One of the most important changes made at this time was the great increase in the number of free commissions placed at the disposal of the College. Under the old system which existed prior to 1858, while the institution was still a mere place of juvenile education, all cadets who passed in the six “steps,” to which allusion has been made, received free commissions; but there was, strictly speaking, no competition for such commissions. After the alteration in the age of admission to the College, and the general revision of the course of instruction which took place in 1858, a limited number of free commissions were bestowed upon those cadets who stood highest in the final examination. A large number of these appointments, however, still remained in the gift of the Commander-in-Chief, and were granted to candidates who passed the ordinary examination for direct commissions. Since 1862, all non-purchase commissions have been reserved for cadets at the Royal Military College, with the exception of a small number (not exceeding on an average 12 annually) bestowed upon non-commissioned officers promoted from the ranks, and upon gentlemen who have held the appointment of page to Her Majesty. The commissions given to the latter are exclusively in the Foot Guards, and their number seldom exceeds one in each year. The free commissions allotted to the College are thrown open to competition among the cadets, with the exception of those reserved for Queen’s and Indian cadets. Both of these classes of cadets have, since the institution of Indian cadetships, which took place simultaneously with the change of the College system, in August, 1862, been entitled to receive free commissions on passing a qualifying examination at the end of their term of residence.
The course of study at the College was, at the same time, considerably modified, with the view of allowing its completion, under ordinary circumstances, in one year, instead of two years, as formerly,—the maximum term of residence being fixed at a year and a half. An attempt was also made to render the course more strictly professional, and better adapted to qualify a young officer for the performance of ordinary regimental duties immediately on joining his corps, by the introduction of instruction in military law, interior economy, etc.
The age of admission was fixed at 16 to 20 for candidates for the Infantry, and 16 to 22 for those for the Cavalry,—an extension of a year in these limits being for the first time introduced in favor of students at the universities. A further privilege held out to the latter class of candidates was that, while others could only obtain admission by competitive examination, the fact of having passed certain university examinations was of itself made a qualification for admission. These concessions, which, at first, were made to the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, have been since extended to the other universities.
The number of cadets was never raised to the extent contemplated in the plan proposed by Sir George Lewis. It was originally intended that the College should accommodate 336 cadets, divided into four companies of 84 each; but the establishment was ultimately fixed at 250. This increase, however (the numbers having, previously to 1862, been 180), led to the addition, in August, 1862, of a third company to the two in which the cadets had been previously divided. An additional captain was appointed to command this company, and, at the same time, three subaltern officers (one to each company) were, for the first time, added to the strength of the establishment, to assist the captains in the charge of the companies. Simultaneously with this, an important alteration was made in the discipline of the College, by abolishing the system which had hitherto prevailed of employing the sergeants to assist in maintaining discipline by reporting the cadets for offences committed against the regulations.
The increase in the establishment also necessitated in this year an augmentation of the staff of instructors.
The establishment of the Royal Military College in 1863, after the change of system had come into effect, was as follows:
General Staff.—1 Governor, 1 Chaplain, 1 Paymaster, 1 Quartermaster, 1 Surgeon, 1 Assistant-Surgeon, 1 Riding Master.
Staff College.—1 Commandant, 1 Adjutant, 9 Professors, 30 Students.
Cadet College.—1 Lieutenant-Governor, 1 Major and Superintendent of Studies, 3 Captains of Companies, 3 Subalterns, 250 Gentlemen Cadets, 1 Adjutant, 40 Professors and Instructors, of whom two were employed also at the Staff College.