The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-25 00:00:00

REPORT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSIONERS.

The eighth simnel report of the Civil Service
Commissioners was issued this morning. The nominations ,
notified to them last year stow a large increase, the
number being 3.649. Oo the greater number of the on.
cations for making appointments to clerkships, he., com-
petition has not been employed. In the War-offios last
year as many as $2 vacancies out of 107 were filled by
absolute nomination. The nomination of excise assistants,
who are not subjected to competition, have also been more
numerous in 1862 than in 1861 (162 against 95), and in
1862 there were 24 absolute nominations to situations is
the Probate and Divorce Court. The ratio to vacancies of
candidates examined has varied but slightly during the flue
years, the range being from 21 per vacancy, which was
the proportion in 1860, to 31 per vacancy in 1862.
The increased ratio in the past year is of comae is MOM
measure attributable to the working of the plan introduced
in the early part of 1861, of preliminary tat examioatioos
for departments to which the Treasury possesses the right
of nominating; but the average has also been effected by
several competitions in which the number of candidates per
vacancy has been considerable, as e. g., by two competitions
for supplementary clerkship is this office, in one of which
40 candidates were atomised for four vacancies. while in the
other 22 candidata were examined for one vacancy. There
was also a competition for the post of schoolmaster in a
dockyard under the Admiralty, when 10 candidata were
examined ; and a competition for &clerkship ia the Colonial-
office, when seven candidates were examined. On the other
hand there were several instances of compantioes for which
the average was less than three candidates par vacancy. In
sax of these competitions two candidates were examined
for ea vacancy ; in one six candidates wee* elamined
for four vacancies ; and in um, two candidates were as-
naiad for two acacias, • tbird who was nontioated
having declined. In this cane both of the candidates ;who
were =amused failed to reach the standard of competency.
It is to be added that, of the 864 competitors examined
for the 289 places, 376 were found lobe below the standard
attainment requisite for a peas examination, leaving the'
bona fide competition to be between 488 candidates for
289 places ;_ or in the proportion of only 119 to each
vacancy. The total number of candidates nominated by
the Treasury fur preliminary teat examination was 622, of
wham 82, for various neaps, were net examined. Of the
540 who were examined, 297 passed and 243 were rejected;
the proportion of rejections, therefore, being just 45 per
cent.

—The standard of examinations in acuoompstitive CCM
minations has secemsrily become a low cos, isaamuch as the
exam's:dime for clerkship, of the higleir class (such as
those ia matropolitae alma and in the parietal artablieh-
meata of the customs' department), are sow competitive to
tits intent which has been routioced. Is fact, for a peat
number of appointments the ability to read and write gad
to add • few-diens is enfliciseat„ and for others still lass la
!squired. It wall sot therefore be matter of surprise that
in Doesuienutitirs examinations the ratio of rejectioss to'
certificates is very much smaller tau it origivally was.
The figura for the successive yearn are the following:
Certificates. Rejections.
1855-6 (19 mouths) .. 1,686 880
1857 .. 1,354 490
1858 .. 1,154 292
1859 1,511 310
1880 1.675 317 '
1861 2, 444
1862 .. 2,154 358
Deducting certifintes granted for parsons employed is thel
Admiralty dockyards, the numb's' would be 1,820 far 1861,
sad 1,807 for 1862. Out of the total ausahar rejected ma
emanation (3,001), all but 177 have/awl in arithmetic, in
evellieg, or is reeding the addressee of leasse," a test to
which caadidatis for the Austin of leasmerrier sad
reed messeagt are subjected. It will, however, be seder-
*cod that d them who have fulled I. the quaWkaticies
spesidsd, some have failed is ethers also.
With maid to hsedwritieg sad erthaprapby the men-
shiners observe :—" Upoe the perfermasess of the can-
didates rho have emu bier. es, we may remark that we
stall find it extremely Melds to *hada good handwriting.
The aonornplieduesat is see whir* we awe always regarded
as moat important, but if we bid maistaisoi from the tom-
lasuoussat of our Kameda'. a slushed as high as that
which we hops may ultimately be attaieelds, we should
have rue the risk of iesoevesisecing the public newt" by
the cumber of rejections which would hue base °manned.
With mad to orthography we may mantas that at least
two-third, of the meditates (62 is weber) who were last
year exarsiesel for seppluneetery cherkships is this office
would sot have beau rejected by as for incorrect spelliog
bad they bees nominated to We highest of the situations
for which we ameatea The same may be said af raspy of
theand lorry wounised for aduakeies to the Admiralty factorise
deakyarda•
The appoiatmeets het year is the civil service for India
vanommei for auspaitio• were 20 is Lambe, mad the nom-
mlasems are been olkdally informed that 60 at lout will
be smigeed in July mut, if a Niftiest umber of competent
candidata shoal peeeest thensidus. The somber of can-
didates was is 10610ely 56, sad graduslly rose to 171 is 1861,
at shah ft remained is 1862. (If the candidates of 1862, 24
came from the University of Oxford, 20 from Cambridge,
16 from Scottish Uolvarsitias, 25 from 'Trisity Collage,
Dublin, and eight from the Qum's Tfedunthy in In-
ked.

