The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-14 00:00:00

THR CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS.

The Civil Service Commissioners, in their
eleventh report just issued, state that the total number of
nominations notified to them (exclusive of nominations for
preliminary test examinations), since May, 1865, amounts
to 34,031. The annual average has been 3,293 ; those
received in 1885 were 4,368. Including the nominations
for preliininaty test examination the total numbe- has
been 37,109 ; the annual average, 3,601 ; the number re-
ceived during the last year, 4,789. Of 2,031 nominations
disposed of dining the past year under Class 1.,
superior (situations, clerkships, Ac.), 128 were either
eancelled, or for other reasons not proceeded with. The
remaining 1,903 may be classified as fol'ows :—Nominations
for preliminary test examination, 410; nominations to com-
pete, 636 ; absolute nominations, 831. Of the candidates
nominated for preliminary test examination, 215 passed
the test, 196 failed to pass, and five were ineligible in re-
spect of age. The number of competitive examinations
has been 119, in which 637 candidates have oompeted for
213 places, making an average of three competitors for
each vacancy. Out of these 637 candidates, 318 who
contended for 110 situations had already passed a pre-
liminary teat examination ; the remaining 319 compef -
tors for 103 situations had undergone no previous
test. Of this latter group 121 failed to show a quali-
fying knowledge of the prescribed subject. ; so that
198 qualified candidates contended for 103 vacancie ;
or on an average, 1.9 qualified competitors fur erch
vacancy. In three cases we were compelled to with-
hold our certificate from candidates who had been
successful in the literary competition, owing to their
failing to satisfy us that they were eligible in respect
of health. With regard to unsuccessful competitors full
inquiries are not made on this point. The number of situa- '
tions belonging to this class offered for competition during
the year 1865 having been, as before stated, 213, the num-
ber tilled by absolute nomination has been 536. The whole
number of such nomination. dealt with (excluding 31
which were not proceeded with) was 851. Deducting from
these the 536 cases in which persons thus nominated ob-
tained appointments, there remain 315 in which they
failed so to do. In 288 of these cases the candidates fell
below the standard of competence ; 13 failed to satisfy in
respect of age ; three in respect of health, and 11 in respect
of character. In the class of inferior situations, such as
that of out-door officer, letter carrier, warder, kc., the
principle of competition was not applied during the year
1865. The whole number of nominations dealt with was
2,672, and the results were as follow :—Candidates did
not appear, 157 ; certificates granted, 2,193 ; ditto refused
on ace, 54 ; ditto refused on health, 44 ; ditto refused on
character, 73; ditto refused on knowledge and ability,
152 ; total, 2,672. The total number of eases in which
candidates of both classes have failed to show competent
" knowledge and ability " during the year 1865 has been
645, including 196 nominated for preliminary test exami-
nation, 440 examined on absolute nominations, and nine
competitors who, being otherwise successful, were de-
burred by such failure from receiving appointments. If
the subjects of examination be divided into two classes,
one including reading, spelling, arithmetic, handwriting,
and in the case of each department, the subjects specially
connected with the practical work of that office, the other
compassing those which are only prescribed as tests of
general intelligence and cultivation, the number of fail-
ures in these two classes of subjects has been respectively
620 and 16.

THE TENTH WARWICKSHIRE RIFLE

VOLUNTEERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EXPRESS.

SIR,—A paragraph has appeared in several of the
London journals, reflecting seriously upon the conduct of
the Tenth Warwickshire (Leamington) Rifle Volunteer
Corps at Stoneleigh Deer-park, on Tuesday, July 31. I
was absent on that occasion, but upon my return home, I
ordered a court of inquiry to assemble to investigate the
charges made against the corps on the 31st alt. I am
happy to be able to inform you that the court is of opinion
that many of the statements affecting the volunteers of the
corps are untrue, and that the remainder are very much
exaggerated. lam proud to inform you that the Tenth
Warwickshire Rifle Volunteer Corps u at present in a
most satisfactory state of efiiciency and discipline —I
am, Ac.,
Major Commanding Tenth Warwickshire
Rifle Volunteers.
Leamington, August 11.

ELECTION OP ALDERMAN.—Yesterday, pursuant
to the precept issued by the Lord Mayor, a wardmote of
the municipal electors for the ward of ime-street was
held in the ward school-rooms for the election of a fit and
proper person to fill the office of alderman of the ward in
the room and place of Mr. John Joseph Mechi, resigned.
The Lord Mayor presided, and after the usual prelimina-
ries had been complied with, his lordship drew attention
to the object for which the witrdmote had been assembled,
and, in conclusion, invited the electoral body to put any
candidate for the aldertnanic gown into nomination. Mr.
White moved the election of Mr. William James Richmond
Cotton as a fit person to supply the vacancy caused by the
retirement of their late worthy alderman, and, in submit-
ting the proposition, paid a high tribute to the character
of the candidate. Mr. Chapman seconded the nomination
of Mr. Cotton, and, no other candidate being proposed,
1 the Lord Mayor took a show of hands, and declared the
election to have fallen on Mr. Cotton. The alderman
elect returned his thanks for the honour conferred upon
him, and declared his determination to uphold the pnvi-
leges of the citizens at large, to maintain the dignity of the
office to which he had been elected, and also to devote his
• best energies to the service of the ward. A vote of thanks
for his past services was unanimously adopted to Mr.
Kochi, the late alderman, and ordered to be emblazoned on
vellum, framed and glasel, and be presented to that gentle.
man on his retirement. The proceedings, which occupied
scarcely half an hour. terminated with a vote of thanks to
the Lord Mayor for his courtesy in presiding on the occa-
sion.
OPENING OP A Nsw LINZ OF RAILWAY INTO
IMIRRWSBIRY.—Yesterday the North Wales section of the
Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway was
opened for pauenger and goods traffic, having satisfac-
torily passed the usual government inspection.
ADMIRALTY, AIIOUBTI3.—APPoiNTKRNTR.---Coro-
maador—R. Moore, to be inspecting eommander of the
west guard. Assistant Surgeons—J. Brown, to the St.
Vincent, for service in the Martin ; R. Ferguson, to the
Wivers.