Candidates who have passed the examination for direct commissions, and have also passed satisfactorily through a year’s course of study at the Royal Military College before being appointed to be Sub-Lieutenants, and Sandhurst Cadets from the B List will be commissioned to regiments as Lieutenants on serving satisfactorily for twelve months with a regiment as Sub-Lieutenants.
There are now a large number of supernumerary officers, and also a large number of candidates who have passed for commissions.
The absorption of supernumerary officers will probably be completed, and the candidates who have passed for commissions have received their appointments in about two years from the present time, and personal appointments in the Army will then only be given as follows:
(a.) To successful candidates at a competitive examination.
(b.) To non-commissioned officers recommended for promotion by the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief.
(c.) To candidates from the Universities.
(d.) To Queen’s Cadets, Indian Cadets, and Pages of Honor.
(e.) To Lieutenants of Militia.
The competitive examination will be carried out by the Civil Service Commissioners; the standard of qualification being that recommended by the Royal Commission on Military Education. Ample notice will be given of the first examination, and there will be no advantage in any applications being made for admission to be examined before the publication of such notice.
Non-commissioned officers, on being selected for promotion, will pass an examination in certain professional subjects; and then, after twelve months’ satisfactory service as Sub-Lieutenants, will receive commissions as Lieutenants.