The British Army's reliance on aristocratic officers provides a contrast with Beresford's assumptions and with the more technical cultures of the Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery. Examinations gave those corps a pool of officers whose status was reinforced by demonstrable professional knowledge. The Royal Navy also used examinations, while the hazards of sea service made noble families less likely to place every son there. Institutions could therefore moderate patronage through competence requirements without removing social privilege altogether.
Notable Point · 5:32-9:14
Exams, engineering, and professional selection
A comparison with the British Army explains how examinations and operational risk could check, though never eliminate, aristocratic patronage.