74 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

ment and the need for efficiency grew, the new idea spread.
An examination system was introduced for applicants for Civil
Service posts, and by 1870 open competition was established.
Two years later voting by secret ballot replaced open voting at
elections, and Civil Servants were able to use their votes without
offending one party or another. The Industrial Revolution
which, throughout the I9th century changed the face of Britain,
and the lives of Jher people, is well known: less obvious, but
scarcely less important was the revolution in administration,
which gave the country, instead of a collection of placemen, a
trained and uncorrupt Service.

CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITMENT.

To-day there are about 50,000 Civil Servants in the offices of
the Government in the capital ; another 50,000 are employed
by the Central Government but stationed all over the country.
These figures exclude the 200,000 in the Post Office, which will
be considered later. First comes the Administrative class, which
includes the Permanent Secretaries, placed at the head of each
Department, and all those whose work involves the making of
important decisions, and giving advice to Ministers. The kind
of examination set for entry into this dass is suitable for
University graduates; the Civil Service thus becomes, together
with the Law, some branches of journalism, and University
lecturing, one of the recognised careers for the abler University
stytdents. Next is the Executive class, containing those who do
such subordinate work as requires a good education. It is filled
partly by promotion from the lower grade, but chiefly by young
people leaving Secondary schools at about eighteen years of age,
but not going on to a University. The Secondary schools also
provide many recruits for the third, or Clerical grade. Finally
there are writing assistants and typists; all of these are women,
and the posts are such as can be obtained by girls from elementary
schools who supplement their education with work at evening
classes. The most striking fact about this arrangement is the