Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-08-17
JAMES D. CoBB,
JOHN N. PoMERoY,
JAMES 8. STRoTHER,
Committee ON Police.

Report Of the Committee on Administration.
After careful examination of the organization of
the Military Academy, and the actual administration
of its different departments the Committee are of the
opinion that both in its plan and its practical opera
tion the institution is eminently fulfilling its high ma
tional purposes. The range Of scientific and literary
studies is extensive and the instruction faithful and
accurate the moral character manifested in the con-
duct and department of the Cadets is elevated and
conspicuous, the discipline is exact and admirable
and the military knowledge impaired is at once prac
tical and profound Every departments thorough
ly organized as the means provided for its support
will allow and the whole academic and military staff
composed Of professors and officers of very superior
attanments and qualifications
In view OF the additional academic year deemed
necessary the Committee would suggest the proprie-
ty Of increasing tho number Of Cadets to which each
Sate Is respectively entitled enable the insti
tuition to receive and graduate annually many as
does at presents otherwise the number of Cadets re-
naming the same the extension of the course to five
years. would divide the corps into fire instead of four
classes and thus proporonaly decrease the size Of
each class.
BY the act of Congress establishing and organizing
the Military Academy, no special provision is made
for the salary of the Superintendent and he thus sim
ply receives compensation according to his rank in
the corps of engineers, and the commandant of a
military post If he be colonel he will receive the
pay Of colonel if fieutenantcolonel major, or cap
tain, he will receive the pay attached to those grades
respectively. As Superintendent, he receives
pensation whatever, and thus the salary huctuates
with the rank of the incumbent.
It is otherwise with the professors Of the different
departments, all Of whom receive fixed salaries The
professor of philosophy receives the pay of lieutenant
colonel of engineers, amounting to $1 ,944 per annum
the professors of engineering, mathematics. ethics
chemistry, and infantry tactics, and the surgeon of
the post receive each the pay Of major of engineers
being per annum; and the instructor OF artil
lery receives the pay of major of cavalry and $40
per month, extra allowance, for commanding de-
tachment of artillery and cavalry amounting to
$1.66S.
The present able and accomplished Superintendent
of the Academy is captain Of engineers, and conse
quently receives the pay of that grade, which, with
extra allowances as commandant of the post amounts
to the sum of $1470 per annum, being less than the
salary of either of the professors and less than that of
the surgeon of the post the instructor of artillery
This state of things anomalous and inconsistent,
should not, in the opinion of the Committee, longer
exist The duties and responsibilities Of the Superin
tendent of the Military Academy are most arduous
and weighty. To be equal to them he must be en-
dowed with high capacity, character and acquire
ments To direct and regulate the academic depart
ment he must be scholar; superintend the mili-
tary instruction an accomplished soldier; and to
age successfully the other and various branches of the
service, he must be possessed Of sound judgment and
enlarged experience. West Point is one of the most
important posts OF the army and the officer who COM
mands it should be invested with rank at least
high that of colonel and sustain the dignity of
his rank and responsibilities should receive at least
the pay of that grade. s
The Academy is one Of the noblest institutions of
this or any other country and of which the nation
justly proud 1t is national institution and should
be sustained by no parsmonious or stinted economy
but should be cherished with wise and liberal policy
The Committee, therefore, earnestly recommend
that the salary of the Superintendent of the Military
Academy should be fixed and nvariabe, and that his
pay and local rank be that of colonel Of the corps Of
engineers. 4N
The Committee have also inquired into the duties
of the adutant of the post, which usually per-
formed by second lieutenant of one of the regiments
and recommend that the salary attached to this Office
be the same as that Of the adutant of regiment Of
Dragons. I.s,
H. WALLER,
j. P. MILLIKEN, &
1@ SAMUEL A. ROBERTS,
ss' @N i. Committee ON Administrations