At the ward-room table were new officers to be welcomed into the briny brotherhood of the _Corsair_, Ensign A. H. Acorn, Jr., Lieutenant Gerald Nolan, Ensign J. W. McCoy, Ensign P. F. Wangerin, Ensign C. R. Smith, Ensign S. K. Hall, Ensign R. V. Dolan, several of whom were promoted to be lieutenants, junior grade. After the armistice and while the _Corsair_ was in the North Sea and at Queenstown, there were other changes which will be noted later. Through the winter and spring the task of studying for commissions which had bred so many headaches in the bunk-rooms below was getting on famously. There were gloomy moments when, as has been said, one candidate felt sure that the captain would recommend him for nothing else than a firing squad, or another had believed that a “bawling out” had utterly wrecked his prospects, but such dark forebodings were mostly unfounded. Examining boards of officers were duly convened, or recommendations made for the intensive course at Annapolis, and the _Corsair_ was like a college grinding out diplomas at Commencement time, excepting that the Navy course was far stiffer than the requirements of the campus. There were no “snap courses” in the Bay of Biscay and no bluffing the faculty. The following enlisted men, with one warrant officer, were examined, qualified, and given commissions with the rank of ensign: _Enlisted as_ W. F. Evans, Jr. Seaman Sent to Annapolis David Tibbott Seaman ” ” ” R. G. Seger Seaman ” ” ” E. B. Prindle Q.M. 2c. ” ” ” E. L. Houtz Seaman, 2c. ” ” ” C. N. Ashby Seaman, 2c. ” ” ” W. J. Rahill Seaman ” ” ” H. F. Breckel Elec. 1c. Radio Commissioned Overseas A. C. Smith, Jr. Q.M. 2c. ” ” C. S. Bayne Seaman ” ” A. L. Copeland Seaman ” ” J. T. Herne Seaman ” ” A. J. Marsh Seaman ” ” A. V. Mason Machinist ” ” Chief Quartermaster F. S. Fair and Chief Commissary Steward H. A. Barry passed the examinations successfully, but failed on the tests for eyesight and were thereby disqualified for commissions, a misfortune which keenly disappointed them and their shipmates. Commander Kittinger volunteered this high opinion of them: “Two of the best men we had, I regret to say, received no rewards and it was a loss to the service. Fair and Barry get 100 per cent from me in every department. If they were physically fit to be bluejackets it might seem as though they were physically fit to be officers, but such were the regulations.” [Illustration: FROM THE LEFT, LIEUT. SCHANZE, ENSIGN GRAY, LIEUT. COMMANDER PORTER, CHIEF ENGINEER HUTCHISON, COMMANDER KITTINGER, AND LIEUT. McGUIRE]