DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATIONS. EXAMINING OFFICERS IN CUSTOMS OUTDOOR SERVICE. The following papers were set to candidates for the appointment of Examining Officer at the competition held in January, 1876 :— ARITHMETIC.-Time allowed, 1 hour. 1. A cubic foot of gold weighs 19,259 ounces avoidupois; find its weight in hundredweights, &c. 2. Convert 9 oz. 17 dwts. into grains. 3. If 14 lbs. of rice cost 6s., how much will 356 lbs. cost at the same rate? 4. If a person purchases 12 articles, one of which costs 2s., two cost 4s. each, two 5s. each, and seven 8s. each, what did he pay on an average for each article ? 5. Sold cloth at 18s. a yard, and lost 5 per cent. upon it; what did it cost? 6. What is the interest on £1,000 for 1 year 3 months at 5 per cent. ? 7. Reduce $5 to its simplest term. 8. Convert 3 cwt. 3 qrs. into the decimal of a ton. 9. Add together the sum, difference and product of and 12. 10. Convert 5 hours 48 mins. 48 secs. into the fraction of a day. 11. What will the digging of the foundations of a house 68 feet long, 33 feet broad, and 5 feet deep come to at ls. 3d. per solid yard? 12. Three persons, A B and C, purchased a ship, of which A paid 3, B for g, and C paid £400; what part of the ship had C, and what did A and B pay? The working of each question is to be shown with the answer. COMPOSITION.-Time allowed, 1 hour. Write a paper of not less than forty lines on any one of the following subjects : 1. Have reduced hours of labour been productive of benefit to the working classes? 2. The advantages and disadvantages of competitive examinations. 3. The probable results of the visit of the Prince of Wales to India. DICTATION. The story of the burning of the Cospatrick, as now fully told by the survivors, must be regarded as one of the most frightful exhibitions of the impotence, misery, and agony to which human beings may be reduced which have ever been recorded in an authentic narrative. The three worn and wasted men who yesterday reached London, snatched, by the skin of their teeth, from a horrible death, and from a far more terrible struggle for life, are an appalling contrast to the vigorous and hopeful community, not less in number than many an English village, which sailed from Greenwich, last September. It is well that they have lived to tell the tale, at whatever cost, physical or moral; for unless the public mind is callous, and shipowners and captains reckless to the point of barbarity, it should be rendered impossible for any future crew of sailors or passengers to be exposed to a similar fate. The whole story, indeed, though perfectly consistent, is in most respects so astonishing, that we can hardly doubt there are some circumstances, as yet unrevealed, which would partly account for it. The hope may still be cherished that more survivors will be found. It must be a faint one, for though we are now assured that another boat got away from the wreck under the charge of the first officer, we also know that she was only so far better provided than the other, that she had two oars and a rudder, instead of only an oar and a half. PRACTICAL QUESTIONS. 1. State the duties of an Examining Officer on the first arrival of a vessel from foreign parts. 2. What course would you adopt if the vessel had yellow fever or cholera on board? 3. How would you rummage a steam vessel from Rotterdam with general cargo, and a sailing vessel from the Baltic with grain in bulk? 4. Would you be justified under any circumstances in leaving out stores at the first rummage of a vessel, and what would you do with the surplus stores? 5. What course would you pursue under the following circumstances? If you found on board a vessel packages addressed to the Royal Family, or to official personages? If the vessel had passengers on board? If you found a concealment of 20 lbs. of tobacco in the master's cabin, which was owned to by him? 6. If, when you visited a vessel upon which Outdoor Officers had been boarded, your hail was not answered, how would you proceed? 7. Would you clear part of the hold of a vessel before all her inward cargo was discharged, and allow the outward cargo to be taken on board? 8. In 11 bottles of Geneva, each measuring 4 gills, 17 u.p., what quantity would there be for duty, and how would you describe it? 9. Are there any restrictions upon the importation of wine, spirits, cordials, and tobacco? If so, state them. 10. What goods, if any, can be landed before reports or entry? 11. If you had free entries for five casks of naphtha, four cases of silk manufactures, two cases of eggs, and one case of cutlery, describe the nature and extent of the examination you would make of each description of goods. 12. How would you ascertain the quantity for duty in a cask of wine, and in a cask of brandy? The following papers were set at another competition for the post of Examining Officer. ARITHMETIC.