§ SIR C. HILL (Shrewsbury)To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the dissatisfaction which has been caused in geographical circles as shown by the communication of the President of the Royal Geographical Society, he will reconsider the decision to omit geography from amongst the subjects for the diplomatic and Foreign Office examinations.
(Answered by Secretary Sir Edward Grey.) The assimilation of the Foreign Office and diplomatic examinations with the examination for the Home and Indian Civil Services was agreed to after careful consultation with the Civil Service Commissioners, the object being, as I have already stated, to attract men of university education. Geography is not one of the subjects in which candidates for the Home and Indian Civil Services are examined, and as a knowledge of this subject is very soon acquired in the Foreign Office it was not considered necessary to add it to the list of subjects for examination. Experience will show if a modification of the new regulations is desirable; but I do not propose to make any further change in the Foreign Office and diplomatic examinations unless it is made in the Civil Service examinations generally.