=Candidates.=--For each vacancy from a State at large, or Congressional or Territorial district, _three candidates_ should be nominated, one of the candidates to be named as _principal_, one as _first alternate_, and one as _second alternate_. The first alternate, if qualified, will be admitted in the event of failure of the principal; the second alternate, if qualified, will be admitted in the event of the failure of the principal and the first alternate. For vacancies in the cadetships allotted to the honor graduates of the “honor schools,” _one candidate_ may be nominated each year before September 1st from each school. In case the total number of candidates so nominated is not equal to three times the number of vacancies, the War Department will assign additional appointments among the schools to complete this total. For vacancies in the cadetships allotted to the enlisted men of the National Guard, the candidates will be apportioned as near as practicable among the States, Districts, and Territories according to their enlisted strength. With the exception of the candidates from the District of Columbia, they will be selected by the Governors from successful competitors in a _preliminary examination_ held between January 1st and January 15th of each year, such examination to be of a scope and nature similar to the regular examination for entrance to the United States Military Academy. The candidates from the National Guard of the District of Columbia will be similarly selected by the Commanding General of that organization. The candidates nominated for the cadetships allotted to the enlisted men of the regular army shall not exceed three times the number of existing vacancies and shall be equitably distributed among the Territorial Departments by the War Department. If the number of applications in any Department exceed the share allotted to it by the War Department, the candidates in such Department will be chosen from the successful competitors in a _preliminary examination_ held between January 1st and January 15th, such examination to be of a scope and nature similar to the regular examination for entrance to the United States Military Academy.[6] Each candidate designated to take the regular examination for admission to the United States Military Academy will receive from the War Department a letter of appointment, and he must appear for examination at the time and place designated therein.[7] Fitness for admission will be determined as prescribed in the Regulations, United States Military Academy. REGULAR EXAMINATION OF CANDIDATES Examinations of candidates will be competitive in the following classes, and will be the regular examination for entrance to the United States Military Academy: (1) Candidates from the United States at Large, other than honor graduates of honor schools. (2) Candidates from the United States at Large, who are honor graduates of honor schools.