until their moral sense is
entirely perverted, and they constitute,
in act and intent, a portion Of the crimi-
nal classes.
For these, rigid discipline and strict
supervision are requisite, and in some
instances it happens that after years of
hypocritical good conduct they resume
their evil ways. Another class Of boys
to be found on the school-ship is com
posed of refractory sons of well-to-do
parents who have sent them there in
order that they may receive discipline in
that severe school and return home i'm
proved.
Corporal punishment is entirely pro-
hbited, and in lieu thereof regular
scale Of penalties has been established
for the various peccadillos which such
boys are likely to commit such as viola
ton of rules, disobedience of orders,
impertincnce to officers The 5everest
punishment is solitary confinement on
bread and water for three days, and otl.er
punishments are extra time on watch,
standing still for certain time, and
carrying capstan bar. There are, be-
sides, some poor but honest lads who
come there to learn useful profession.
The officers in charge of the ship, with
the exception of the Surgeon and In
structor, have all seen service in the
United States Navy, and are thorough
seamen. The discipline on board is like
that of man-of-war, but is necessarily
more rigid, on account of the character
of the majority of the boys The chief
influence used to bring about reforma-
ton are good example, sound practical
advice, and moral suasion, Under this
system offences are very rare. Pilfering
is almost unknown, chiefly because no
temptation is placed in the way of the
lads, and fighting is very rare, notwith-
standing the great diver sity in character,
color, nationality, and religion which is
to be found among the boys. 1t has
been found, however, almost impossible
to eradicate the habit of profanity which
has become, as it were. part of their
nature from their earliest years The
use of liquor and tobacco is rigidly for
hidden, and indeed no liquor is kept fore
or aft on the ship, except little for
iHeuiclHal purposes.
The boys are divided into two watches,
and one-half of them are obliged to at
tend school, while the other half are
engaged in nautical exercises. They are
instructed in all the branches |
of sound English education as well as
in seamanship and navigation, so that
when they leave the ship they are entitled
to rank as able seamen. Many of them
become fully competent to take command
Of vessel. Most of the boys, when
their time is up, from inclination adopt
4 seafaring life, and generally turn out
we'll. While on board the boys are
.aught to observe Sunday as religious
holiday, and, as the institution is purely
lndenominational, free access to the ship
when in port is granted to the Protestant
md Catholic Chaplains of the Depart
nent at all times, and on Sunday to such
'lergymen as they may designate.
The Mercury has just returned from
IN extended cruise She left on the Doth
If December last, and encountered pret-
" stiff weather off the coast. Her course /
vas then directed Eastward, and passing
within sight of the Azore Islands she {
ouched at Madeira, where the lads were
lllowed a few days liberty to go on shore
md examine the curiosities of that beau
iful island. From Madeira she sailed
or the pestilential shores of Sierra Leone, ,
IN the western coast of Africa, which was I
ust uninhabitable at that time, owing to :
he GOODNESS of the weather From At
ica the school-ship sailed to the West
r.Iies, touching at Barbados and st.
Thomas, and thence homewarls Great {
was shown them by the author
ties at all places where they landed, and ,
he boys attracted universal attention {
md praise by their uniform good be-
lavlor.
HORSES IN New YORK. late paper
ays The spring weather has caused
n active movement in the horse market !
Zine horses are eagerly bought up, and ,
'rices paid seem to be larger than ever