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service receives the rank of Lieutenant when placed on the reserve list.

The petty officers and the men of the navy are divided in the same method as the warrant officers. Petty officers, with the exception of the writers, are all appointed from the men. There are three ranks in every branch—viz., the chief, or first, second, and third class petty officers. The men are enlisted in two classes, the volunteers and the conscripts; the first serve for eight years, the second for four. Both classes are allowed to renew their enlistment for terms of three years until the petty officers reach the age of forty-five, and the men that of forty years of age. Men appointed to be petty officers must serve six years from the date of appointment. The age of enlistment for volunteers is as follows:

The age of conscripts must be over twenty.

Examinations for the promotion of petty officers and men are held twice every year, and they are eligible for the examination if they have served at sea as follows:

First-Class or Chief Petty Officer, one and a half years as second-class petty officer.

Second class, one year as third class petty officer.

Third class, one year as leading seaman.

Petty officers, leading seamen or first class men, able seamen or second-class men, and ordinary or third-class men, are examined in April and October.

Boys are examined in May and November.

Boys are trained for four months in the naval barracks at each naval station, and then sent to the sea-going training-ships for two months at least before being distributed among the ships of the squadron, etc.

From among able seamen and upwards to first-class petty officers inclusive a certain number of men are selected and examined to become seamen gunners and torpedo men, and the successful candidates are trained respectively at the gunnery and torpedo training stations at Yokosuka.