STRAIT SETTLEMENT CADETSHIPS.

Patron.-Secretary of State for the Colonies. Age 20-23.

The subjects of examination are exactly the same as for Ceylon Writers, and similarly divided.

Each cadet will receive £200 per annum, half on his leaving England, and full salary on his arrival in the Colony. He will afterwards apply himself to Malay or Chinese, as directed. Quarters, books, and teachers will be provided for him, and he must attend public offices two hours daily. Having acquired a competent knowledge of Malay or Chinese, he will be appointed at £300 per annum.

HONG KONG CADETS.-(See p. 49.)

The regulations respecting these appointments have also been revised. The subjects of examination are precisely as given for Ceylon WritersAge 20—23. The commencing Salary is the same as for Strait Settlement Cadets, and paid similarly. Having learned Chinese after his arrival in the Colony, he is appointed at a salary of £400 per annum, rising to £500, &c.

CONSTABULARY OFFICE, DUBLIN CASTLE.

The “ Weight ” attached to each subject has been somewhat modified. The maximum remains the same; but 150 marks are taken from Arithmetic, 50 added to English Composition, 50 to Spelling, and 50 to Handwriting. The Geography is restricted to the British Isles (See p. 83).

CUSTOMS,

Candidates for Clerkships in the Customs are not henceforth to be examined in English History.

Solicitor's Office.-The age is now from 25 to 30; no competition is held; and candidates are merely required to qualify in 1. Writing from Dictation; 2. Arithmetic; 3. English Composition; 4. Elements of Criminal Law; 5. Elements of the Law of Evidence; 6. Elements of Common Law, Procedure, and Practice.

ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION.

Instead of a modern language, any candidate can take up Greek; and Stephens' "Blackstone," Vol. 1, or Book-keeping, has been added to the former subjects. (See p. 52.)

EDUCATION OFFICE.

Fifteen youths from 14 to 16 years of age have been appointed as junior assistant clerks (41 having competed), at a salary of 12s. per week, rising is. per week, per annum "until the completion of their 19th year." The examination was in arithmetic first-four rules, totting, writing, and copying MS. No pupil-teacher eligible.

FOREIGN OFFICE.

The examination for attachés has been revised. The first examination remains the same as given, p. 55, with the exception of Euclid which has been left out. The age is now 20, instead of 21. The second examination remains the same as heretofore.

LANDED ESTATES' COURT, (Ireland.)

The examination is no longer competitive, and consequently the subjects marked" also in competitions " have been struck out. It is a pity the judges, who should be the pioneers of intellectual progress, cannot now as formerly, appoint their friends without any examination whatever.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT OFFICE.

Age 17-30.-The subjects of examination are-(1) Handwriting and Orthography; (2) Arithmetic; (3) English Composition (including expanding a letter from minutes); (4) Précis; (5) Comparison of Copies with Originals.

METROPOLITAN POLICE COURTS.

Candidates are now examined, in addition to the prescribed subjects, in Reading aloud.

RECORD OFFICE, (England.)

The final competition, as mentioned at p. 90, is now restricted to "Latin, French, and Blackstone."

In the examination for 1870 one thousand marks, instead of 500, will be allocated to Natural Science. (See p. 97.)

Our specimens of Examination Papers are almost identical with those given in the Report from which the above has been extracted.

3rd December, 1869.

Civil Service Guide.

INTRODUCTION.

By an order in Council of the 21st May, 1855, it was provided that all such young men as might be proposed to be appointed to any junior department of the Civil Service should "before being admitted to probation," be examined by the Civil Service Commissioners, or under their directions, and should receive from them a certificate of qualification for such situation; and it was declared to be their duty "in respect of every such candidate, before granting any such certificate as 66 aforesaid :

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66 Ist. To ascertain that the candidate is within the limits of age prescribed in the department to which he desires to be admitted; 2nd. To ascertain that the candidate is free from any physical defect or disease which would be likely to interfere "with the proper discharge of his duties; 3rd. To ascertain that “the character of the candidate is such as to qualify him for "public employment; and 4th. To ascertain that the candidate "possesses the requisite knowledge and ability for the proper discharge of his official duties."

