4. The merit of the persons examined will be estimated by marks, and the number set opposite to each branch in the preceding regulation denotes the greatest number of marks that can be obtained in respect of it.

5. No candidate will be allowed any marks in respect of any subject of examination, unless he shall be considered to possess a competent knowledge of that subject.*

6. The examination will be conducted by means of printed questions and written answers, and by vivâ voce examination, as may be deemed necessary.

7. The marks obtained by each candidate, in respect of each of the subjects in which he shall have been examined, will be added up, and the names of the candidates who shall have obtained a greater aggregate number of marks than any of the remaining candidates will be set forth in order of merit, and such candidates shall be deemed to be selected candidates for the Civil Service of India. They shall be permitted to choose, according to the order in which they stand, as long as a choice remains, the Presidency (and in Bengal, the division of the Presidency) to which they shall be appointed.

8. Selected candidates before proceeding to India will be held on probation for two years, during which time they will be examined periodically with the view of testing their progress in the following subjects† :

In these examinations, as in the open competition, the merit of the candidates examined will be estimated by marks, and the number set opposite to each subject denotes the greatest number of marks that can be obtained in respect of it at any one examination. The examination will be conducted by means of printed questions and written answers, and by vivâ voce examination, as may be deemed necessary. The marks obtained at each of such periodical examinations will be added to those previously or subsequently obtained. The last of these examinations will be held at the close of the second year of probation, and will be called the "Final Examination." By the merit then shown it will be decided whether a selected candidate is qualified for the Civil Service of India.

"Nothing can be further from our wish than to hold out premiums for know"ledge of wide surface and of small depth. We are opinion that a candidate ought to be allowed no credit at all for taking up a subject in which he is a mere smatterer."-Report of Committee of 1854.

+ Full instructions as to the course of study to be pursued will be issued to successful candidates as soon as possible after the result of the open competition is declared.

9. No candidate will be permitted to proceed to India until he shall have passed the Final Examination, and received a certificate of qualification from the Civil Service Commissioners, or after he shall have attained the age of twenty-four years.

10. The selected candidates who at the Final Examination shall be found to have a competent knowledge of the subjects specified in Regulation 8, shall be adjudged to have passed, and to be entitled to be appointed to the Civil Service of India.

11. The seniority in the Civil Service of India of the selected candidates shall be determined according to the order in which they stand on the list resulting from the Final Examination.

12. No person will, even after passing the Final Examination, be allowed to proceed to India unless he shall comply with the regulations in force, at the time; shall be of sound bodily health and good moral character. The Civil Service Commissioners will require such further evidence on these points as they may deem necessary before granting their certificate of qualification.

13. Applications from persons desirous to be admitted as candidates are to be addressed to the Secretary to the Civil Service Commissioners, Westminster, S.W.

NOTE.-(1.) The Secretary of State for India in Council allows the sun, of £100 for the first year of probation, and £200 for the second year to each selected candidate who shall have passed the required examinations to the satisfaction of the Commissioners, and shall have complied with the rules.

(2.) All selected candidates will be required, after having passed the second periodical examination, to enter into an agreement binding themselves, amongst other things, to refund in certain cases the amount of their allowance in the event of their failing to proceed to India. If a candidate is under age a surety is required.

(3.) After passing the Final Examination each candidate will enter into covenants and give a bond for £1,000, jointly with two sureties, for the due fulfilment of the same. The stamps payable by civilians on these documents amount to £3 10s.

(4.) Candidates rejected at the Final Examination will in no case be allowed to present themselves for re-examination.

For specimen Examination Papers, see under the various subjects.

IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE.

I SEE (writes the Times' Calcutta correspondent) that the Civil Service Commissioners in their last report publish statistics of the 11 examinations for the Indian Civil Service which they have conducted. The result is briefly that some 200 youths compete every year for 50 appointments on the average. There were three examinations previous to the 11 thus reported on, and it may interest the educated youth of England to learn the present position of the first set of 13 competition-wallas as given in the Indian weekly journal here, with the comments which follow.

"Of 567 names on the Bengal Civil List on the 1st of January last the first 235 are Haileybury men, and then come these competition-wallas

Two of this first set have passed away, Messrs. Wells and Warrand. In less than 12 years the first 11 competition-wallas have thus worked themselves up into most important and well-paid positions. All are above the average, almost all are men of mark, and several are of the very highest promise. It is something, too, to enjoy an income of from £2,000 to 3,000 a year after 11 years' service, and to be within reach of prizes so varied and to all, if they live, so certain in a few years, as Government of India Secretaryships, High Court Judgeships, Residentships in feudatory States, and Lieutenant-Governorships, involving from £5,000 to £12,000 a-year. While the facts show the attractions of an Indian career to the really capable and industrious, they equally dissipate the apprehension that the competition-wallas would prove to be sickly bookworms. Dr. Gull, the medical adviser of the Commissioners, reports that 295 of the candidates showed an unexceptionally healthy development of frame, 121 manifested moderate or mean strength, and only 52 were inclined to be weak.' The mean height was above 5ft. 9in. He adds: It has been forced upon me that superior physical health and strength are generally essential to success in these competitive examinations.' The status of the candidate's health was higher after the second than on the first examination. But one evil still requires to be removed to make the system of competition completely successful. It is to defeat the arts of the professional grinders and crammers who advertise themselves like quack medicine-vendors, by requiring that every candidate shall have attended a recognised public school for at least three years, or a university for two years. Of the 284 candidates who went up in 1865 more than a half, or 154, had been at no university. Of the 54 who passed 14 had been at no university, while 12 were from Oxford, five from Cambridge, seven from Trinity College, Dublin, four from Edinburgh, four from the other Scotch universities, five from the Queen's University, Ireland, and one from a colonial or foreign university. There

was no higher authority on both the English and Indian sides of a question like this than Bishop Cotton, and he was earnest and frequent in his recommendation of the only course which will check pernicious cramming and secure some of those manly virtues which an Indian career emphatically demands."

TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

Age 18-24.

Subjects of Examination.

Writing in English from dictation, for which no marks will be given, but failure in which will at once disqualify a candidate.

A minimum of 3,000 marks must be obtained.

Candidates will be selected in the order of merit, and must attend a physical class, approved by the Secretary of State, at Glasgow, London, Dublin, or elsewhere, for further instruction in mathematics, chemistry, electricity, and other branches of physical science connected with electric telegraphy. They will then be subjected to a test examination in all these several subjects, and, in the event of their passing, must afterwards. place themselves under an authorized telegraph engineer, to be named by the Secretary of State, for the purpose of receiving instruction in the practical construction of telegraph lines, testing, &c.

Not less than six nor more than twelve months must be spent by them in the physical class, and not less than four months nor more than six in the study of practical construction, except in consequence of special directions from this office.

The sum of £100 will be granted to each to cover all expenses of college fees, &c., on his signing a bond and giving security for the refund of the same in the event of his either