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MIDLOTHIAN MIERIS 527. level and the soil fertile. The Flint and Pere Marquette railroad passes through it. The chief productions in 1870 were 3,640 bushels of wheat, 6,838 of rye, 11,224 of oats, 23,408 of potatoes, 31,175 Ibs. of butter, and 2,498 tons of hay. There were 257 horses, 315 milch cows, 409 other cattle, 298 sheep, and 254 swine. Capital, Midland. MIDLOTHIAN. See EDINBUEGHSHIKE. MIDSHIPMAN, the lowest grade of officers in the line of promotion in the naval service. The number of midshipmen in the United States navy in 1874 was about 100, and no one can be appointed unless he is a graduate of the naval academy at Annapolis. The members of this institution are denominated " cadet midshipmen," and the appointments are dis- tributed by law among the states and terri- tories which have not their relative proportion on the navy list ; and it is further required that the appointments from each state shall be apportioned as nearly as practicable equally among the several congressional districts there- in ; that the person appointed shall be an ac- tual resident of the congressional district from which he is appointed, and be recommended by the member of congress for that district. Since the revival of the apprentice system in 1864, 10 apprentices from the school ships are annually eligible by competitive examination to appointments in the naval academy, and of late several of the congressional appointments have been made from the apprentices. Can- didates must be over 15 and under 18 years of age at the time of the examination for ad- mission ; must be free from deformity, disease, or imperfection of the senses ; must be of good moral character, able to read and write well, writing from dictation and spelling with cor- rectness, and to perform with accuracy the various operations of the ground rules of arith- metic. The examinations to which they are subjected are, first, by a board of three sur- geons, and then by one of professors. If found qualified, they become members of the academy ; their actual travelling expenses from their place of residence to the institution are paid by the government, and they are placed upon a pay of $500 per annum. The course of instruction at the naval academy, which now embraces a period of six years, includes mathe- matics, astronomy, navigation and surveying, ethics and English studies, natural and expert mental philosophy, French and Spanish, draw- ing, artillery and infantry tactics, practical sea- manship, naval gunnery both theoretical and practical, the steam engine, &c. During the academic course two cruises of about three months each are made in a ship of war for in- struction. Warrants as midshipmen are con- ferred upon the graduates of the academy, who take rank in the order of merit. By the act of March 3, 1865, when on sea duty they receive pay at the rate of $800 a year. After two years of actual sea service, midshipmen, if they pro- duce a favorable testimonial from their com- 555 VOL. xi. 34 manders, are entitled to a final examination for promotion, which is made by a board com- posed of three captains and two commanders. This examination is on the practical branches of the profession, and includes seamanship and naval tactics, practical navigation, gunnery, and the steam engine. Having passed this, they receive new warrants as ensigns, with increased pay; and promotion to the higher grades of the service is open to them. In the British navy, young gentlemen intended for commissioned officers are educated, in the first instance, at the royal naval college ; and after- ward, while serving at sea .and until their pro- motion to a higher grade than midshipman, they are obliged to devote a portion of their time to study under a competent instructor. They begin actual service as naval cadets, pro- ceed as midshipman, and after 5|- years of ser- vice, if they pass a proper examination in sea- manship and navigation, and are 19 years of age, they are promoted to lieutenants. They are considered as the principal petty officers, rank comparatively with ensigns in the army, and their pay is 34 4*. a year. In smaller vessels some of the senior midshipmen are in- trusted with the watch ; they take charge of boats and small parties of men going ashore, pass the word of command, and see that the or- ders of their superiors are carried into effect. A midshipman's share of prize money is the same as that of a petty officer, a cadet's equal to that of the captains of the tops ; and both receive the rations of seamen, but may provide a mess at their own expense. The French aspirants de marine perform similar duties to those of midshipmen. They are of two classes, are especially educated for their profession at the naval academy in Brest, and undergo a strict ex- amination before receiving their appointment afloat, where they serve from the age of 12 to 20 years. They are not entitled to command a ship till they have attained the age of 21. MIDWIFERY. See OBSTETRICS. MIEL, or Meel, Jan, called by the Italians Gio- vanni della Vite, a Flemish artist, born near Antwerp in 1599, died in Turin in 1664. He was employed in decorating the Vatican, be- came a member of the Roman academy, and was appointed first painter to the court of Savoy. His easel pictures of fairs, carnivals, hunting parties, market scenes, gypsies, &c., are his best works. He etched several plates from his own designs. Some of his best pic- tures are in the imperial gallery in Vienna. MIERIS. I. Frans, the elder, a Dutch paint- er, born in 1635, died in Leyden in^iesi. He was a pupil of Gerard Douw, and painted genre pictures and occasionally portraits, all remark- able for delicacy of finish, accuracy of drawing, and correctness of design. His pictures are not numerous, and- bring very large sums. He died a prisoner for debt, in consequence of an extravagant course of life. II. Willem, son of the preceding, born in Leyden in 1662, died there, Jan. 24, 1747. He was the pupil of his