§ MR. EWARTsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary at War whether it was the intention of the Government to institute any examination, as an educational test of competency, on the admission of persons applying to enter as officers into the Army?
§ MR. F. MAULEsaid, that his Grace the Commander-in-Chief had determined to institute a test for the education of officers previous to their receiving commissions in the Army. That fact had been intimated to all persons who had applied to the Commander-in-Chief to have their names put down for commissions, in order that they might prepare themselves for the military service, by a preliminary course of study. It was also the intention of his Grace to have a second examination on the promotion of an officer from the rank of ensign to that of lieutenant; but that examination was to be entirely of a professional character, for the purpose of ascertaining that the parties examined had the necessary acquaintance with the duties of officers commanding battalions. Then there was to be a third and final examination of subalterns before they got companies, and that was to consist of a more enlarged examination with respect to matters of military skill and science. His Grace the Commander-in-Chief had entered into those arrangements in conformity with public opinion, which had for some time past tended in that direction; and the object of those arrangements was to improve the efficiency and status of officers in the Army.