The Washington union., 1857-06-13
ror lGe unIon.
THE ANNUAL EXAMINATION AT THE NAVAL
ACADEMY AT ANNAPOLIS,
AxNApoIIs. june l, 1851.

ANNAPOLIS June !, 1881
| The annual examination at the Naval Academy com
menced to-day, in the presence of large number of in
erested spectators The first day is usually given up to
military man0uvres but the ncement weather ON this
occasion cut them short and had the good effect of
tnuing the feast ON the morrow. 1t did not damp in
the slightest degree the ardor Of the young men, who
glory in the display Of their military skill and discipline
Perhaps the admng eyes of host of fair spectators had
something to do with the pluck and alacrty of the mid
dies However that may be- they did credit TO their in
struetors, to their admirers, and to themselves.
Al %, m, the Board of Visitors was received at
the Academy gate by the superintendent and staff the
institution The brilliant group, in full uniform, moved
to the parade ground, where the students drawn
up under arms to receive them After the customary
Lutte and inspection the drll officer put the battalion
through series Of infantry maneuvres which
cuted in fine style The precision and mpdity of the
movements reminded me much of regiment of sardi-
nian rihemen have on the field of Ma
rengo They all men of small stature, ninble
cats armed with short rifles, and equipped in the light
est possible style In forming square, depoyng, skir-
mshng, &C., they ELECTED unbounded applause, and
afterwards immortazed themselves before the walls Of
Sebastopol do not mean to institute comparison be-
tween the middies and the 'Cacciato of Sardinia but
will say that they do all that will be required
of a sailor ashore
NcAt III eAelCse III Llie
This highly interesting, duty wholly in the line
of the naval profession indeed it has become its chief
aim and study Since steam has reduced men-ofwar to
common level the result of naval actions depends upon
the single point, who is the best gunner All the
gy of naval is directed to the solution of this query;
and cannot help thinking that the young gunners of the
Naval Academy will one day solve the question to the
satisfaction of all concerned Young America sir has
always exceIed in firing at mark This fact estab-
lshed at the target exercise that took place behind the
cotton-baes at New Orleans and none have succeeded in
bearing away the palm from the victors of that day
care not whether it be bird beast, him
SELF as soon Yankee marksman gets sight at his
game had better do that sensible did when he
saw the muzzle of Captain scotts rifle pointed at him.
Although the firing executed with blank cartridge
only the gunney officer proved concusivey that regular
instruction can effect more than any amount of main
strength and stupidity. The heavy 32-pounders with
which the fort is armed run in and out shifted
loaded pointed and fired with that would have
done credit to moro muscular Here, also, the
aes present. and each discharge was accompanied
by little eheks and exclaaons in every key OF the e
male voice never could find out why it is that ladies
will so persistenty make of assoca-
tons the especial recipients Of their smiles while they
eynce so much horror at their occupations have heard
it said that it because sailor attacks his sweetheart as
he would his enemy by boarding and fair lady could
be expected resist that mode of warfare But am not
quite satisfied that such tactics adopted exclusively by
the naval profession although they may be attended with
less success in other cases. Another engmabut "a
nlo,aoas.
In the superintendent house smptuous luncheon
was provided for host of invited guests 1t was board
ed and taken in true sailor fashion, and followed by
the usual feast of and flow of soul There is
nothing in my opinion, that makes well salts
AZ. r A., xf
life They smooth down the asperites of the mind, fill
up the vacant places in the stomach and make the whole
man harmonious and plant,
At Al, p. M, the bugle summoned the students to
ghtartlcry drill The battery is composed of six brass
6-pounders, with corresponding cassons, to all OF which
the youngsters harnessed 1t is hard work to
nouvre such battery sultry day, but the teams
were obstinate mules and made the guns fly the
ground. They advanced in sections; fronted into col
umn by the right section changed 'front.' advanced firing
by half battery; broke from the right, by sections, to
march to the left fired rereating by halfbattery and
executed many other manovres, which, to the
Initiated were not devoid of interest. The in
which they limbcred and unmbered loaded and fired
the pieces, is worthy of the highest cncomiums.
Thus closed the first days programme. Owing to the
incemency of the weather. of the exercises
postponed until the morrow, in the hope that the sky
would be more propitious
SECOND DAY
J,ne 2.--The sun came out to-day with his brightest
rays to Danish the recollection yesterday gloom
At TO- a. M, the students mustered in the fort
awaiting the order for target firing AS the sig
nal was given, they blazed away, in downright earnest
with solid shot, SHE'LL and grape The targets sta
toned the distance of 100 and 1900 yards from the
battery and each gun fired it sighted
You will no doubt be surprised when tell you that
every shot would have struck small sized vessel With
the aid Of the tangents and steady eye, heavy
32 2-pounder can be aimed and fired accurately
ket few years ago the practicoship of the Academy
was cruising in the British channel and met with the
ol-ship Of the English navy, few of young
sters went board Of the latter during target exercise
and were invited to take shot with the British metal
One of them accepted the invitation and to the aston
shment of the whole ships company, smashed target
after target The youngster rddlcd figure of a
mans size at the distance of two hundred yards,
with the balls of boat howitzer He will assuredly
make his mark in the first fight to which he will
be summoned 1t is quite sufficient, however, to be able
to hit fishing smack oftener than to miss it, Nothing
could induce to anchor in such craft under to-day
fire. The shell firing excellent, each shell bursting
the proper time with telling proof Of its destructive
power Upon entering q ships side of those shells
knocks the wood work into pinters which are of them
Selves weapons Of destruction Comr Dahgrcn, in his
interesting book on s'Shells and Shel-guns,r says
''whe firing 9-nch shells at steamer moorcd about