[Footnote 17: Few usually present themselves; and these also, it is said, are very generally old _élèves_ of St. Cyr, who had not succeeded in obtaining admission to the Staff School before. They are not examined _with_ the pupils of St. Cyr, but are intercalated in the list according to their merit.] The school consists of two divisions, the upper and the lower, corresponding to the two years of the course. Each division is divided again into four companies. In each of these eight companies there are sub-officers chosen from the _élèves_ themselves, with the titles of _Sergent_, _Sergent Fourrier_, and _Caporal_; those appointed to the companies of the junior division are selected from the second year cadets, and their superiority in standing appears to give these latter some considerable authority, exercised occasionally well, occasionally ill. The whole school, thus divided into eight companies, constitutes one battalion. The establishment for conducting the school consists of-- A General as Commandant. A Second in Command (a Colonel of Infantry.) A Major, 4 Captains, 12 Lieutenants, and 5 Second Lieutenants of Infantry; the Major holding the office of Commandant of the Battalion. A Major, 1 Captain, 34 Lieutenants, and 3 Second Lieutenants of Cavalry to superintend the exercises, the riding, &c. A Director of Studies (at present a Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers.) Two Assistant Directors. Six Examiners for Admission. One Professor of Artillery. One Assistant ditto. One Professor of Topography and Mathematics. One Professor of Military Administration, Military Art, and Military History. One Professor of Fortification. One Professor of Military Literature. Two Professors of History and Geography. One Professor of Descriptive Geometry. One Professor of Physics and Chemistry. Three Professors of Drawing, One Professor of German. Eleven Military and six Civilian Assistant Teachers (_Répétiteurs_.) There is also a Quartermaster, a Treasurer, a Steward, a Secretary of the Archives, who is also Librarian, an Almoner (a clergyman,) four or five Surgeons, a Veterinary Surgeon, who gives lessons on the subject, and twelve Fencing Masters. The professors and teachers are almost entirely military men. Some difficulty appears to be found by civilians in keeping sufficient order in the large classes; and it has been found useful to have as _répétiteurs_ persons who could also be employed in maintaining discipline in the house. Among the professors at present there are several officers of the engineers and of the artillery, and of the staff corps. There is a board or council of instruction, composed of the commandant, the second in command, one of the field officers of the school staff, the director of studies, one of the assistant directors, and four professors.