Very distinguished conduct before the enemy can alone exempt candidates from this examination.
Candidates examined are classed by the above Commission under the following heads; “especially qualified,” “qualified,” and “not qualified;” and no candidate for the commission of officer can be named officer without the certificate of “qualified.”
Candidates, who have shown the necessary efficiency to entitle them to be appointed officers, are named candidates, first class, for the commission of officer, or, in consequence of the diminished number of officers in the active army, are promoted to be sublieutenants.
Only those candidates for the commission of officer, who have received the certificate “especially qualified” in the above final examination of the military scientific course, can present themselves for admission into the War Academy.
[III. THE ARTILLERY AND ENGINEER SCHOOL.]
In this school, consisting of two courses, each lasting a year, an opportunity is afforded to all candidates, first class, for commissions as officers to devote themselves to technical military science, and to pursue the special studies having reference to the military operations in question; and, in this school, only those candidates for the commission of officer are received, who have successfully passed the military scientific course, and who, at the examination passed before the “Commission of High Studies and Examinations,” have been pronounced “qualified” not only to remain in the Artillery and Engineer regiment, but especially qualified to enter the Artillery and Engineer School.
Immediately after passing the second course of the War School, and before admission into the Artillery and Engineer School, these candidates must serve six months in an Artillery or Engineer regiment.
Candidates pass over from the first to the second course without a general examination, and should a doubt exist respecting the efficiency of any of the candidates, such candidates will be required to undergo a special examination before the “Commission of High Studies and Examinations,” who will decide, in the case of such candidates, whether they are to go through the course a second time, or retire from it.
The same regulations apply for the second course, and the appointments as sub-lieutenants of Artillery or Engineer students are determined according to the number of officers required in those corps.