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educated men over boors, and to form a corps of good reserve officers 
and N.-C. officers, are well known. In Russia, however, volunteers 
serve for 3, 6, or 21 months,according to the degree of the school they 
have passed through. The age for entering the army is 17 years, 
except in France where it is 18 ; but this may be put off till 24 years 
of age in Austria, Germany and France, till 26 in Italy, and till 28 in 
Russia, to enable volunteers to complete their education. Everywhere 
an examination is required on geography, history, literature, and 
mathematics, besides their own language, and this seems to be most 
severe in Germany, easiest in France. In all cases it is both written 
and colloquial. The choice of the arm in which a volunteer desires to 
to serve is everywhere allowed, but is regulated in most countries by 
a per-centage, or by a fixed number of volunteers in each unit. In 
Italy volunteers are united in separate battalions in the infantry. In 
all nations volunteers must clothe and keep themselves, and wear a 
distinguishing badge. In Germany, Russia, and Austria they may 
wear finer clothes than the rank and file, and have separate lodgings; 
in France and Italy they must wear regimental clothing, and live in 
barracks. During their service they may be promoted to lance-corporals. 
In Germany, Russia, and Austria only military subjects are taught 
during the time of service, but in France and Italy languages and other 
subjects are studied. Final examinations are everywhere insisted on, 
and without passing them a volunteer cannot become a N.-C. officer 
of the reserve. To become reserve officers in Italy, they must attend 
a special school for 4 months and pass its examination. In France 
they must serve a second year and satisfy a board. In Russia and 
Austria those who pass the final examination at the end.of their service 
with honour are selected for reserve officers, and in Germany the 
volunteers serve eight weeks longer as “ Vice-Feldwebel," and, if they 
then pass a satisfactory examination, they are gazetted as officers of the 
reserve. Should a volunteer not become an officer, his reserve service 
and his active service together must, in most of the above nations, 
equal the total length of active and reserve service of the ordinary 
recruits. 
In an article on “ The tactics of supporting points (Stiitzpunkte)," 
Major von Czerlun, 6th Uhlans, directs attention to several points of 
the Austrian Drill Regulations relating to the occupying of positions, 
and especially to the necessity of having strongly fortified posts in a 
line of battle. He strongly condemns the habit of distributing troops 
equally along the front in attack or defence, and considers the present 
normal front of an army corps, or division, in line of battle much 
too extended. 
Next follows a translation of our “ Promotion and Retirement of 
Officer's Regulations, by J. P.," who expresses most uncomplimentary 
opinions of the English Corps of Officers in his conclusion. After 
observing that the old stamp of officers, who entered the army for the 
sake of a pleasant life, is dying out, and that their place is being taken 
by, as he calls them, more “ professional officers," he says :—“ The 
English officers * * * * although they do their work well under 
