MILITARY ACADEMY, UNITED STATES ; MILITARY EDUCATION ; NAVAL ACADEMY, UNITED STATES. These are generally supplemented by systems of examination whereby qualified non-commis sioned officers or warrant officers may acquire commissions. In most European armies certain social or financial qualifications are required for commissions. Up to 1871, when Gladstone abolished it notwithstanding vigorous opposi tion, a system of purchase of commissions ex isted in Great Britain, except in such technical arms as the engineers and artillery and in a few other organizations. This system, initiated in the time of Charles II, continually became more expensive, until in 1854, during the Crimean War, the prices ranged from L-450 for the commission of an ensign in the line to i7,250 for the commission of a lieutenant-colonel of footguards. Under the present system in times of peace, besides the regular course of training as cadet and the examinations given to highly recommended non-commissioned officers, the avenues of approach to commissions in the British army, are the officers training corps of the universities, the special reserve of officers and the territorial force. In the United States
army, besides West Point and promotion from the ranks, commissions may be obtained on examination and appointment from civil life, by specially recommended men from various training corps at educational institutions where army officers are stationed, and in the Officers Reserve Corps, by the methods explained in the article on that corps. In the European War, special training courses for aspirants to com missions were initiated at Plattsburg and else where. Of course, in all armies, the bars to conunissions — which are then usually tem porary—are greatly let down in times of war, and it is possible for a qualified enlisted man or civilian to get a commission without going through the course of training or the highly technical examinations necessary in times of peace. See RANK.