Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-05

The report of the committee on finance
with the very full tabular statements supplied
by the superintendent, Major Barnard. pre.
sents comprehensive exhibit of the seal
affairs of the Academy; and attention i.
specially directed TO the recommendation o,
the committee In reference to an increase ol
the pay of the Cadets.
The committee to whom was referred the
state of military discipline, police, &c, have
presented a report which, with the recommen-
datlons contained therein, has received the
| unanimous approval of the Board. The sub
Jects OF inquiry embraced in this report have
been more or less brought TO the attention O!
| all the members of the Board in the course OF
their general as well as special visitstions,
and they would express their high satisfaction
with the state Of military discipline and DO.
lice The recommendation from tho Superin-
tendent for an appropriation of S2O, 900 for a
| supply OF gas for the institution, commends
itself so strongly by every consideration of
| propriety, as we'll as economy, that it is hoped
Congress will, at no distant day, make pro-
vision for il
The construction of the Cadets barracks
seems to be singularly unfortunate in all the
| qualities which secure comfort and discipline
TO the Cadets. Besides being I'LL adapted for
police, there seems to be q want Of good yen-
tuation, and the suggestion Of the acting COM
| mandant OF Cadets, Lieut.. Wilcox for the
construction Of piazzas is deserving Of special
consideration. To this the Board would fur
ther recommend that the system of warming
| the barracks by hot air furnaces be .ubsti-
| tuted by the more improved method by steam
| or hot water This latter system has been
generally adopted in the hospitals and asy-
lums OF the United States, and seems to be the
best adapted for healthful supply of pure
| air at proper temperature. 1t frees the insti-
tuition from coal dust, the disadvantages of high
ofura ~, h.
| from lire, and affords the most advantageous
| method of introducing thorough ventilation
| into the building. 1t is believed that the sum
OF $50, 600 would meet both of these recon-
mendations. Considering the important COM
mand of the instructor of infantry tactics, who
| Is also commandant of Cadets as well as tha
Of the instructor Of artillery, and cavalry, and
practical engineering, the Board deem il
proper and just that each of these officers
| should be placed upon equality with the other
| members of the Academic Board and recon-
mended that the local rank, pay, and emolu-
ments of major Of cavalry be assigned TO
| each Much Inconvenience results from the
insuficiercy of quarters for the assistant pro-
| tessors, and the scientific departments of the
Academy have been somewhat embarrassed
in consequence. Tho assistants in these de-
par.ments being, for the most part, taken
from the graduates, of more recent date and
not having the rank to secure the selection of
quarters, are either thrown upon the courtesy
OF their brother officers, if they should be mar
Tied men, or are compelled to board at the
hotel. 1t is desirable that every facility
should be afforded to these officers for the pro.
per study of the important branches of in.
struction assigned to them, and it is believed
that an appropriation of $40, 900 will enable
the Superintendent TO construct four or five
comfortable cottages for their accommod alton
Paragraph Of the Regulations of the
Aoa ah
Cadets the inspector of Cadets Commons, re-
qulres modification, so as to make it the duty
of that officer or one of his assistants to visit
the mess hall at stated periods to see that the
Cadets are at all times supplied with clean
and wholesome food.
The Board are also satisfied that the regu-
lations which limit the number of demerit to
the Cadets, and which prescribe special PEN
alties when this limit is exceeded, require
material modification They would recon-
mend that the limit of demerit for a Cadet be
fixed at 100 for any period of the same Aca-
demic year prior to the 18th December, and
also 100 for any period of the same Academic
year from the 10th of December to the 10th
June; and that whenever a Cadet shall ex-
ceed this limit it shall be the duty Of the Su-
perintend ent to lay his case before the Aca-
demic Board that he may be reported to the
War Department for discharge
They are satisfied that "suspending" or
turning back Cadet for excessive de-
merit, is pernicious rule for the academy
If Cadet, with the full knowledge of the
penalty attached to excessive demerit. con.
tinue to neglect his duty until he exceeds the
prescribed limit, he is not only an unworthy
subject for the Academy, but his example and
influence become injurious TO ethers, and he
should be dismissed. Suspension and turning
back are half way places into which many
are tempted to retreat. The best interests of
the institution demand summary dismissal
The report of the Committee on Instruction
psesents il a clear and comprehensive man
ner the views of the Board on the important
branch Of their duty, and attentive consider
alton is respectfully invited to the suggestions
contained therein.
The department Of chemistry, minerology,
and geology, ought not to be restricted in the
range of selection for its assistants 10 the
line of the army" but authority should be
given to secure the services of the best officers
in either corps Of the army.
Nor should the library be limited by the
small annual appropriation now made for its
support Books are the working tools of the
scholar, and should be supplied without stint.
The Board would recommend the annual ap-
preparation Of 1000 for the library, and a
provision for an assistant to the librarian
equal to that of the clerk TO the adjutant-
while the Board fully approve the I" four
gears ruls," as il is termed, and believe it
just and proper for the military service, they
would recommend such occasional relax alton
of it as may seem to the Department to be
called for by the special wants Of the scien-
tifc departments of the Academy with re-
spect to their principal assistants These de.
partments have been materially damaged
during the past year by the application of
this regulation, and if the claims of the public
service elsewhere justify the exceptions re-
ferred to, the efficiency ofthe Institution would
be promoted by them.
1t seems to the Board that in the new pro-
gramme Of studies adopted by the Academic
Board to accommodate the course to the ex-
tended term of five years, the essential idea
which made the fifth year necessary has been,
in part, overlooked. Proficiency in the ele.
mentary departments Of knowledge in the
candidates for admission suggested this as
partial remedy, by afording opportunity for
instruction in those English studies which
should constitute the foundation Of the edu-
cation of an American officer.
The mathematical studies Of the fifth class