jesty's principal secretaries of state. And in case of the death or resignation of any officer so appointed by Your Majesty, to report the same in like manner, with the name of the person nominated to succeed to the said employment, for Your Majesty's further pleasure thereupon.

"That in all cases whatever, where any order or warrant is to be granted for the payment of any sum or sums of money for the uses of the Royal Naval Asylum, every such order or warrant shall be signed by three or more of the commissioners; of whom the president, the first commissioner of the Admiralty, the admiral of the fleet, the governor of Greenwich Hospital, the comptroller of the navy, or the treasurer of Greenwich Hospital, shall always be one.

"That all officers and persons borne on the establishment of your Royal Naval Asylum be subject to the authority, command, and control of the board of Your Majesty's said commissioners; and that no individual commissioner, unauthorized by the board, shall give any directions relative to the affairs of the Asylum except the president of Your Majesty's said board, which said board shall be authorized and empowered to make such provision for the future disposal of the children, when of a proper age to be removed from the Asylum, as according to their qualifications, ability, and dispositions, may be the most likely to be conducive to their ultimate advantage.

"A committee (open to all commissioners, but at which two of those specially named by the general board, shall always be present) shall meet as often as occasion shall require to receive reports, to determine on the admission of children recommended for admittance in the Asylum, under such restrictions and regulations as shall have been previously prescribed by the commissioners at any general board, and to give directions in all matters respecting the

interior economy of the institution; and whenever such committee may find it expedient to summon a special general board of commissioners, at any intermediate time between the quarterly boards, it shall in such case apply to the president for his direction for the assembling of such board.

"In the selection of the children for admission, preference in general shall be given.

"Ist. To orphans whose fathers have fallen in Your Majesty's service, and are destitute of mothers.

"2dly. To orphans whose fathers have fallen in Your Majesty's service, and have mothers.

3rdly. To children whose fathers have been wounded or maimed on board of Your Majesty's fleet, are incapable of further service, and whose families are numerous and in need.

"4thly. To children whose fathers are actually employed on board of Your Majesty's fleet on distant service, and whose mothers have died during the father's ab

sence.

5thly. To children whose fathers are actually employed in Your Majesty's service, and whose families are pumerous and in need.

"The children must be free from mental infirmity, they must not be under the age of five years; the females must not exceed ten; the males must not exceed twelve; with the exception of children recommended by the Patriotic Fund Committee, who, in conformity with an engagement made with that committee, are to be received until they shall attain the age of fourteen years.

"The petitioners for the admission of children must annex to the petition the following certificates:

"A certificate of marriage, signed by the officiating minister of the parish, in original; where it cannot be had, the reason is to be assigned; and in that case some other satisfactory testimonial of the date and place of marriage must accompany the application.

"A certificate of birth and baptism, as in the preceding instance.

"A certificate of the death of the father in Your Majesty's service, with the names of the ships wherein he shall have served. '

"A certificate of the father's disability from further service, in consequence of having been maimed or wounded whilst serving in Your Majesty's fleet.

"*A certificate of the father being actually employed on board Your Majesty's fleet, with a certificate of the death of the mother during his service.

"A certificate of the actual employment of the father in Your Majesty's service, together with a certificate of his family being numerous, and in need, which latter must be signed by the officiating clergyman, and one of the churchwardens of the parish wherein the family resides.

"The merit of the father as to character, in cases where he shall be living, shall be always considered as a principal recommendation.

"None shall be admitted, except the children born in wedlock, of warrant and petty officers, and seamen of the royal navy, and non-commissioned officers and men of the royal marines.

"The parents or friends applying for the admission of children, shall be required to sign their consent to such children remaining in the Asylum as long as Your Majesty's commissioners may think fit, and to their being disposed of when of a proper age, at the discretion of the said commissioners, as apprentices or servants; and if boys, to their being placed, with their own free consent, in Your Majesty's royal navy or royal marines.

* Whichever of these certificates may be requisite to substantiate the claims of the child to admission, must be obtained from the Navy Office; except as to the death of the mother, of which other proof must be admitted.

"The number of children to be admitted shall not exceed one thousand: viz. seven hundred boys, and three hundred girls."

The officers of this institution consist of a governor, who must be at least a post captain; a lieutenant and secretary, who must be a commander or lieutenant; a clerk, an auditor, a chaplain, a steward, a surgeon, a quarter-master of instruction, serjeant assistants, a drummer, a matron, an assistant matron, and school-mistress; one reading mistress, and one knitting mistress and sempstress; nurses, in the proportion of one to each ward; nurses for the infirmary, a cook, a laundress, and a serjeant porter. Of these officers the most efficient, though not those of the highest responsibility, are the quartermaster of instruction and the matron, the duties of whom respectively are thus officially detailed.

Duty of the Quarter-Master of Instruction.

"The quarter-master of instruction shall cause the boys to rise by beat of drum at six in the morning from the 25th of March to the 29th of September; and at seven o'clock in the morning from the 29th of September to the 25th of March.

"He is to allow the boys one hour to clean their shoes, wash their hands and faces, and to have their heads combed.

"He is then to read, or cause one of the senior boys to read, such prayers as may be directed by the chaplain, after which he shall cause them to proceed to the school business of reading, writing, and the four first rules in arithmetic, or to such other employments as may be assigned to qualify them either for the duties of a seaman, or for other stations in life. He is also to read, or cause to be read, such prayers as may be directed by the chaplain every evening.

"He is previously to examine each boy to see that he be washed clean, and dressed in a proper manner; and if this should have been neglected to be done, he is to deliver the boy so improperly dressed to the serjeant or nurse of the ward to which such boy belongs, to be put in order, and he shall report any repetition of neglect in the same person to the governor.

"He and his assistants are to attend the boys at meals, and to cause one of them to say grace before and after each meal.

"He and his assistants are also to attend the boys at their hours of recreation, to prevent them from behaving improperly in every respect.

"He and his assistants are to see that the boys are all in bed at the hours appointed, and that no fire or candle be left in their dormitories.

"He and his assistants are to see that the boys are decently and properly dressed on Sundays, previously to their attending divine service, where they are all required to be present with the children.

"He will promote, to the utmost of his power, good will, friendship, and cordiality among the children, endeavouring to impress them with those sentiments of virtue and religion which may best enable them to regulate their future conduct.

"He is to be particularly careful that no profane or indecent expressions be made use of to them on any occasion, or in their hearing, by his assistants or servants; and whenever he may discover any species of vice or immorality, or tendency thereto, in the boys; or any improper conduct towards them on the part of the assistants and servants, he is immediately to report the same to the governor. He is not to inflict any corporeal punishment upon the boys, excepting under the direction of the governor, or in his absence, of the lieutenant.