who pass the preliminary test then undergo a competitive examination, and, if they show a competent knowledge of all the subjects, they become eligible for appointment as apprentices in the various trades, according to their position on the examination lists, at the various dockyards. They are bound by indenture to serve in this capacity for seven years, at the end of which they receive a certificate of their character and conduct, and the progress they have made in their trade and in the knowledge of the prescribed subjects.

Three from among those who have passed five years at the dockyards are selected annually by competitive examination for study at the Naval College at Greenwich. They are entered as students. in naval architecture, and they remain at college three terms, passing the vacation (July 1 to September 30) at one of the dockyards. The course at Greenwich is similar to the long course for selected engineers, and is of a very high professional and scientific character.

On passing the examination at the end of the course, the construction students may be sent to sea for a year,* after which they are appointed to some post for which they are fitted, at first, perhaps, as assistants to the foremen at the dockyards, and later to positions as constructors or draughtsmen, at the yards or the Admiralty.

On their entry into the college, they are required to give a bond for £250 to serve under the Admiralty for seven years after completing their apprenticeship.

Both dockyard apprentices and engineer students have instruction in the dockyard schools, comprising algebra, descriptive geometry, analytical geometry, calculus, and mechanics.

Half-yearly examinations are held, the papers for which are sent down by Dr. Hirst, the Director of Studies at Greenwich, and the examinations are supervised by the dockyard chaplains. The dockyard schools are also personally inspected from time to time by Dr. Hirst.

3.—CHAPLAINS AND NAVAL INSTRUCTORS.

There are, properly speaking, no grades in either of these corps; nor is there any specific examination for an appointment as chaplain. Naval instructors, however, are subjected to strict examinations before ap pointment; and chaplains frequently-in fact, in the majority of cases— qualify for this examination, and hold the two positions jointly, and per-form the duties of both, throughout their whole career. There are now on the Navy List 96 chaplains and 71 naval instructors, of whom 46 persons hold both positions. Of the 71 naval instructors, 1 is the Director of Education, 30 are attached to the ships bearing midshipmen and naval cadets, 5 are in the training ships for boys, 9 instruct in the Britannia, 6 at the Naval College, 13 are performing duty as chaplains, and the remainder, 7, are unattached.

*This rule is not generally observed, however. Evidence before the Greenwich committee, Q. 1852.

Candidates for appointment as naval instructors must not be under 20 nor over 35 years of age. They must pass a preliminary examination in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, elementary mechanics, Latin, and French; but university graduates, who have passed with a certain distinction, may dispense with all the subjects but French. On passing the examination, candidates are admitted to the Royal Naval College, and remain there one session of nine months, passing an examination at its close.

4.-MEDICAL SERVICE.

Although the education of medical officers in the Royal Navy forms no part of the scheme laid down for other officers, yet as it forms a branch of education in the naval service, it may be proper to give an outline of it here. The grades of medical officers are

Inspector-general of hospitals and fleets.

Deputy inspector-general of hospitals and fleets.
Fleet-surgeon.

Staff-surgeon.
Surgeon.

Candidates for the medical service must not be under 20 nor over 28 years of age, and must have been licensed to practice under the Medical Act. Their physical fitness is tested in a preliminary examination. In the professional examination the principle of limited competition is introduced. The candidate is first examined in the required subjects, and he may then undergo a voluntary examination in elective subjects, the marks for which are added to those given in the obligatory examination, and assist materially in determining the successful competitor. The required subjects are

Anatomy and physiology.

Surgery.

Medicine, including therapeutics and diseases of women and children. Chemistry and pharmacy, and a practical knowledge of drugs.

The required examination is partly practical, and includes operations on the dead body, the application of surgical apparatus, and the examination of medical and surgical patients at the bedside.

The voluntary examination includes comparative anatomy, zoölogy, natural philosophy, physical geography, botany with special reference to materia medica, French, and German; and any of the subjects may be selected by the candidate.

After passing this examination, candidates are required to attend the course of practical instruction in the medical school at Netley on1. Hygiene.

