6th day of May, 1896, the following regulations governing promotions in the departmental service of the Navy Department have been formulated by the Civil Service Commission after consultation with the Secretary of the Navy and are hereby promulgated: 1. All vacancies above those in the lowest class of any grade not filled by reinstatement, transfer, or reduction shall be filled by promotion: Provided, That if there is no person eligible for promotion, or if the vacant position requires the exercise of technical or professional knowledge, it may be filled through certification from the Civil Service Commission: Provided further, That if a vacancy occurs in a position requiring exceptional or technical qualifications, and the board of promotion shall find that there is no eligible in the class next below that in which the vacancy exists who possesses the required qualifications, but that there are one or more persons in some lower class or classes who possess such qualifications, and that the interests of the service require the promotion of one of those persons to the vacant position, then the board of promotion, after such tests of fitness as the Commission may prescribe, shall certify to the Secretary of the Navy, from the highest class or classes in which such persons are serving, the names of the three persons, if there are so many, having the required qualifications, who are rated highest in efficiency, or a lesser number if there are not so many as three in the Department. 2. Except as above provided, a vacancy in any class up to and including class 4 shall be filled by the promotion of an eligible from the next lower class of the same bureau or office. When such vacancy exists, the board of promotion shall certify to the Secretary of the Navy the names of the highest three eligibles in the bureau or office, and from these names the Secretary of the Navy shall make his selection: Provided, That if there shall be in the bureau or office less than three eligibles in the class next below that in which the vacancy exists, and the Secretary of the Navy shall require a full certification, the board of promotion shall certify in addition as many of the highest eligibles in the corresponding class of the other bureaus or offices as may be necessary to make full certification. 3. When a vacancy exists in class 5 to which is attached a salary of $2,000 per annum, the board of promotion shall first certify to the Secretary of the Navy the names and efficiency records of all chief clerks of bureaus or offices in the Department, and the Secretary of the Navy may promote to such vacancy any one of such persons whom he may consider qualified: Provided, That if the Secretary of the Navy so desires, the board of promotion shall also certify to him the names and efficiency records of all eligibles of class 4 in the Department, from which he may make a selection. 4. When a vacancy exists in class 5 to which is attached a salary of more than $2,000 per annum, or a vacancy exists in class 6, the Secretary of the Navy may promote to such vacancy any person in class 5 or any chief clerk of bureau or office in the Department whom he may consider qualified. 5. No person shall be promoted to any grade from which he is barred by the age limitations prescribed by the civil-service rules. 6. No person whose record of efficiency is below 85 per cent of the possible maximum rating of his class or grade shall be eligible for promotion. 7. No person occupying a position below the grade of clerk-copyist shall be promoted to that grade until he shall have been employed two years in the departmental service and shall have passed, with an average percentage of 70 or over, the examination prescribed by the Commission. 8. An examination into the relative efficiency of employees, as shown by the efficiency record hereinafter provided for, and such further tests as the Commission may deem necessary, shall constitute an examination for promotion. No person except as hereinafter provided shall be eligible for promotion until he shall have passed such an examination. 9. Examinations for promotion shall be conducted by the board of promotion at such times as may be fixed by the Commission. 10. The chief clerk of each bureau or office, under the direction of the head thereof, shall keep a record of the efficiency of all employees under his supervision, and a similar record of employees not assigned to any bureau shall be kept by the chief clerk of the Department. 11. The record of efficiency shall be kept on such forms as may be prescribed by the Commission after consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, and shall embrace the elements which are essential to a fair and accurate determination of the relative merits of employees. 12. A record of those eligible for promotion shall be kept by the board of promotion. The board shall have access to efficiency records, and may at any time call for a transcript of the same. 13. The efficiency records of employees shall at all times be open to their inspection. If an employee questions his efficiency rating, he may appeal in writing to the board of promotion. If the board does not sustain the chief clerk of the bureau or office, the question shall be referred to the head thereof, and a full report of the case shall be filed by the board with the Commission. JOHN D. LONG, Secretary. (The specific character or nature of the duties performed by the employee should be fully described under this head by the person authorized to make and sign this report.) REMARKS. Explanations deemed necessary relative to efficiency, absence, office habits, or change of status of the employee should be given. Signature.... Official title. