---------------+----------+----------------+--------- | Officers |Non-commissioned| Total |(including| officers and | (all | cadets). | men. |ranks). ---------------+----------+----------------+--------- Germany | 4,491 | 74,895 |79,386[8] ---------------+----------+----------------+--------- France | 2,844 | 62,611 |65,455 ---------------+----------+----------------+--------- Russia | 3,404 | 57,000 |60,404 ---------------+----------+----------------+--------- Austria-Hungary| 1,377 | 19,132 |20,509 ---------------+----------+----------------+--------- Japan | 4,713 | 49,950 |54,663 ---------------+----------+----------------+--------- [8] Including 7,726 “Seamen Artillerists” and “Marines” who do not serve at sea. NOTES TO PERSONNEL STATISTICS GERMANY.--The Imperial German Navy is manned largely by conscription. About 25 per cent. of the non-commissioned personnel consists, however, of volunteers, or long-service men, who have made the Navy their profession. These “professionals,” as they are called, are the backbone of the fleet. They fill all the really important posts, such as that of gun-captain, gun-layer, torpedo-gunner, leading signalman, and they are responsible for the efficiency of the conscripts under their charge. Seventy-five per cent. of the personnel is represented by conscripts mainly from the inland districts whose term of service is three years, and who see the sea for the first time after entering the Navy. Enrolment takes place each October, and after two or three weeks of rudimentary instruction on shore, they are distributed among the battle-fleet and the torpedo flotillas. Hence, at the outbreak of war, 25 per cent. of the German personnel had been under training about 34 months, 25 per cent. about 22 months, and 25 per cent. no longer than 10 months. Owing to the limited period of service German naval training is extremely strenuous and intensive. Every effort is made to specialize, newcomers being selected for certain duties according to the aptitude they display. The German bluejacket is not a “handy man” in the sense that the British sailor is, but he is said to be efficient in his own particular groove. Discipline is exceedingly strict, and the relations between officers and men are rarely cordial. The officers are well educated and very scientific in their methods.