The total number of candidates whose names have appeared on the lists of the Civil Service Commissioners from the date of the above order up to June 30th, 1868, was 59,658, of whom 3,514 were competitors for the Indian Civil Service. In this statement a candidate whose name has appeared twice (or more), is counted as two (or more) candidates.

Nominations

The usual mode of obtaining nominations-that is, in competitive examinations the privilege of competing, in tests the privilege of going in for such tests, and in qualifying examinations a situation on satisfying the examiners-is, as a general rule, through members of Parliament, habitual supporters of the party in power, who obtain nominations for their constituents and personal friends as vacancies arise. Indeed, it is

almost impossible for any person who has no immediate political influence to obtain a nomination to any department under her Majesty. It is pleasant to have to record the increasing number of open competitions, at which any native-born subject can present himself on merely forwarding his name and a specimen of his handwriting to the Secretary of the Civil Service Commissioners, from whom he will receive full information on this head. The application of an influential country gentleman to an M.P. on behalf of whom he may have canvassed is seldom neglected. A candidate who fails to pass his test, or fails at a competition, must seek a new nomination; but candidates who have once passed a test are not again called for this preliminary, except they go in for a different office, in which case they are required to pass on the subjects in which they may not have been previously examined. On a change of ministry, of course, all lists of applicants, all promises of nominations, and all tests for deferred competitions, are worthless.

Examinations.

There are five kinds of Examinations conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners. I. Pass or Qualifying. II. III. Competitions. IV. Open Competitions. V. Examinations of Successful Candidates for "Honorary Additions" to their certificates in subjects selected by themselves. shall speak of each kind of examination in detail.

Pass or Qualifying Examinations.

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These examinations are usually held for the less important posts in the Civil Service, such as messengers, letter-carriers, indexers, transcribers, out-door officers of customs, assistants of excise, and similar positions where extensive knowledge on any particular subject is unnecessary. One candidate is nominated for each vacancy; and, should he satisfy the examiners that he has attained a fair proficiency in each subject of the prescribed course, he obtains the appointment. In general, spelling is the most difficult subject in these examinations. The number of such examinations is diminishing.

Test Examinations.

These were introduced a few years ago into every department to which the Treasury nominates. Their object is to allow those only to compete who have satisfied the examiners in a Preliminary Test on the most important subjects prescribed for the office which they seek. A very large number are rejected at the

Test; and there is a rule of the Treasury that a candidate must wait three months before he can get a second chance under the Treasury patronage. We have known instances, however, in which this rule was departed from.

Mode of conducting Examinations.

The Civil Service Commissioners hold their ordinary examinations simultaneously in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh once a fortnight; and, as a general rule, candidates may select the place most convenient for themselves. In some instances, however, the candidates have no option. Most "Open Competitions" are held in London only; and, as large numbers usually attend on such occasions, these are not held on the same days as the usual fortnightly examination. In a few of the London Offices, and for some appointments under the Foreign Office, a gentlemanly appearance is considered necessary, and the candidate must present himself in London a few days before his examination. Again, candidates for the Royal Irish Constabulary who may chance to reside in Great Britain must be examined in Dublin, as they are compelled to undergo a medical examination by the doctor of that force on the day previous to the literary examination. The papers of those who are examined in Dublin or Edinburgh are forwarded to London, the local authorities merely superintending the order of examination, and seeing that the candidates take no undue advantages. In Test Examinations the result is generally sent to the candidate about a week afterwards, direct from the Commissioners should he be unsuccessful, and from the Treasury should he be successful for that department. Although the reply states that he has no further claim, yet a notice to compete will, in due course, reach him. The result of Competitive Examinations is longer delayed; and when a large number have been in for examination at the same time, frequently three or four weeks elapse hefore the decision of the Examiners is known. The candidates merely receive the gross number of marks; but if they apply personally to the head of the department for which they have competed, they usually receive their marks on each subject.

Assistant Examiners now permanently employed.

Edward Headlam, Esq., M.A., late Fellow St. John's College, Cambridge.

Edward Poste, Esq., M. A., Fellow Oriel College, Oxford.