The article is devoted to the problem of Russian reforms at the turn of the 19th and the early 20th centuries. The reform of naval officers' promotion to higher ranks (its principal points were presented in the «Regulation on naval qualification requirement for the Naval officers» of 1885) is in focus of the author. The author reveals mechanisms that distort innovative ideas and integrate them into the existing system losing their novelty and efficiency in result of such adaptation. The author demonstrates peculiarities of the Russian Navy officers' service during the period of the Regulation operation, analyzing the documents of the Ministry of the Navy (1885−1907)