London via Bombay, 14th December.
An important Admiralty order reduces by pends varying from tw" to three and a-half years, the periods of non-service entailing the compulsory retirement of alt officers, and also. limits the periods of shore employments to five years.
The active list is to be gradually increased by 1907, to twelve Admirals, Admirals, 55 Rear-Admirals, 258 Captains, and 373 Commanders.
The order has been favourably received as calculated to stimulate zeal by accelerating promotion and above all as promoting the survival of the fittest.—Reuter.
There wre now five Admirals of the Fleet, ten Admirals, 22 Vice-Admirals, and 41 Rear-Admirals.—Ed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.