The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-31 00:00:00

RAILWAYS.

For Account.

Orleans
Northern ll2O
Lyons and Mediterranean B6l 25
Southern 527 50
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman

530 -

351 25
381 25

122 50

Admission to the Public Service,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,-It would be accepted as a public favour
if you would be good enough to admit into your
columns the following representation of a grievance,
arising out of the deceptive state into which ad-
mission to the public service has grown under the
system entitled " competitive examination."
Previous to the introduction of this false manner
of election the dispensers of Government patronage
were restricted to the giving of one appointment to
one person, which consistent rule has for some time
been superseded by a regulation which enables the
dealer to multiply his gifts by five-fold.

Experience of the worthlessness, and proof to
conviction, has now been admitted, that the "cream-
faced loon" who scores the greatest numerals in
the ologies, is by no means the best qualified for
the place; and a case illustrative of the traffic which
enables Government to display magnanimity at
the cost of anxious parents and the disappointment
of hopeful sons will corroborate the allegations
made in the afoiesaid. Admission to the corps of
Royal Marines is by nomination, and vested with the
Admiralty, and gained by competitive examinations,
which take place twice a-year, viz., June and Dec.,
—the vacancies accumulating being filled up by the
highest marks of the examination following. At
that which has just passed there were eight va-
cancies, to which, it will scarcely be credited, that
nomination for five times the number were given,
nearly all of whom Attained the standard of marks.
Is it not sad to contemplate the number of disap-
pointments ? To be sure they are allowed to try
again in December, provided their age do not ex-
ceed 19. But even then the chances are not great,
inasmuch that, taking the number of vacancies
comparative with the former, will yet leave a score
of them rejected. Your space will not admit of,
even if my pen could fairly describe, the evils at-
tending the custom of alluring youths thus towards
baits, where the chances of gaining them are so
disproportionate, involving not alone the inordi-
nate expense of the cramming curriculum, but the
more serious consideration of, in many cases, the
wrecked prospects of the rejected ; for, you must
understand, disappointment of success in the civil
department is not of so much consequence as when
the youths are entered either for the naval or
military services. Your paper, circulating in
official circles, will, I trust, be the means of
drawing attention to this delusive mode of training
the best men for the service of the country.—l am
yours obediently,

A PARENT.

In our Irish Correspondence published yesterday
reference was made to the report of the Union Bank of
Ireland, and we are now requested to state that the de-
posits in that bank have not been reduced to £120,000,
but have been diminished by that amount.
The Exhibition of the Royal Academy is closed.
The annual conversazione of the members and their friends
takes piece on Wednesday evening.
A HINT.—The Record of last evening observes in
a leading article Mr. Bright has as yet scarcely
escaped from the peril of being held responsible for blood-
shed in Hyde-park; and although happily there is no Go-
vernor Eyre in the case, the fate of poor Mr. Gordon in
Jamaica has no doubt excited in his breast a sympathy in
which the idea of identity of danger is a component ele-
ment." It will be seen that we are getting on.