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age. A candidate who has passed the course of the Middle School is examined in mathematics, Japanese composition, English and Chinese; but a candidate who has not passed through the Middle School is examined in the following subjects: Japanese composition, mathematics, English, Chinese, geography, history, physics, chemistry, and drawing; also, if the candidate desires, in French, German, or Russian.

Successful candidates become naval cadets and join the Naval College at Yetajima, on the Inland Sea near the Kure naval station. The travelling money to the college is paid, and at the college everything is provided by the Government.

The cadets remain in the Naval College three years, and are instructed in seamanship, navigation, higher mathematics, English, physics, chemistry, gunnery, and torpedoes, steam engineering, etc. After having passed the final examination successfully they are appointed to the sea-going training-ships as midshipmen. At the end of eight months’ cruising the midshipmen are examined in what they have learnt on board, and then transferred to a commissioned ship, generally appointed among the ships of the squadron, and after four months, if favourably recommended by the Captain of the ship, are commissioned as Sub-lieutenants.

Promotion of naval officers is entirely by selection, and the list of candidates deserving that honour is decided upon by the Board of Admirals, which meets once a year. This Board is composed of eight or nine members, but when sitting to decide the list of promotions, all the Commanders-in-Chief of naval stations and the squadrons, with the senior officers of the different branches, such as engineers and medical corps, etc., are summoned, and the Minister of Marine takes the chair. Officers of the following rank who have been on duty for the specified number of years are eligible for nomination:

Sub-lieutenants, 1 year; Lieutenants, junior grade, 2 years; Lieutenants, 5 years; Commanders, 2 years; Captains, junior grade, 2 years; Captains, 2 years; Rear-Admirals, 3 years.

Naval officers are placed on the reserved list on account of age, ill-health, or disability. The age-limit of the several ranks is as follows:

Admirals at the age of 68; Vice-Admirals at the age of 63; Rear-Admirals at the age of 58; Captains at the age of 53; Captains, junior grade, at the age of 48; Commanders at the age of 45; Lieutenants at the age of 43; Lieutenants, junior grade, at the age of 38; Sub-lieutenants at the age of 38; chief gunners and boatswains at the age of 51; gunners and boatswains at the age of 48.

All officers are retired five years after being placed on the reserve list.