-Time allowed, 1 hour. 1. Find by decimals the cost of 30 cwt. 2 qrs. 14 lbs. at £1 17s. 84d per quarter. 2. Bought goods at £3 8s. 5d. per cwt. and sold at 8d. per lb. Find the profit per cent. by decimals. 3. Bought tea at 3s. 8d. and 4s. 4d. per pound respectively. At what price per pound must the mixture be sold to realise 15 per cent. on the outlay? 4. £1,000 stock bought at 96, and sold at 103. What is the amount gained in the transaction? 5. What fraction is 74d. of 27s., and 15 sixpences of 13s. 4d.? 6. If 25 men do a piece of work in 24 days, working 8 hours a day, how many hours a day will 30 men take to do the work in 16 days? 7. Divide 15 cwt. between 60 men and 104 women, giving to each man twice as much as a woman. 8. Add together of a shilling, of a crown, and of a guinea, bringing the sum to the decimal of £25. COMPOSITION.-Time allowed, 1 hour. Write a paper of not less than forty lines on any one of the following subjects: 1. The Temperance Movement. 2. The advantages or disadvantages of indirect as compared with direct taxation. 3. "Knowledge is power." PRACTICAL QUESTIONS ON THE DUTIES OF EXAMINING OFFICERS. Division I.-Duties of Examining Officers. 1. What is required of the master of a vessel on his arrival from foreign ports ? 2. What signals are to be shown, and when, by vessels liable to quarantine, and what are the regulations with respect to them on vessels not so liable ? 3. What is required of the master and the importers before a vessel is. allowed to discharge cargo? 4. What are the prohibitions and restrictions on goods inwards? 5. What is the difference between a legal quay and a sufferance wharf? 6. Describe the following entries and their uses :-Prime post sight, warehousing, home consumption. Give an example. 7. What is the meaning of gross, tare, and net? 8. How is tobacco taken to account for warehousing, home consumption, and exportation ? 9. What are the law and regulations with respect to warehoused goods ? 10. What are the duties of an Examining Officer at a boarding station? 11. What are the duties of the officers in the examination and delivery of free goods? 12. What are the duties of the officers in dealing with dutiable goods on importation ? Division II. 1. Describe the Head Rod and its use, explaining the various lines thereon. 2. State the manner in which casks of wine are gauged, and the allowances that are made in taking the dimensions. 3. A cask of the following dimensions : Length. 50 Calculate the contents with the pen. 4. What are the restrictions on the importation of wines and spirits? 5. Calculate the duty that should be paid on the following cases of brandy at the rate of 10s. 5d. per proof gallon : 20 cases, each 12 bottles, each 44 gills, 12.2 u.p. 12 12 6. Describe the meaning of the terms Mean Diameter, Circular Divisor, Gauge Points. 7. How many cubic inches are there in an imperial gallon, and what are the weights respectively of a gallon of water and a gallon of proof spirit? 8. Describe the different methods by which it is ascertained to what duty wines and spirits are liable. 9. Give the names of the different spirits imported, and the rates of duty to which they are liable. 10. In what manner would you ascertain that gauging instruments are correct? 11. How are British spirits taken to account in a Customs warehouse on receipt from an Excise warehouse, and how are they dealt with when required for home consumption, removal, or exportation ? 12. What operations are allowed with respect to British spirits in a Customs warehouse? INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT. THE LABORATORY. This department was first established for the protection of the tobacco revenue. As this revenue now amounts to nearly eight millions per annum, and nearly the whole of the tobacco for home consumption is imported in the unmanufactured state, and afterwards manufactured in this country into cut, roll, cavendish, and other descriptions in general demand, as well as snuff, it is absolutely necessary that the manufacture be controlled by competent analysts. This necessity was further increased by the state of the law in 1840-1, which provided that a tobacco manufacturer might introduce into tobacco during the process of manufacture any substance other than the leaves of trees and plants. Owing to the use of sugar, liquorice, and similar substances, in two years there was a decrease of nearly one and a half million pounds weight of tobacco cleared for home consumption, and the Legislature in 1842 remedied the defects in the law by passing the Act 5 and 6 Vic., c. 93. The Act in question was passed without any difficulty, but the prohibitions of the Act could not be enforced without the creation of a class of officers having an intimate acquaintance with tobacco in its genuine state and tobacco adulterated, and further able to prove to demonstration in courts of justice the accuracy of their conclusions. To