March 31st.—The Viceroy Li Hung-chang recommends a number of officers for posts on the vessels of the northern fleet. An Admiral and a Commodore having already deen appointed, the Memorialist is now dealing with the officers from the rank of senior post captain (Fu-chiang) to that of junior lieutenant (Show-pei). According to the newly established regulations of the
only an expectant junior lieutenant, wit Admiralty, in the ordinary course of things the actual rank of sub-lieutenant, can be promoted to a junior lieutenancy, and so on through the rauks of senior lieutenant, commander, junior post-captain and senior post-captain. Also if at any time vacancy should occur, which no one is qualitied by seniority' to fill, the post may be given, but with brevet rank only, to some lower officer of long standing and experience; and, if he does well, he will be confirmed in the appointment as suen as he has served his time. Again, an officer may hold a lower Pnstly if any ome has passed through the post than is consistent with his actual rank.
naval school as a student. and has afterwards obtained civil rank, which he is not willing to exchange for an equivalent grade in the navy, he may be allowed to take a naval appointment, should the interests of the service seem to require it. As the northern fleet is only in the process of formation, there are & number of appointments for which there are no candidates possessing the actual rank required by the regulations quoted above; nor are the expectant officers many in number. For, during the ten years and more that the fleet hus been in existence, there have been no special recommendations made except for Corea and for bringing ships home from Europe. It thus happens that the various commanders, lieutenants and engineers hold but very low nominal rank though most of then: have passed through the naval school, and they have served a ong time and performed the duties of senior Officers, Seeing therefore that, if the strict rule for promotion be observed, many places must be left vacant for want of men to fill them, the Memorialist thinks that the case
junior officers; but afterwards when there is eminently ong for giving brevet rank to are officers qualified, the regular rule will be brought into force. In the recommendations now presented for brevet appointments, the rule has been made that no one aust be advanced more than three steps. Thus a senior post captain must have been at Toast a senior lieutenant, a junior post captain a junior lieutenant, and soon, The officers elected are all men of ability and experience, who in the ordinary course of things should long ago have received promotion. The posts to be filled are five senior captaincies, four junior captaincies, nine commanderships, twenty-seven senior lieutenancies, and sixty junior lieutenancies. But of these, four lieutenancies have not been filled for the moment on account of hhineteen other posts of various ranks have being some gunboats in dock, and
also been left vacant for future promotions. For the remaining appointments a list of names is submitted. Of them one ivil officer, who fulfils the required conditions, and two others are given lower appointments than correspond with their rank. The Admiralty accounts commence with the
is no need for the officers to receive their beginning of the present year; but there on which their appointments are approved. increased pay or allowances until the date
They will be sent to Peking in small detachments, as they can be spared from their duties, in order that they may be presented to His Majesty by the Board of War.—Approved.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.