The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-16
TEE WEST FONT ExamulTlOs.

co>~~~~o~~~-~-S~v.~..v~~~s.-
The Clese OF the Exercises-The Norts
+ Aassesy--H2arfataon Walk--KosCi uslxO'
Gafdeh-The Deg or enc Cadets-Litera, ,tur
ef sAs Aeademy-BcAny Aavens, OH
Story ~ Fanny ElssasS-sA 2Ptrouette b.
Moonlight, &c., &c.
2 oUR WEST POINT CORRESPONDENCE.
fa l AHh1 WEsr Porr, June IA 1856 4
TESannusi examinati On Of ts institution will close on
hondy the losh inst, when the diplomas viii be dis
rbutsd and the annual address delivered. IL is day
hat mas been cagS.y anticipated by the cadc1s Of the
arst cias whose isborious studies will be brought to
eose ana who will sitter ordeal OF ss years. have
reached the goal of ttsr ambSon COMMISSION m thu
Uneo siates army Some military aspiran for por.ical
ia-and there are not few CT them in the M;lsary
Aesdcmyhac given or their feelings in verse which
we believe has been set music and is sung with mar.
cutar gee about this time by the select who
soon 10 be disenshralled.
.1 "a FL few days more afew days more, - a
= few Ss Snys s'aas n,ors reach that shoro
l'a ~ For whieh1we long hive strayen.
.Whsn tAsss few I aayssrs M 81 through, rough,
.r Have donned the army blue.
But there are some poor fellows for whom no such
hopeful prospect opens in the future; aud whose re.
rors marks Of dcmerit will up in judgment that
final day, which earnestly looked forward 10 by the
more successful After four Ave years given to the
study Of the art Of war; and the other requirements con-
sidered necessary Indispensable for the thorough edu
cation Of the oers of army, certainly herd
to be dismissed, particularly If such dismissal is the
suit Of prejudice dislike tho part OF any Of the Pro-
essors or Board OF Instruction. Crave aud serious
cusatons have been made by the friends of those who
have beoa thus flung aside worthless and incapable in
regard to the ussiceof the decision by which the cadets
have been condemned In many those accusations
are entirely groundess and is to be feared that the
verdict which ncts such disgrace upon the aspiring
youth not always justfabc, and that occasionally per-
sona feelings and preudices are permitted 10 enter into
its consideration Such authority Is not TO be lightly
thought OF to be always welded with the utmost impair
taly and the incest discrimination. The failure of ca
det at public examination is not always to be attributed
to deficiency or incapacity for there whose
want Of seipossesson may prevent them from wer
ing as correctly other occasions.
There has been perfect rrupton of vsers here from
New York during the whole Of this week. aud the whole
institution has been literally swarmed by them, You
will find them in the library the model room the riding
hail. the arsenal and even the quarters Of the cadets
not sacred from their intrusion They FIRST look in at the
examinations but after look at the blackboard and the
abssruse calculations which it presents they generally
beat preepitae retreat rarely ever make their a
pearance in there again. Ye the examinations full
OF interest and though occasionally somewhat intricate
worth few hours attention at least There
q section of the FIRST class who going through
pretty severe ordeal in regard to the use
OF artillery, and the most effective means OF disa-
bling the enemv's guns when they have Ebeen cap
turcd and in danger Of being rctakcn Tho
satisfactory and showed that the students were
thoroughly posted in the way Of spkng cannon and in
tho specdicst way Of essenng the numbers OF foo.
From the library, where the examinations have been
conducted and which closes every day at fvc the audi
ance GO cut on the extensive plain on the borders
which the Military Academy has been erected forming
sort Of semi circle, with the towering mountains In the
back ground. On this plain the cavalry and artillery
drills take place. and in fine weather the whole corps
parade every evening. Tho vsters however, have
seslcd this evening on its extensive northern verge to
witness tho practice with tho mortar battery which
is here placed in position with the usual access
sor;ss Of breastworks and entrenchments. There
four mortars altogether each OF which has a
chamber large enough for an eighty four pound shell.
That whtewashed barrel about three hundred yards or
and which has been erected pole eight or ten
feet high is the mark at which the battery directed It
has retained its position there day ater day and month
after month for although hundreds Of shells have been
fred at IT, has not YET been struck Nor is this
proof of want of skill the space presented by the top
even once out OF thousand Shots Mortar practice is
very different from artillery practice and used simply
to throw procclcs object instead of directly
While ball from canann describes straight line the
shell reaches the object at which il is discharged by
curve and is not capable Of being aimed fred with the
same accuracy.
The cadets who are to through the muster drill have
arrived and each armed with pair strong leather
gaunets. Their appearance has renewed the curiosity
Of the spectators and of the ladies particularly who
crowd forward to the edge of tho trenches Meanwhile
the cadets measuring the distance from the BARREL
and by Of rule and line adjusting the mortars
to place them at the pr opcr angle Of elevation. This
preliminary operation concluded and the work Of
loading now commences Tho powder is empticd into
the capacous chamber and, being rammcd down. tho
shell s lowered in by Of instrument something
similar 10 that used carrying large blocks of ice Three
of the moars loaded and the fourth is charged with
powder and ready to receive the she'll instead of tho
black heavy iron globe, of the cadets is carry
small sized. hamper and the spectators nquisitve
than ever look at each other and wonder what that can
They waiting to the hamper opened and get
agmpse OF its contents but for the present they doom
ed to disappointment The hamper is put in the chamber
the gun and showed in with rammers-soon disappearing
from tho sight of the perplcxed and wondering crowd
This brings the loading process to termination and all
being ready for firing, the spectators beat prccip
retreat and take their position at respectful
distance from the battery, the ladies' this time retiring
little to the The first mortar is discharged the
Of the crowd arc greeted with sharp report that makes
their nerves tnge and at the they tho
shell rapidly ascending and describing till ii has
reached height Of seven eight hundred feet when
as rapidly descends, almost in line of vision
with the barrel, which expect to Immediately
broken ia fragments. When about fifty feet above
the mark it explodcs and falls about twenty OF
thirty feet from the barrel The explosion of the shell Is
not attended with danger, as it is charged with powder
ony-loading with missiles being prohibited in simple
practice. Tho first three morars discharged and the
barrel still retains its erect position But they arc
going to fro OF the hamper, and the spectators again
nquistivc about its contents. They press forward u
he enrenchncnts but arrested half way by crash
ng stunning sound, equal 70 tho combined reports d
'hrce mortars, and column Of stones, blended with