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D. C., December 1, 1896. The following regulations, having been duly promulgated by the honorable the United States Civil Service Commission and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, will hereafter govern promotions, demotions, and continuance in office of employees in this Department, and they are accordingly published for the information of all concerned. J. STERLING MORTON, Secretary. OFFICE OF UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, Washington, D. C., December 1, 1896. In pursuance of the requirements of section 7 of "An act to regulate and improve the civil service of the United States," approved January 16, 1883, and in conformity with Rule XI of the revision of the civil-service rules promulgated by the President on the 6th day of May, 1896, the following regulations governing promotions in the departmental service of the Department of Agriculture have been formulated by the Civil Service Commission after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, and are hereby promulgated: REGULATION I. SECTION 1. All vacancies above those in the lowest class of any grade not filled by reinstatement, transfer, or reduction shall be filled by promotion: Provided, That if there is no person eligible for promotion, or if the vacant position requires the exercise of technical or professional knowledge, it may be filled through certification by the Civil Service Commission. SEC. 2. Except as provided in section 1 of this regulation, a vacancy in any class shall be filled by the promotion of an eligible in the next lower class of the same bureau, division, or office. When such vacancy exists, the board of promotion review shall certify to the Secretary of Agriculture the names of the three eligibles in the bureau, division, or office having the highest records of efficiency, and from these names the Secretary of Agriculture shall make his selection: Provided, That if there shall be in the bureau less than threo eligibles in the class next below that in which the vacancy exists, the board of promotion review shall certify in addition as many of the highest eligibles in the corresponding class of the other bureaus as may be necessary to make a full certification. REGULATION II. SECTION 1. No person shall be promoted to any grade from which he is barred by the age limitations prescribed by the civil-service rules. SEC. 2. No person whose record of efficiency is below 85 per cent of the possible maximum rating of his class or grade shall be eligible for promotion. SEC. 3. No person occupying a position below the grade of clerk-copyist shall be promoted to that grade until he shall have been employed two years in the departmental service and shall have passed, with an average percentage of 70 or over, the examination prescribed by the Commission. REGULATION III. SECTION 1. The chief clerk of each bureau, under the direction of the head thereof, shall keep a record of the efficiency of all employees under his supervision, and a similar record of employees not assigned to any bureau shall be kept by the chief clerk of the Department. SEC. 2. The record of efficiency shall be kept on such forms as may be prescribed by the Commission after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, and shall embrace the elements which are essential to a fair and accurate determination of the relative merits of employees. SEC. 3. A record of those eligible for promotion shall be kept by the board of promotion review. The board shall have access to efficiency records, and may at any time call for a transcript of the same. SEC. 4. The efficiency reports, made by the chiefs of the several bureaus, divisions, and offices of the Department of Agriculture, respecting the value of the personal services in the Department of each person serving under them, and filed with the appointment clerk for the chief clerk of the Department, shall be the basis of all promotions, demotions, and continuations on the rolls of the Department. SEC. 5. The following shall be the form of efficiency report to be used in the Department of Agriculture: To the Chief of the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, 189. You are directed to report upon the following-named person, as the questions herein propounded may require, and to file the report with the appointment clerk for the chief clerk. Upon what character of work is this person generally employed? Is it clerical? Supervisory? Routine? Is it of a varied and exceptional character? Does it involve original thought, consideration, or investigation? If it is skilled labor, state the kind, and whether it is supervisory or routine. If it is that of messenger, watchman, charwoman, or mere laborer, state the fact. How high on a scale of 10 do you rate the quality of this person's work? How high on a scale of 10 do you rate the quantity of work per month done by this person? How high on a scale of 10 do you rate the deportment of this person? How many days absent from duty on account of sickness during the six months last past? Does this person show, in your opinion, any special fitness for work of a higher intellectual character than that to which assigned? Have you any further statement to make respecting this person? If so, make it here.. (MEMORANDUM RESPECTING THIS PERSON, COMPILED FROM THE RECORDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.) First appointed 18 at a salary of $. per annum. Classified civil-service record: SEC. 6. An examination into the relative efficiency of employees, as shown by the efficiency record hereinbefore provided for, and such further tests as the Commission may deem necessary, shall constitute an examination for promotion from one class to another class. No person, except as herein provided, shall be eligible for promotion until he shall have passed such an examination. SEC. 7. Examinations for promotion from one grade to another grade shall be conducted by the board of promotion examiners at such times as may be fixed by the Commission. SEC. 8. Efficiency reports shall be called for by the chief clerk immediately before the termination of the first half of the fiscal year, and also immediately before the termination of the fiscal year, and may be called for at such other times as the interests of the Department seem to require. Approved, December 1, 1896. JOHN R. PROcter, President Civil Service Commission. J. STERLING MORTON, POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. In pursuance of the requirements of section 7 of the civil-service act, and in conformity with Rule XI of the civil service rules promulgated by the President on the 6th day of May, 1896, the following regulations governing promotions in the |