supply this want the Inland Revenue Laboratory was founded, and it is only just to assert that it has answered well the purpose of its foundation, for the tobacco revenue has steadily increased, and the purity of the tobacco during its manufacture has been secured without unduly harassing the trade. In fact, the commercial classes have so much confidence in the fair dealing of the officials of the Laboratory, that when the General Adulteration Act was passed in 1875 they obtained the power to have all disputed samples referred to that department for examination. The work now carried on has considerably increased in quantity, variety, and importance. In addition to securing the tobacco revenue, the work consists of the examination of lime and lemon juice for the Mercantile Marine; beer, wine, and other substances for the Admiralty; wax, ink, &c., for the Stationery Office; articles of commerce purchased by tender for the India Office; and the examination of samples of all descriptions connected with Inland Revenue duties. At the present time about 14,000 samples a year are examined, and they embrace between one and two hundred different articles. The officials are taken from the Surveying Department of the Inland Revenue, and they obtain admission by competition. The students attend the lectures at South Kensington, and are taught practical chemistry in the Laboratory. They have fortnightly examinations in theoretical and practical chemistry, and at the close of their course they are examined in these subjects by the Professor of Chemistry at South Kensington. A novelty in the examination is introduced in the shape of a day's vivâ voce examination, conducted by the same Professor. The theoretical and practical examinations are held on the same day, and both are identically the same as those conducted at South Kensington. As a rule the students greatly distinguish themselves, and it is no uncommon occurrence for one or more to get the highest number of marks attainable. To make some amends for the wear, tear, and expense of a student's life, the Board have obtained from the Treasury a grant of ten pounds for each student for the purchase of books and other things required in his studies, and prizes are given to two or three of the most successful students at the final examination. After this examination the students are instructed in microscopical work, and then they become Temporary Assistants. The most promising are selected for special duties, and as vacancies arise in the permanent staff of Analysts, they are filled up by the appointment of those who have distinguished themselves in their studies and as Temporary Assistants. The students are taken from the first and second class Assistants who have during each year petitioned to be allowed to receive a chemical education, and who stand first at the competitive examination for the appointments. The number of vacancies each year varies from six to eight, and the examination usually takes place in the middle of August, so that the successful candidates may be able to attend the course of lectures commencing in the following October. The nature of the examination will be best gathered from a perusal of the following sets of questions, given recently, but it must be understood that no candidate has any chance of being successful unless he gives a good answer to all the questions he is allowed to attempt by the regulations. CANDIDATES FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE LABORATORY. Papers set at an Examination held in July, 1883. Time allowed, 6 hours. Three questions only to be answered in each of the groups marked A and B, and two in each of the groups marked C and D. The last question on the paper to be answered, and the working of the answers to all the mathematical questions to be given in full. The number given at the end of each question indicates the value attached to the correct answer. Group A. 2. Give the chemical composition of starch, dextrin, cane sugar, and grape sugar, and state how you would distinguish them from each other. 1. Describe the manufacture of sulphuric acid, give its chemical composition, and state as fully as you can its chief commercial uses. (10) (10) uses ? 3. How is carbonate of soda prepared commercially, and what are its chief (10) 4. What is understood by the specific heat of a substance, and how can the specific heat of an element be employed in checking its atomic weight? (10) Group B. 1. What are the elements of an electric current ? and state what electrical units have been fixed upon as standards for electric measurements. (10) 2. Explain the construction and uses of Faure's storage battery. 3. How would you measure the elastic force of gases ? 4. Given a body A, which weighs 7.55 grammes in air, 5·17 grammes in water, and 6.35 grammes in another liquid B. Required from these data the density of the body A and the liquid B. (10) (10) (10) |