The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-30 00:00:00

CIVIL SERVICE EX.IMINATIONS.

In the fourteen years from the constitution of the
Civil Service Commission down to June, 1869,
there came before the Commissioners for decision
51,628 cases of candidates for situations in the
home Civil Service. In 31,509.0 f these cases certi-
ficates of qualification were granted, and 2,428 per-
sons passed the preliminary test examination with
a view to their being nominated afterwards to
compete. It must not be understood that the re-
maining 17,691 candidates were all pronounced
disqualified; in 7,133 cases of persons nominated
for competitive examinations, but not among the
successful competitors, the question of absolute
qualification did not arise. The total number
rejected as disqualified was therefore 10,558
1,166 for not being of the prescribed age, 562
for being physically unfit for the duties, 661 for
failing to produce satisfactory evidence of charac-
ter, and 8,169 for being deficient in knowledge and
ability, this last number including 2,283 who failed
to pass the preliminary test examination. A very
small number were rejected for failure in the
scholastic portions of examination alone (prescribed
as tests of general intelligence and cultivation),
only 271 of the 8,169., the other, 7,898 failed in
elementary subjects (reading, spelling, handwrit-
ing, arithmetic), or in subjects connected with the
practical work of the office to be filled. The Com-
missioners pronounced on the qualification of 44,495
persons—viz., 51,628 minus 7,133. 19,608 were
candidates for superior situations, such as clerk6hips
and higher positions, and the other 24,887 were
candidates for inferior situations, most of theta
outdoor offices ; but including also the situatiocs
of office-keepers, messengers, and similar indoor ap-
Fointments. Of the 19,608 candidates for superior
situations 12,919 passed, including the 2,428 who
were undergoing the preliminary test ; of the 24,887
candidates for the inferior situations 21,018 passed.
Omitting the several numbers refused on account
of age, health, or character, 3,704 of the 19,608
candidates for superior situations were refused for
deficiency of knowledge and ability, and 2,283
others were reported not qualified on the prelimi-
nary test; and 2,182 of the 24,887 candidates for
inferior situations were refused for deficient know-
ledge and ability. In the year ending the 30th
of Juue, 1869, 5,105 cases of candidates came
before the Commissioners for decision. 648 were
on the preliminary test for superior situations, and
291 of these were reported qualified. Of the re-
maining 4,457, 2,913 obtained certificates ; 740
were rejected, 489 of them for deficient know-
ledge and ability ; 804 were unsuccessful com-
petitors. To show to what extent the method of
competition was actually applied in the year we may
add that certificates were granted to seven persons
after open competition, to 151 after limited com-
petition, to 2,755 without competition. These
statements 'relate to examinations, held with the
view of granting certificates under the Orders in
Council ; the Commissioners also examined 210
candidates for situations of engineer students and
dockyard apprentices, 665 dockyard and victualling
yard artificers candidates for promotion, 69 candi-
dates for cadetships in the Royal Irish constabulary,
and eight gentlemen proposed for examiners and
inspectors of schools, examined as to health. 325
candidates presented themselves in 1869 at the
annual open competition for appointments in the
Civil Service of India ; 51 candidates were se-
lected, who are now undergoing the special
training required to qualify them for the ser-
e vice. Eight of the successful competitors were
sons of clergymen, two of Dissenting minis-
ters, six of gentlemen in the Civil Service of
India, seven of physicans, ono of a surgeon,
four of officers of the army, three of landed

proprietors, two of magistrates or deputy-lieuten

ants, two of solicitors, four of merchants, two of
farmers, and there was one son of an Ambassador,
one of the Principal of a University ; one of a civil
engineer, of a schoolmaster, of a stockbroker, of a
brewer, of a miller, of a woolstapler, of an account-
ant, of an insurance agent, of a merchant's clerk,

of a cashier to a steamboat company. Seven of
these successful candidates belonged to Oxford Uni-
versity, one to Cambridge, seven to Dublin, two to
London, three to Edinburgh, five to other Scotch
Universities, one to the Queen's University in Ire-
land, four to Indian Universities ; 23 were of no
University. A competitive examination was also
held in 1869 for the forest service of India, and
were elected to undergo training in the orest
schools on the continent of Europe.

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THE PAPAL STATES.

(FROM OUR OWN COILRESrONDENT)

ROME, Nov. 22.

The letter of Mgr. Dupanloup to his clergy has not yet I
appeared in the Roman journals. The Vatican has adopted
the course of giving no direct opinion in its official organs .
(the Civilta is not official) as to the controversy raised on
the personal infallibility of the Pope, or rather as to the
opportunity of its definition at the present crisis. If I
may venture to hazard a judgment, the letter in question will
not retard but hasten the definition, and it is certain that
the overwhelming majority of the episcopate are in favour of
the dogma, which has many advocates amongst the laity.
Mgr.Dupanloup is stated, on very good authority, to have
relied on the concurrence cf the Archbishop of New York
and the American Episcopate in his views, and to have
been much surprised on finding, when they met recently
in Paris, that they were all 131tramontanes. That there
will, however, be any division in the Council there is no
fear. Mgr. Dupanloup has, in his previous letter, accepted
its decrees beforehand, and will support them when
once they become the doctrine cf the Roman
Cliurch. The real cause cf the Bishop's letter
is the irritating and di gmat:Fing tone of M.
Veuillot in the Univers, who is the best friend
to Gallicanism by his gratuitous assumption of a sort of
censorship over the Hierarchy of the Catholic world most
unbecoming a layman, and mcst detrimental to the cause
he seeks to sustain. Those who do not disagree with his
principles are irritated by his want of suaviter in 2nodo, his
vulgarity of tone.
The Archbishop of Westminster has just arrived at his
rural residence of Vie del Toitorn, and is in excellent
health. Among the English families arrived are Sir John
and Lady Acton, Mr. and the Hon. Mrs. Scott Murray,
Sir Vincent and Lady Eyre, &c.
The Cardinal Archbishop of Valladolid held his first
reception on Friday night, at the apartments of
Cardinal Barili, in the Pamfili Palace, after having paid
the usual official visit to the Popo and Cardinal Antonelli
in the morning. The reception was not a brilliant one, as
the recent regulations requiring Court dress or uniforms
for gentlemen reduced the attendance of foreigners at
Court to very small dimensions. The Consistory is being
held at the Vatican as I write, and you will receive all
details by the next courier.
A review of the entire regiment of Zouaves took place
at eight this morning on the Piazza of St. Peter's. Colonel
Allot's return was 800 on the occasion of the inspection.
which was a beautiful sight. The young volunteers, above
3,000 in number, heard Low Mass in St. Peter's before the
review, and the Pope appeared for a few moments
at the window of his apartment to give the
Benediction. His Holiness visited the Emporium
on Friday, where 50,000 small lozenges of precious
marbles have been found, having evidently been
cut for the pavement of Nero's palace.
The Earl of Denbigh, chairman of the Papal Defence
Fund Committee, arrives to-morrow. A restaurant is
being organised for the the English Zouaves at their club,
which is now a very perfect little establishment, though
on a smaller scale than that of the Canadians, and Dutch
and Belgian Zouaves.
The new Urban Guard of German volunteers will put on
its uniform and do duty for the first time on the opening
of the Council. The Grand Master of Malta has offered
a guard to the Council, composed of knights of the order
of all nationalities, and the Pope has accepted it. I need
not say it will be merely honorary duty.
The artists of Bologna have formed a committee for the
expedition of works of art at Rome. The Marchese Cara-
van is tne chairman of the committee.