The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-05-24 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

Tun (Win. SERVICE CoMMISSION.--An octavo volume
some 300 pages. the colo.sr of which may he best de-
scribed by comparing it to that of Mr. Druniutond's
ooposed " rifle" nnitorm, contains the fourth report of
llr Majesty's Civil SerVile CUlMlliralit/DerN with o.l.iOnA
stotistical Wiles, specimens of caligrapby
iii micography„ essmination papers in Milano, Arabic.
old tisliscrit, and in-iny other highly curious and Miles-
oribable things. The principles of the commissioners
:laving been fully explained, and the details of their
in-weeding% described in former report., the present
with one exception) comprises little more than • statis-
tical account of the ordinary examinations conducted
.inter their superintendence. The regulations made
under the Order in t nmoil of MIS. by the various de-
oartitients of the civil service, preseribing the suhjects
fir exa 11l i l iatiou, underwent bit little change in 1858.
It is inferred that the system has worked satTsfxctorily,

_
end with that inierence before them the commissioners
h.ve been unwilling to illAtirh the existing arrange-
cots by any i•sp-rimetital alterations. The principal
eeception to this general acquiescence has occurred in
✓espect to the regulations in force at the Foreign-office
for the examination of uitarlih. The total number of
nominations made in 18511 to situations to which the
Order in conned has been applied was 2,258 against
2,189 in 1857, and 2,432 in 1856. The total number of
o thins made from the cominencement of the coni•
iniasions to the list of March, 1850, is 8,939 ; the num.
lac of personsactuallyexaminesl in the saint period was
7.371 ; certificates were granted in 4.511 eases and re-
fused in 1,717. Of the nominations last )ear 1.425 were
•ingle nominations, without any reference to competi-
tion, and 833 nominations of candidates as competitors
for one or more situations. Certificates upon single
nominations were granted during the year in 958 cases,
and in 292 cases certificates were refused on the ground
of deficiency of Inowledge in the prescribed subjects.
281; were refused. in fact, for deficiency in spelling or
arithmetic, or in both, and only six for incompetency
in ishier subjects not involving spelling or arithmetic.
The unfavourable state of the proportion of competent
and incompetent candidates induces the practical conclu-
sion "that the number of candidates should be increased
SO
as to bear a larger proportion to the vacancies, and
that 3 to 1, the present proportion, is insufficient." The
commissiimersdefend their system of examination against
the formidable objection that it induces what is com-
monly called " cramming ;" that is to say, the practice
of speculating on the questions likely to be proposed,
getting up only limiteel portions of subject., alid learn-
lug by rote. The I.olllllliSjOlierS demur to this objection
awl deny that " cramming" of this kind is available
under their system. Another objection, that the stand-
ard of examination is tao high for the duties require-d,
is also answered. The only important alteration inude
in the conduct of tl.e examination of candidates fur ser-
vice in India, as compared with those that had taken
place under the India Board, WAS the extension of the
ld enee examination. The commissioners, who enter

at length into the subject of these examinationa fur
Indian offices (the Act of last session having materially
affected their functions quomf hoe), say that they look
forward with great interest to the next examination in
July. The large number of vacancies (40) which will
then be filled up, and the increased chances of success
thus held out will, doubtless, attract a considerably
larger number of candidates than 67, the a umber that
appeared at the last examination. The advantages ap-
pertaining to an Indian " writership" are strongly urged
by the commissioners in contrast to the hopeless %nicer-
tainty of the "bar" and the beggarly pittances assigned
to ministers of the church at home.
DECIMAL COINAGE IN CANAL/A.—Some papers on
the subject of decimal coinage in Canada have been
returned to an address of the House of Lords, and
printed. Theme include certain Acts of the Canadian
Legislature (1851 and 1857), for the introduction of the
decimal system into Canada. and the 3rd and 4th reports
sf the Select Committee of the Canadian Assembly on
, Public Accounts, in the scsaion of 1855. This Com-
mittee submittcal two reaolutions for the consideration of
the Legislative .tasendilv as follows :—That after the
:Hat day of January, 1856, there Audi be but one cur-
rency of accounts and payment. of which the dollar shall
lie the unit and standard of value ; the public accounts
shall he kept in dollars, cents, and mills ; and the
iiiinage be tame% isi intrin.ic value to that of the United
States. That the ton of 2.2401 b.. the cwt. of 1121 k, the
half cwt. of 1 the quarter-cat. of 2 .Ib., be re-
duced to a ton ut 20001 b., and its subilivisiona." The
result was the naming of the following Act, assented to
June 10, 1857.—" Whereas it will greatly facilitate the
keeping and audit of the public accounts el the province
that the same be kept in dollars and tents ; therefore
Her ii.jesity. by and with the advice and consent of the
Legislative Council and Aisenibly of Canada, enact as
followa :—I. All accounts to be rendered to the Pro-
vincial Government. or to any public officer or depart-
ment in his province, by any officer or functionary, or
by any party reueiving aid front the province. or other-
whie accountable to the Government or Legislature
thereof, shall be AO rendered in dollar* and mute. ; but
! any such accounts may have • second column contain-
!ing sums in pounds. shillings, and pence. equivalei:t to
the soma s° stated in dollara and oenta, if the accountant
shall prefer to render his account in that form. 2. The
I preceding ennetment shall take effect upon, from, and
alto the 31st slay of I)eeenther, 1857, and not before."
There is an heistenete number of letter.' and papers on
I the subject of decimal coinage, which emanated from
; mathematicians and other eminent authorities in
I Canada.

THEPROCLAW ATION.OF NECTRALITY.-011 Wednesday
the royal proclamatiofl. as In the neutrality to be
observed by Great fintain and her dependencies in the
present war was made public at the Cross by the heralds
and punmivanta of Scotland. The ceremony was some-
what longer than usual. on account of the great length
of the proclamation. The preamble was read by March-
mont Herald, and the peroration was responded to by
the Hate Punniivant. Albany Herald read the quo-
tations from the acts of parliament, the warnings and
penalties being responded to by Ormond Pursuivant. The
guard of honour consisted of a detachment of the Royal
Susses Militia, accompanied by Hyder's Distin Bugle
Hand. The ceremony attracted a larger crowd of
spectators than =tally assembles on such occasions.