Military Schools in connection with the British army are of three classes. First, the Royal Military Asylum (Duke of York's School) at Chelsea, and the Royal Hibernian Military School, Dublin, where the sons of soldiers who have died in the service receive a general education free of charge, and may or may not afterwards enter the army. The commandants of these establishments are officers of the army, but the masters are civilians. Secondly, the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and the Army Medical School at Netley, where gentlemen qualify for commissions by undergoing special instruction. Thirdly, those establishments where officers, non-commissioned officers, or men, already in the service, receive technical instruction in various branches of military art—viz. the Staff College at Camberley, the School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness (the Artillery College), the School of Military Engineering at Chatham, the School of Musketry at Hythe, the School of Gymnastic Instruction, the Schools of Signalling and of Range-finding, the Army Veterinary School, and the School for Auxiliary Cavalry, all at Aldershot; a similar school for other auxiliary forces at Wellington Barracks, London; and the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall, Hounslow. All are under officers of the army, and, with very few exceptions, the staff of instructors are also officers or sergeants. Those under instruction join the schools for periods varying from a month to two years, and then rejoin their regiments. The following is a description of the more important of these establishments: the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, is described at ARTILLERY.
The Royal Military College at Sandhurst, in Berkshire, 5 miles SSE. of Wokingham, and 33 WSW. of London, was established in 1858 by a remodelling of the Junior Department of the Royal Military College (transferred hither from Great Marlow in 1812), in order to give a sound military education to youths destined to receive commissions in the British army. The age of admission was between sixteen and nineteen. On production of satisfactory certificates and references, a youth's name was permitted by the commander-in-chief to be placed on the list of candidates for the entrance examination. These examinations were held half-yearly, and the list of subjects included English composition, modern languages, mathematics, history, geography, natural and experimental sciences, and drawing. The examination was competitive, and those who had the most marks were admitted as cadets as soon as vacancies occurred in the college. The course of study lasted two years, and embraced a variety of subjects connected with military science. The friends supplied clothing, books, and instruments, and paid annually for education, board, and lodging from £20 to £100. The highest sum was paid for 'the sons of private gentlemen,' the lowest for 'the sons of officers of the army or navy who had died in the service, and whose families were proved to be left in pecuniary distress.' Twenty were 'Queen's cadets,' sons of officers 'who had fallen in action, or had died from the effects of active service, and had left their families in reduced circumstances.' These were admitted on passing a qualifying examination, and educated gratuitously. In 1870 a different system was tried, but, the results not being satisfactory, it was very quickly condemned and the old system reverted to. The length of the course of study has, however, been reduced to one year, and the cadets have much more freedom than formerly, when they were treated in all respects like soldiers in barracks. See CADET.
Admission to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, is obtained by open competition at examinations held each half-year under the direction of the Civil Service Commission. Candidates must first have passed the same 'preliminary' examination as for the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, or one recognised as equivalent to it, and the medical examination. They must be between the ages of seventeen and twenty, unless graduates of the universities, when they may be as old as twenty-two. The number of trials is three for ordinary candidates, but only two for university graduates. The 'further' examination includes mathematics, classics, modern languages, English history and composition, experimental sciences, geology, and drawing—divided into twelve subjects, of which seven may be taken up. Successful candidates for the Royal Military College remain there for one year, and, subject to passing the half-yearly examinations in fortification, tactics, military administration, law, and topography, and becoming proficient in drills and exercise (including riding, gymnastics, and musketry), are then given commissions as second-lieutenants in the cavalry or infantry. They are liable, however, to removal for grave misconduct or incapacity.
At the Army Medical School, Netley, Southampton, medical candidates already professionally qualified are further instructed in pathology, military surgery, medicine, and hygiene. All invalid soldiers from abroad are sent to the hospital at Netley, to which the Army Medical School is contiguous. After passing the prescribed course and examinations, the candidates are commissioned as surgeons in the medical staff of the army.
Entrance to the Staff College, at Camberley, near Sandhurst, is obtained by competitive examination. The first twenty-eight officers who qualify at the annual examination are admitted, with certain limitations. These officers must all qualify at the examination, held every summer, in simple mathematics, one modern language, fortification, military topography, and tactics. A service of at least five years is also required, and candidates must be under thirty-seven years of age, be captains or have passed the qualifying examination for that rank, and have been selected by their commanding officers as fit for the staff in physical qualifications, military knowledge, conduct, habits, and temper. The college course commences in
February of each year, and includes the study of modern languages, military history and geography, fortification and artillery, tactics, staff duties, military administration, topography, and law. There is an examination at the end of each year, and officers must also pass in military equitation. If successful, they leave the college at the end of the second year, and, after being attached for a month to each of those branches of the service with which they have not hitherto served, rejoin their regiments until opportunities occur for appointing them to the staff.
At the School of Gunnery, Shoeburyness, officers and men of the Royal Artillery are put through a course of gunnery and artillery exercises, and experiments with new guns, shells, fuses, armour-plates, &c. are carried out in connection with the ordnance committee; while at the Artillery College, Woolwich, officers are instructed in the manufacture of ordnance, laboratory work, chemistry, metallurgy, electricity, &c.
The School of Military Engineering, Chatham, is for the instruction of engineer officers and men in construction and estimating, practical fortification, surveying, submarine and military mining, bridging, ballooning, electricity, chemistry, photography, &c. Young officers on appointment from the Royal Military Academy remain under instruction and 'on probation' at this school for two years. For officers of other branches of the service there are classes for instruction in 'field-works' and surveying; for cavalry soldiers, a 'cavalry-pioneers' course (hasty demolitions, obstructions, &c.); and a class for infantry pioneer-sergeants.
The School of Musketry at Hythe (q.v.) is for the other arms what the School of Gunnery is for the artillery. For the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, see BAND.
At the School of Gymnastic Instruction, Aldershot, officers qualify for the appointment of superintendent of gymnasiums, and non-commissioned officers or men for that of gymnastic-instructor. The course includes fencing with foil, sword, or bayonet. Recruits are put through a three months' course of gymnastics here and in every garrison where there is a gymnasium.
Army Schools (q.v.) are provided for the general education of soldiers and their children; and 'garrison classes' under specially qualified staff-officers, generally graduates of the Staff College, for the technical instruction of officers studying for the examinations which they must pass before promotion to the ranks of captain and major.
For the United States Military Academy, see WEST POINT. Other military schools in the United States include the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington (founded in 1839), the Kentucky Military Institute (1846) at Farmdale, and the school for subalterns of artillery at Fortress Monroe, in Virginia, for infantry and cavalry officers at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and for engineers at Willet's Point. Moreover, there are forty commissioned officers detailed to act as professors of military science and tactics at certain colleges which have received from the United States grants of land.—In Canada there is a Royal Military College at Kingston (1876).