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Students who fail at the annual examination are allowed a second trial, but never a third. In case of a second failure, they are finally dismissed. Students whose conduct is habitually bad, and who do not reform under punishment, are expelled from the corps of mechanicians, and placed in that of stokers or coal-heavers, where they are obliged to perform the duties of this position during their engagement.

The course lasts four years, and is arranged according to the following programme:

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In addition to the above, students have practical work in the shops for 5 hours a day during the whole course. The coefficient for shopwork is 10. In the first three years, on the day in each week not occupied with drawing, students have a drill at great-guns or small-arms, or an exercise in composition.

The theoretical course occupies nine months of the year, but the shopwork is continued throughout the year. During the quarter in which studies are suspended students may have one month's leave, unless there is some special reason to the contrary.

Monthly marks on the usual scale of 10 are given by the instructors in all branches, including shop-work, and reports based on these marks are transmitted to the Ministry of Marine. The monthly marks do not, however, appear to count in the final standing, which is determined by the examinations alone.

The examinations are held at the end of the year, in each subject, before a board appointed for the purpose. The board for the three lower classes is composed of the director of the school as president, of the professor of the subject on which the examination turns, of another professor, of a chief mechanician, and of a constructing engineer. The board

for examining the highest class is composed of the director of naval construction as president, the professor whose branch is the subject of examination, the chief of the section of machines, a constructing engineer, and a lieutenant. The examinations are oral, and last half an hour for each student in each subject, except in shop-work, which lasts not less than two hours. Two master-mechanics are added to the board for this examination, but they have only a consulting voice.

In order to pass to a higher class, students must obtain a mark of 6 on their general average, as well as in the separate branches of shop-work (all four years), arithmetic and algebra (1), geometry (2), mechanics (3), and steam-engines (4). The sum of the products obtained by multiply. ing the mark in each branch by the coefficient of the branch gives the final mark. A prize of 50 lire ($10) is given to the students who pass first in the different classes. Seven professors are attached to the school to carry on the course of instruction. These may be appointed from civil life, or may be taken from the corps of constructing engineers or of mechanicians; in the latter case they receive a considerable accession to their pay while on duty at the school. The professors meet at the end of each academic year to arrange programmes of study and distribution of time, to propose changes in the course, and to make reports on the working of the school. The financial management is in the hands of a council of administration composed of the officer in command of the first division as president, the director of the school, a mechanician and a staff officer.

Mechanician pupils receive pay at the rate of 60 centesimi (12 cents) per diem and a ration; those of the two higher classes have an addition of ten cents a day for their work in the shops. The last sum may be slightly raised or diminished according to the quality of the work. An allowance of 100 lire ($20) is made to each pupil at the beginning of the course for outfit, which is doubled if the pupil has reached his seventeenth year. The pupils are regularly attached to the section of mechanicians and stokers of the first division of seamen.

Executive duty in the school is performed by a mechanician, assisted by four petty officers, two from the marine infantry and two from the seamen's division. The detailed regulations concerning leave, clothing, and discipline are similar to those of the Naval School, and the council of administration has general supervision of all matters connected with the school.

APPENDIX.

S. Ex. 51-15

APPENDIX.

NOTE A.

EXTRA PAY ALLOWED TO OFFICERS BORNE FOR SPECIAL DUTIES.

NAVIGATING OFFICERS.

Per diem. £. 8. d.

Commander, for navigating duties, when appointed to a flagship.....

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Lieutenant..

2 6

Lieutenant of five years' seniority..

3 0

Lieutenant who has passed for first-class ships

4 0

Sub-lieutenant

2 6

GUNNERY OFFICERS.

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