Naval officers are placed on the retired list on account of age. The age-limit of the dif ferent ranks is as follows: Admirals•at the age of 65; surgeons, paymasters and constructors with the rank of vice-admiral, at the age of 62; vice-admirals and engineer-vice-admirals at the age of 60; surgeons, paymasters, and con structors with the rank of rear-admiral at the age of 58; rear admirals and admirals at the age of 56; surgeons pay masters and constructors with the rank of cap tain at the age of 54; captains, engineer-cap tains and hydrographical engineers with the rank of captain at the age of 52; surgeons, pay masters, constructors with the rank Of comman der and chief warrant officers at the age of 50; commanders, engineer-commanders, hydro graphical engineers of the same rank, and war rant officers at the age of 48; surgeons, pay masters and constructors with the rank of lieu at the age of 47; lieutenant commanders, engineer-lieutenant-commanders and hydrographical engineers of the same rank at the age of 45; surgeons, paymasters and con structors with the rank of lieutenant at the age of 44; lieutenants, engineer-lieutenants and hydrographical engineers of the same rank at the age of 43; surgeons, paymasters and con structors with the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) at the age of 40; lieutenants (junior grade), sub-lieutenants, engineer-lieutenants (junior grade), engineer-sub-lieutenants and hydrographical engineers of the same rank at the age of 38, all officers are placed on non service pension list five years after being placed on the retired list.
Engineering The appointment of engineer students is effected in the same manner as the appointment of naval cadets. The students joining the Naval College of Engineer ing remain three years, going through a course of advanced mathematics, physics, chemistry, theory of the steam engine, etc. They also re ceive practical training in the engineering work shops of the Yokosuka dockyard, receiving in struction in iron shipbuilding, the working of marine engines and boilers, the practical use of the various instruments used in the engine room, as well as in the construction and work ing of electric light, torpedo and gun machinery. The students successfully passing the final examination. are appointed to the sea going training ship as engineer-midshipmen, and they get commission as engineer-sub-lieu tenants in the same way as midshipmen, gain ing succeeding steps of promotion, as in the case of executive officers..
Medical Candidates for the med ical branch of the navy are required to pass a medical examination before being allowed to go up for the competitive examinations. The lat ter include medicine, surgery, science and modern languages. Successful candidates be come assistant surgeons of the navy, and have to Join the Navy Medical Col lege for instruction. They remain there not less than one year, and if they pass the ex amination at the college successfully, are ap pointed to the hospitals of the different naval stations. After a certain period of time, if
recommended, they are commissioned as assist ant surgeons; succeeding steps of promotion are by selection. The successive grades of rank are assistant-surgeon, surgeon, staff and fleet surgeon, surgeon-inspector and surgeon-general. Surgeons and assistant surgeons are also ap pointed from among the graduates of the Im perial universities and medical colleges respec tively.
Paymasters are brought up in the paymaster school, the students being selected in a similar manner as the engineer students and after three years' education at the school they become probationary assistant pay masters, and after one year practical training are commissioned as assistant paymasters, gain ing succeeding steps of promotion by selection. Ranking is as follows : Assistant paymasters, paymasters, chief, staff and fleet paymasters, paymaster-inspectors and paymaster-general. The .paymasters and assistant paymasters are also appointed from among the graduates of the universities and commercial colleges re spectively, when vacancy occurs.
Naval Every year a cer tain number of the naval architecture students from the Imperial University can make appli cation to become students of the navy. The expenses of the successful candidates are paid by the navy, and on being graduated they are appointed assistant naval constructors. Pro motions to naval constructor, chief inspector and inspector-general of naval construction are gained by selection.
Ordnance Engineers.— Ordnance engineers are appointed in the same manner as naval constructors. Naval officers and engineers can also enter this branch by special appointment if desired.
Hydrographical Students in this branch are taught in the hydrographical office the theory and practice of surveys, etc., and, passing a successful examination, are ap pointed assistants. Assistants can acquire rank as high as that of captain. As this branch of the service can be performed by naval officers, the continuance of this department is doubtful.
Warrant The executive warrant officers are gunners and boatswains, gunners and torpedo-gunners having to have their quali fication of gunnery or torpedo instructions be fore promotion. The non-executive branches holding relative ranks are engine-room artifi cers, bandmasters, carpenters, writers and nurses. They are all selected from the petty officers of their respective bodies, having served at least two years at sea. A warrant officer of more than ordinary ability can, after six years of service, be promoted to be chief warrant officer which ranks with sub-lieutenant, and chief warrant officers of long• and meritorious service receive the rank of lieutenant when placed on the reserve list.