Tam MmrsoromeaN TOHNIPIKI Boma—lt ap-
pears from the repast .1 the mamaisaionen of them roads
hosed this morning, that the receipts inns tolls me the
metropolitan roads during the past year were 67,6841.6.. Td.,
sad the receipts fres& all serrrose„ T 8,10.31. 14s. Td. The ex-
penditere during the mare period was 75,5061. 14a. id. A
WI is new before parliament which, If pained, will Marfa
horn the commission to the respective parishes the =dote.
mina of 51 miles of road, and cause the removal of 25
turnpike-gam sad of 56 sidebars. The bill also provides
for • searrasseesset in districts of the roads which will run
soak wader the charge of the 000naisaiooms *AR the Ist
July, 1864 (the date whets it is proposed the sot shall come
into operalke), and for a sew male of tolls adapted to the
existing traffic, the nature of which, by the ialrodectioe of
Wine" has been entirely altered from that which pew
Tailed ia 1829, whom the present scale was established.
TH2 NATIONAL POITHAIT GALLIZIL—Tbe sixth
report of the trustees of this gallery issued this morning
stater that the punissess sow amount to 111. Is oompariem
with former yam very much fewer Wen of portraits,
whether for purchase at presentation, were smusuaketed to
the gallery during last meanie, a fact readily accounted for
by the allabsorbing interest of the great Exhibition at South
Kimidngtou. On the other band, sod attributable is • gnat
maw* to the same influence, the numbers of visitors to
this gallery during the existence of the International Pahl-
bilien,from Nay 1 to November 1, inclusive, were animated
to nearly double what they bad been is the previous year.
Sire gallery was °posed 53 days daring the term of the
International Exhibitios ; sad the average &Mesdames
during these days was 234 visitors. The large collet:1.1
tine of somared portrait, bequeathed by lir. H. W. Mar-
tha, sameustieg te scene thousnede in number, is I. proems at
chnefficatios mid cataloguing for purposes of redress.
They Melo& portraits of all ages sod all aosotries. Frees
the innell number of portraits that were offered for ads
during the past year. as already explained. tie Muster have
arta Med mpeaMisal iscommaisnas from the lesser &assent
of the as great, 1.0001. Mottled of 2,0004 They would,
however, aisle it a emitter of regret if there were to be any
sigh permanent diminution as to compel them to forego any
favourable opportanities of purchase, which sometimes very
suldssb. arise. Is eoucluding their report the trustees ob-
serve that se practical step ham yet been takes to remove the
gallery to better apartmeets. sad that they "still amtinue
to conteed with the difficulties which peewit themselves
from a growing oelketion in a most inadequate space, sad
which, without ay fault on their side, must give rise, cm
the
nta." part of visitors. to frequent and well-founded °pm-
plai . _

