MILITARY ORGANIZATION OF PRUSSIA. 29 



tion in order to become ensigns,* and it is from these ensigns that the 

 sub-lieutenants are chosen. Those on the other hand who do not 

 wish to follow the military career, obtain the authorisation of the 

 government voluntarily to enlist on the condition of furnishing their 

 own uniforms and equipments. But they must also pass the exami- 

 nation we have alluded to ; they are then only obliged to serve one 

 year, at end of which they obtain a leave of absence for two years, on 

 the expiration of which they are classed in the landwehr of the 

 first ban. 



The landwehr of the first ban is a reserve in which only a part of 

 the cadres receive pay. It is assembled twice a year for exercise, 

 eight days during the spring, and three weeks during the autumn. 

 At the age of thirty-two the Prussians cease to form a part of the 

 landwehr of the first ban, and are classed, until the age of thirty-nine, 

 in the second ban, which is a second reserve that is never assembled 

 for exercise, destined in time of war for the service of the interior, and 

 only marched against the enemy when the country is in danger. 



The rank of officer is obtained in time of peace in the Prussian 

 service, but by undergoing an examination before a superior military 

 commission appointed for that purpose, presided over by a general 

 officer. The candidates are exclusively pupils of the first class of the 

 schools of cadets or ensigns, and both must have obtained those first 

 steps by passing an examination. Every soldier non-commissioned 

 officer and volunteer, may be examined in order to become an ensign 

 on contracting an engagement to serve beyond the term prescribed 

 by the law. 



When the post of sub-lieutenant falls vacant in a regiment, the 

 colonel proposes for the appointment to the king, the senior ensign, 

 provided no charge of misconduct can be brought against him, and 

 that he has obtained the approval of all the officers of his corps. 

 Seniority regulates the promotion of officers from the rank of sub- 

 lieutenant unto that of major. Beyond this it depends on the choice 

 of the king. But in the artillery, in order to rise from lieutenant to 

 captain, and in the engineers from second captain to first captain, it 

 is necessary to pass an examination. Among the first and second 

 lieutenants who serve more than three years, those who have 

 most distinguished themselves in the compilation of memoirs are sent 

 to follow a course of study at the military university at Berlin. A 

 part of these officers subsequently enter the topographical bureaux, 

 and the rest return to their regiments, but they are from that time 

 eligible to staff appointments. 



Among the civil employments that may be filled by military men, 

 in some instances the totality, and in others only a part are reserved 

 for them, but they must have served a determinate number of years 

 in order to be eligible. These employments are given according to 

 their importance to officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers: 

 thus, the state has but a moderate pension list. There are besides 



* An ensign ranks between a serjeant- major and serjeant there is one per 

 company. An ensign in the Prussian service is therefore a non-commissioned 

 officer. 



