The organization of the College has undergone no material alteration since 1863, with the exception of the abolition of the office of Lieutenant-Governor, and the substitution for it of that of Commandant of the Cadet College. The change, though decided upon in 1862, was not carried out during the tenure of office of the officer who, at that time, held the appointment of Lieutenant-Governor, and did not actually take effect until 1864. The Lieutenant-Governor, though nominally the deputy of the Governor, had exercised no control over the Commandant of the Staff College from the time of the institution of the latter establishment, in 1858. His functions were limited to the Cadet College, of which he was virtually, though not nominally, the Commandant.
The establishment of cadets was raised in 1865 to 300, and some slight alterations have, at various times, been made in the number of professors and instructors; but, in its general character, the establishment at the present time remains as it was in 1863.
The modifications which have since been made consist chiefly in the reduction of the higher limit of age for admission to 19 for all branches of the service (retaining, however, the former exception in favor of students from the universities); the discontinuance of the study of military law, etc.; and the extension of the ordinary course of residence from one year to a year and a half.
In regard to discipline, the system of assigning marks for good conduct, which was introduced by the regulations of 1862, has been discontinued, owing to practical difficulties which were found to occur in carrying out the system with uniformity. At the beginning of 1868, an alteration was introduced in the powers of the professorial staff with regard to the maintenance of discipline. Previously to this period they had exercised no disciplinary powers; they have since been required to take notice of all offences which come within their cognizance, either in or out of study, and have been empowered to place a cadet in arrest pending an inquiry into the offence. Even at the present time, however, the professors have no power of punishment, this power being confined to the military staff of the College.
According to the Royal Warrant of 1808, the four companies of cadets were placed upon the establishment of the army, and every one admitted to the College received a warrant of gentleman cadet, with the daily pay of 2s. 6d. Down to the year 1857, the regulations for admission to the College contained the provision that, “in conformity to the Royal Warrant, dated the 27th of May, 1808, all gentlemen cadets at the Royal Military College are subject to the Articles of War.” This provision appears to have been omitted from all regulations published on the recommendation of the Council of Military Education since the reorganization of the College, which took place at the beginning of 1858. At the present time, a cadet, on admission, is required to sign a declaration “to conform, in every respect, to Her Majesty’s Regulations, and to the rules and discipline of the service.”
The Board of Commissioners, at the time of the report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, in 1855, still continued to administer all the affairs of the Royal Military College, in virtue of the wide powers vested in them by the Royal Warrant of 1808. For some years previously to this, however, the War Office had exercised considerable control over the financial acts of the Board. On the appointment of the Council of Military Education, in 1857, the latter body began to superintend the course of instruction at the College, their attention having been directed to this subject in the first instructions issued to them on their appointment. At the beginning of 1858, they commenced to conduct the examinations for admission, and, by a Royal Warrant of the 1st October, 1858, they were formally appointed Visitors of the College, and required to report to the Commander-in-Chief upon the instruction given at it. The power of recommending either the appointment or removal of the professors and instructors was, by the same warrant, placed in their hands.
The original warrant of 1808 has never been cancelled, and the powers vested by it in the Board of Commissioners still, therefore, nominally remain in force, except so far as by the warrant of 1858. Since this time, however, the connection of the Commissioners with the management of the College has been gradually diminished. In 1863, the office of Secretary to the Board was abolished, his financial duties being transferred to the Paymaster of the College, and the performance of his other duties being provided for in the Commander-in-Chief’s office. The discipline of the College still remains nominally under the superintendence of the Commissioners; but, even in regard to this point, their interference, except when questions of considerable importance have arisen, appears to have been little called for. Their duties of late years seem to have been principally confined to business connected with the management of the College property, in regard to which, although the estate is now formally vested in the Secretary of State for War, the former powers of the Commissioners are reserved.
The attendance in the College, since its reorganization, has been as follows, viz.:
| 1855 | . . . | 180 |
| 1862 | . . . | 250 |
| 1865 | . . . | 300 |