ROYAL HOSTICOLTUSAL Socnerr. —An ordinary
pmesal meeting of this society was held yesterday (Friday).
a the Connell-room, at South IL when npwasde of
30 ladies and gentleness were elected Fellowa Ainoept the
seam we obeemed-The Dowager Dochese of Sntherimed,
Mr. G. S. Scones, M.P., mos. Fnuacis Drummed, to. The
Chairman anocanced that a speciel martin of the F• 11011.1
womb] be coomeed for May the 111th, for the worms, of
her Royal Higbee. the Primers of Wale/ her
royal new having gniaioady sigslied her willingness to
be elected a Fellow of the moiety.
THE EX-Royal FAMILY OF FEANCE. —The ea-
=Marie Amelia, who, with the Prime de Joisville. the
de Nemours. sod other members of the 01111412•
have bees Merin at Starkey's Royal Victoria Hotel, at St.
Leosard'sen-Sea, daring the last fortnight, rotor-ad to
Claremont os Wednesday last, travelling over the Smith
Eastern Railway to Goildford, and thence over the South
Western lies to the Esher station. The ex-Qiieen wee
looking remerlishly well, considering her venerable age.
. and
all the family hare derived much bemlit fmai their errors
on the south onset While at St. Leeuard's its iatereming
event took Saes-the betrothal of the Doke de Chartres,
wood son of the late Doke &Orleans to the Primers
Ffm/Coise d'Oriaaaa, daughter of the PrisZe sad Primates de
Joinville.

--- -
THE METROPOLITAN RATLWAT.—The Metropoli-
tan Railway trifle this week amounts to oaly 1,9771.
Os. 3d. It certainly begins to appear that ranch of the first
high traffic wu sight-using and that the ordain/7 load
kale. though !ergs, is short al 6001. per mile per weak—
/krona/A.
The rather unusual act of confiseating to the
crosra tin goods of perms convicted of felony has re-
cently bees carried net is Haddonfield. It was a cue of
reprisals. The indictment charged the primmer with ille-
gally receivisg four yard. of cloth, wises it should bare
ben several boadreds, and the prieeeer's solicitor brought
ea action to rote% for the prisoner all above the number
testified in the indictment. A warrant rat wail/cation was
therefore applied for and obtained by the prosecution.

THE RIBCHESTER MURDERICRS.-EXECUTIOH

AT KIRKDALE.-(THIS DAY.)

Duncan M‘Phail sod Geo. Woods, the murderers
of Mrs. Woe, et Ribchasiar, DIM' Blackburn, suffered
death at mos to-day, is Treat of Kirkdale Gaol.

The atrocious character of the Ribchester murder crested
general indignation in the district, while a greet deal of
interest was also crowded into the came, from the fact
that one of the murderers died on the morning
of the trial and soother turned approver. Carr,
the primmer who died, appears to have take the
prominent part in the outings. The deceased, Mrs.
Wale*, it may be remembered, lived in a lonely place sod
in ao isolated boon, of which she was the only inmate.
from his business as a hawker, had become
familiar with the premixes, and se the deceased
sold beer, ho., he had frequent opportunities
of studying her habits and mode of living. It
bad bee ascertained by M'Phail that the old
lady had received 181. from the gals of one of her cows,
sod that the intended to devote this sum to the payment of
her rest, sad accordingly ll'Phail, together with the other
prisoners, west to her house at midnight on the 11th of
November for the purpose of robbing her. The deceased
whilst in bed was tied down, and so violently beaten about
the head that when discovered she wee quite dead.
The assoutMner was Calcraft. Upwards of 20,000 per-
sons were present.
Both men denied personal sham in the murder. Woods
died iostantaseously, but Y•Phail struggled much.