§ MR. BRAMSDONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state if it is a fact that in awarding marks to candidates for positions of draughtsmen, inspectors, &c, in His Majesty's dockyards as many as 20 per cent. of the full number obtainable at the competitive examinations may be bestowed on favoured candidates by official recommendation; and if, in the interest of efficiency and justice, their Lordships will consider whether it would be best that such recommended marks 604 should be abolished or at least reduced to a much lower maximum percentage of the number of marks obtainable by competition.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI presume my hon. friend refers to the marks allotted under Article 389 to denote the personal qualifications of the candidates for supervising and controlling those employed under them. The system was only recently revised, and no reason is now seen for making any alteration.