2. Clinical and naval and military medicine.

3. Clinical and naval and military surgery.

4. Pathology of diseases and injuries incident to the naval and military service.

On passing the examination at the close of the Netley course, and not till then, candidates are eligible for a commission as surgeon in the Navy. After completing three years' full-pay service, surgeons may be examined for the rank of staff-surgeon, but they cannot be promoted until they have served five years, two of which must be in a ship actually employed at sea. Certain peculiar points are to be noted in this examination. A number of written questions, framed by the professors at Netley, and approved by the Director-General of the Medical Department of the Navy, are forwarded, sealed, twice a year, in January and July, to Haslar and Plymouth Hospitals, and to each of the foreign hospitals. The necessary arrangements are made and a day fixed by the commander-in-chief on the station and the chief medical officer, and notice is given to surgeons who are eligible. On the day fixed the candidates are assembled, and the papers are opened in their presence by the chief medical officer. At the close of the examination the work-papers, signed and sealed by the writers, are delivered to the senior medical officer, who transmits them, unopened, to the Director-General of the department, under whose directions they are finally examined.*

5.-MARINE ARTILLERY AND LIGHT INFANTRY.†

Admission to the Marine Artillery as probationary lieutenants is offered to the successful candidates in order of merit, according to the number of vacancies, at the open competitive examination for admission to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. This examination is held twice a year, in July and December, by the Civil Service Commissioners. The limits of age are from 16 to 18, and of height 5 feet 5 inches. The successful candidates are appointed lieutenants on probation, and join the Naval College at Greenwich for a course of two years.

On passing out of the College the probationary lieutenants are sent to the Excellent for a course in gunnery and torpedo instruction, at the conclusion of which they join headquarters and are instructed in their drill and military duties, for service ashore and afloat.

Admission to the Marine Light Infantry is obtained in the same way as that to the Marine Artillery, by open competition, except that the examination is held at Sandhurst instead of Woolwich. The limits of age are from 17 to 20, but they are varied for university graduates and lieutenants in the militia who are eligible for Army commissions. The successful candidates are appointed lieutenants without any further trial, seniority being determined as usual by the order of merit at the examination. On passing they join their divisions at once, and are instructed in their drill and military duties, going through a course of garrison instruction.

*Full information in regard to medical education in the English Navy will be found in the admirable report of Dr. Richard C. Dean, Medical Inspector, U. S. N., published by the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.

Regulations, May 14, 1877, Navy List, p. 501,

6.—PAYMASTERS, SECRETARIES, AND CLERKS.

The duties pertaining to these civil branches of the Navy are performed by what is essentially a single corps, though with a somewhat loose organization, having apparently a regular line of promotion through the four grades of paymaster, assistant paymaster, clerk, and assistant clerk. In general, the course of this promotion seems to be tolerably regular, though officers are sometimes appointed in other grades than the lowest. The clerks and assistant clerks act not infrequently as assistant paymasters, and they perform duties at sea similar to those of captain's and paymaster's clerks in the United States Navy. Both paymasters and assistant paymasters may also be detailed as secretaries to flag officers. A special examination enables them to qualify as secretaries, and they may also qualify as interpreters in the same manner as line officers.*

Two examinations for assistant clerkships are held semi-annually at the Naval College at Greenwich, in June and November. The limits of age for candidates are from 15 to 17 years, and they must produce certificates of birth, good conduct, and good health. They must also pass a medical examination.

The mental examination is competitive, the number of competitors for each examination being fixed by the Admiralty. It consists of two parts; a test examination and a voluntary examination for competition. The subjects and relative weight are as follows:

3. Writing the substance of a chapter or portion of a chapter read out, taking into consideration the time in which this exercise is performed.

75

4. French; reading and translation from French into English, and from English into French, and grammar...

150

5. Addition, simple and compound, with reference to time .

50

9. Elementary mathematics, viz., algebra, including quadratic equations and problems producing them, and the first three books of Euclid .... 10. Latin; translation of passages from books usually read at schools, translation of English into Latin, and grammatical questions

200

200

11. The German, Spanish, or Italian languages, as in French

100

12. Elementary physics, viz., chemistry, heat, and properties of solids and fluids, electricity and magnetism......

150

100

13. Drawing; free hand and from models

In the test examination, 40 per cent. is required in each subject in order to pass. Of the voluntary subjects not more than three may be taken, unless drawing be one, in which case four may be taken.

* Regulations of September, 1874, Navy List, p. 501.

Not less than 20 per cent. must be obtained in any one of the voluntary subjects in order that it may be reckoned towards the total. If a candidate fails to pass the test, he cannot appear at any subsequent examination; but if he passes the test, and yet is unsuccessful in the competition, he can compete once again at the following examination, even though he may be over age.

Test examinations are held for promotion to the grades of clerk and assistant paymaster.