Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-24
MARINE CORPS EXAMINATIONS.
Regulations Issued by the Navy De
partment.

partment.
The Navy Department has issued a Sc
ries of rules. designed to meet the require
ments Of the act of Congress, approved
July %, 1892, entitled, AN act to provide
for the examination of certain officers of
the Marine Corps and to regulate promo
ton therein" and all previous general or
ders in-relation to the-subject of exami-
nation for promotion of officers of the Ma
r:ne Corps are anEulled.
The new regulations are in part as fol-
lows:
At such times. anterior to promotion,
as may be deemed best for the interests
of the service, officers of the line and
Quartermaster' department of the Marine
Corps, below the rank of major. shall be
examined by a board convened by the
Navy Department, consisting of five men,
bers three Of whom shall be selected from
the Marine Corps and two from the Medi-
cal Corps Of the navy and a recorder.
When not practicable to detail marine
officers as members of such examining
boards officers of the line of the navy
shall be SO detailed. Members of the board
who are officers of the Marine Corps shall
be senior in rank to the officer to be ex-
amined. The duties of the medical Off
GERS shall be confined to the physical and
mental examination of the candidate.
Examinations shall be made under the
following heads: First-Physical and men,
professional efficiency.
The medical members of the board will
each. personally. examine the candidate as
to his physical and mental condition, and
also his medical record as furnished by
the bureau of medicine and surgery, Navy
Department, and shall certify to the board
that such examinations have been made,
and that the candidate is (or is noD phys
icaliy and mentally qualified for the eff
Client performance of all the duties of the
next higher grade in the Marine Corps.
Should the candidate be found by the full
board to be mentally and physically quail
fed for promotion, the examination shall
proceed under the second head, the medical
officers of the board being excused from
further attendance upon the sessions
thereof.
Evidence as to character will be consid-
cred, and such proceedings taken as in the
opinion of the board the case requires; pro-
vfded that a finding adverse to the candi-
date shall not be entered until he shall have
been given an opportunity to be fully heard
in his own behalf.
The examination in respect to profess
sional efficiency shall relate to fitness for
practical service at sea and on shore in
the next higher grade.
To secure some degree of uniformity of
examination boards will be furnished by
the colonel commandant with lists of ques-
tons, with values attached. Boards will
not. however, be confined to the questions
contained in these lists, and are authorized
to ask any questions selected from the pub
locations recommended herein for study
deemed necessary during the progress of
the oral written or practical examinations
Whenever the oral examination of any
officer Ia unsatisfactory in any subject, the
board will at once proceed with a written
examination In that subject; the questions
and answers constituting such examina-
ton will be attached to the proceedings.
In written examinations numerical val
oral and practical examinations a numeri-
cal value will be given to each subject.
Where both oral and practical examina-
tons are required in the same subject, the
board VIII allot the value to be credited to
each part.
It is expected that examining boards will
apportion the subjects to members in such
manner as to insure thoroughness In
&C nducting examinations. 1t should be
borne In mind that the object Of examina-
tons Is to determine the actual profession
al fitness OF officers for promotion. Boards
should SO conduct examinations that the
qualifications for promotion will be davel-
oHed by the officers ability to make prac-
teal application Of all he has learned rath-
er than the committal to memory of equa-
lions and data, which he would. under or
binary conditions, obtain from books OF
reference. Correct understanding of theory
Is Indispensable but should In all cases be
coupled with the ability Of making practi-
cal application of the knowIedge.
The record of professional efficiency viii
De computed from the reports on fitness,
answers to interrogatories, and other doc
partment to the board or offered by the
Candidate, as well as from such other In
formation as may be deducted by answers
Initiated by the board ITSELF
Ofiicers examined for promotion prior to
January 1, 1893. may, II they so elect. be
examined In the subjects and manner here
tofore prescribed for their respective
grades. Subsequent to the period named
all ofncers will be examined az herein pro-
vided.
bors Of the board and the recorder. and