The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-11


The west Point MiIitaty Academy.
THE EXAMINATION OF TIE FAST wKEK-ArLITAEY
EXERCISES, ETC, ETC, ETC.
The annual examin alton at West Point still continues
and during the past week very interesting exhibit
tons have been given in the way OF military exsr
eises On Saturday morning, June . the exam inanon
was CONNIE aced with the graduating class who were
tested In civil engineering This subject and this class
occupied all Saturday and portion Of Monday follow
ing Upon this topic the class put through very
severe Of questioning, by Professor Mehsn the
chief Of the civil engineering department. The class
went triumphAntiy through the course, marked out
all their problems upon the black board and solved them
with the promptness and alscrty of proficient scholars
Following the nation Of the first class Ia civil
engineering, Monday, the second class was called up
ana tasted In philosophy. The second class numbers
fty me mbers is divided into six sections Section
by section they were caei up before the committees
tin they had all bsen put through the 'course of
sprouts" One cannot help feeling sympathy for the
poor cadets each his stand, trembling and al
most pale with fear the tribunal that to sit in
Judgment upon hts past and decide upon his future To
the cadet this is august and important tribunal The
examination is rigorous and the least hest
fancy particularly marked that the student, how
ever well "posted up" is constantly doubling his own
ability 60 through the ordeal and to this very want
of confidence, 1t 10 observable sometimes may be
charged few that In the ques
tions The examination " the second class occupied
Monday and the most OF TUESDAY last.
On ths afternoon Of ruesaay last the first class was
again recalled, examined IN ethics. The CLASS,
upo. this subject was divided into tour sections and
pounded to them were mostly upon inter
national and constitutional law, and during the OK.
animation there prescott some eminent lawyers o!
our State and few the city of New Yorx VINO are
spending their time West Point visiting the city
only occasionally interest uires These
gentlsmsn Of the legal profession, whose judgment IL
good in this matter compiimsntea the students upoI
the knowledge they displayed OF the general principles
On wednesday last the third class was examined in
mathematics This class forty eight members
andwa divided into sections Tns questions to this
CLASS were confined the drst books of mathematics
agebraic deductions and gecmetric problems
The first class again marahal!ed into the library
room en- Thursday, aod examined in mineralogy anc
geology. There much OF Importance to note in
this days examination, which continued on till Fri
day, when the fourth and fifth classes called fo
examination in msth- Atics. These two classes number
seventy three members divt ed into
tons. To these classes also given the whole o
Sature last and peIhaps they Will take the most
to-day. These two net having yet advanced bs
yond the first rut nta there was nothing particularly
interesting in their ex smnstion.
Besiies the above examinations the whole corps o
caetts curing the last ~eek have been put through
most severe infantry tactics and cavalr
tactics In which embraced the sword exercise one
the most interesting OF all the branches In the examna
tion. reviatirg Iom toe programme OF the examins
ton originally marked our, an. setting apart spe
cia fer infantry and cavalry drills the who's corps
five oclsck in the each day during the pas
week, have been marsns,sd ato line and examinei II
the OF AID the management OF the rein
These exhibitions have been interesting, and upoa eac
feturn day during the past week the lady and gentle
visitsrs at West Point have assembled upon IN
college grounds TO wit0ess the manGuvring OF tn
young soldiers upon the camp grounds. The intantr
cavalry drills we'll worth seeing. Standing IL
Line ana hsndiDg the muske the Of the long lint
of cadets with the prec sion snd accuracy Of ma
chinery. On the march the line is perfec ly straight
and false motion barely be discovered during tn
whole GRILL The cavalry exercise equally interest
ing and finer troop could scarcely be found than thes
same caeets, riding on the Camp Of Mars at Yves
Point The sword exercises, the most interesting
OF all consist OF the broad sword and ana the So, Al
sword. The first is used ia the cavalry drill aud TIL
latter in the artillery and infantry drill Tbs dril will
snsse CT dumas to Glade aRA ir carts aud terc,
ut his hrgeIs endB Ttese exercises particularly de
Lighted tbe laoies and each conbatsnt, he entered
the lists has bis oacsers he audience of spectators
who. occasionally when the contest became warm be
tween equal toes appeared to regard the fight with
interest akin to that which have supposed the
Old Romans to have 'elt when the gla jators, armed
and equipped, stepped into the arena Upon the ends
the toll used fastened button to prevent injury to
the conttstan
Tie Rev. DR.. Vinton Of Brooklyn, has been selected
to deliver the annual address, which Will of the
close OF the examination and upon the awarding Of the
diplomas. The examination will perhaps be finished
next Saturday, or in the early part OF the week FOL
lowing.