The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-09
our NATIONAL MILITARY SCHOOL.

VIII NHIIuitnI Vu~ltuuN OViuOIs
Annual Examination at the West Point
h.~demy-Tne Studies Parsued by the
C-dets-Process Of Examination The Way
They Make Soiiliers-The Cadets and the
T. ebs-The Sencimx-Q Qaartors Of the Ca
d"s-The Model Rooms &c., SC &c.
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
WEST POINT, June 7, 1856.
H. rouual examination of the Cadets OF
1ioDs' military school is in progress, and will
contrue during the whole Of week, concluding
Aoncs, the 18th inst Toe number OF pupils at present
in tie institution is 2i0 aHd of tness about one.sixth
will graduate at the close O. this The
10 ' been very credtable to the proficiency of the
die classef and expected that there will bs fewer
ceser deficiency to report than in any former
The of study comprises engineering, mathematics,
ethic philosophy, n'jneIalogy geology, French, iu
fant'y scacs, EnEirh h studies, artillery cavalry tac-
dcs, chemistry sra drawing The ordeal to which the
stuo.r, IL subjected before Is permitted to gradu.s
1s no sssriy severe In conformity with the require
mentf ~ military Law. The process, however, does not
differ eriay from the mode OF examination pursued
In colleges and other higher institutions learning
hut Il eess the Manner the bearing of the studsns aud
prtf give to the examins tion of the militia
yGs emya character peculiar itself The tadets
dres "a in the grey by the officers in the regu.
gula' -rvice white pants and the military esp,
hSrs's which ia Of the iuest in the country, and
CONT seventeen thousand volumes Among these
are ~ best works military science, by American,
French and English authors As the French pehSps
1he m = advancso pAten in Europe in the knowledge Of
aacts and the prcisss of generally, their works
are es,ded among The highest authorities In the
giLe.ttrg depa tmeht particularly they occupy high
Tanh, snd have made many important additions to it
<uri the last bait century. While Francs has made
Rhac ALao -
4ual resrograd.d snd her writer's with very ex-
cepti not conside ed reliable authorities and oc.
cupy comparatively limited space in this library. But
1t m.st not be supposed that all the works are
HpoL Military science, or thst the students OBJ
1eeo confne themselves exclusively to such,
Tor, after al, they form the smallest portion
of to~ catalogue. There the best ancient and
cde-r histories, works science aud art poetry ami
nover and from tas appearance of the last named they
seem ,c bs amorg 1hs best read The library appro
prias embellished with portraits Of of our most
dstir euished military characters amorg which that Of
General Scott holds by right conspicuous place.
1hes~ give to the place tone in keeping with its chsra
yer, aac strike the vster as peculiarly appropriate.
Every hing about the library has military aspect and
even books the pens, the paper the inkstands are
Arrarse1 With the regularity Of soldiers parade The
very Lao es and chairs have martial look, and
nave nothing in common with other tables and chairs.
nence snd punctua the clock ITSELF the Professors
Ars al assembled at the appointed ime They all occupy
chsirs- and are seated at tables, upon which
Are s.me Of the text books used in the Acs.
deny Bshind the professors there benches
and chairs for the visitors, Of whom there
wore hu very few present. in of the wsa
ther, itch has been remarkably unfavorabe on this
occafior The oroery is At the door awaiting commands
and Il class of CAcets is drawn up in regular ordsr
xhs tioe, ready to march in when those commands
are an ncuEced At last 1t is giver and they the
Nbray Two BY two and they take the benches apart
exclusively for them. They called up by nsme
and wien the foor the examination COM
neIces Six are also allowed the privilege of using he
blacktosrds whca placed behind them for the pur-
pose mskpg rotef while The seventh answering the
qusst put to him by the Professor The subject is
Aethc and the six given questions which they i'm
medat- write down the board under own ma mes
tho o. the State from which they come While they
ges led at this, the seventh is under exsmi cation
which lar Is from ten to twelve minutes His Mistakes
he should make any, are all accurately noted down,
and hio promptness and proficiency impartially
fecorcs II he csnnot the question hs says so
ut ono and when he returns to his seat cash Of the
other is called up in regular succession to be sub
ject 10 the ordeal When before the professor
the CsC stands In what is termed "the position Of the
soldier that is perfectly erect with his arms by his
sdes and bis legs drawn close together In addition ITO
ths professors there is the Board of Visitors which is
compced Of the following gentlemen who attend at the
invita- atio ntnnen of fho Of