Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-02-27


m Rsrsn stafed in his lecture on Russia and Po-
land last wednesday night, that be once spent an
sntire dey IN visiting the Military Schools, three in
number, which are ia the city Of st. Petersburg.
In compliance with our request, he has furnished us
with the following account which We give substan-
italy in his own language 0urreaders will peruse
it with interest:
Thelsrgest has 1000 cadets The building stands
on the north bank Of The Neva, facing the river,
and occupies the four sides Of an entire square, and
is four or Eve stories high The area in the interior
is an extensive parade ground. Every thing rela-
ting to this establishment is arranged with pri-
maryregsrd to the health and comfort of the cadets
and their officers and teachers. The instruction is
similar to that given at West Point French authors
are used as Textbooks, or are the foundation Of
those that are Russian. All the cadets are taught
the French language with great care and thorough
ness, an speak it With astonishing facility and per
lection. DR.. B. spent several hours in exploring
this establishment from the vast dOrmitories in the
upper story to the immense kitchen 10 the basement
with its huge boilers and other convenienees on
grand scale.
DR.. B. gave an amusing account Of some Of the
exercises which the young class, consisting OF 2OO
lads of thirteen to fifteen years Of age were sum-
monsd by the Colonel who accompanied, to perform
for his qualification. After having been paraded
for good while in large adjoining room used as
"place Of exercise in bad weather, they we're
marched into their dOrmitOry, where every one
found himself at last opposite to ais own little iron
bedstead, by the head Of which was little chest Of
drawers, and by the side strip Of csrpet-tbe rest
Of the floor being totally destitute Of that article.
There they stood like little soldiers At the tap of
the drum down went the musket on the bed, at ano-
Their tap the hat was thrown on the bed, next the
coat, then two beats and off wen shoes and stock
ings.
After good deal Of marching and counter march
ing to the no small merriment Of the boys each
cadet found himself again at the foot Of his bed;
and at the tap OF the drum, on went the several
articles of their dress-the colonel by whose orders
all this done, stating to Dr. B. that he wished
him to see how quickly these youths could undress
and dress-sn attainment he afirms to be very i'm
pOrtant sometimes in actual warfare. Furthermore,
he wished him to see with his own eyes, what
healthy eleanly, and fnelOOkng little fellows they
were.
DR.. B. had to stay and see the cadets Of that school
dine. It was fine sight to see q thousand young
marching from all parts of the quadrangle into
the vast dining room, and there assemble around
their long tables in the order Of their classes. When
all we're in their places, the music ceased for mo-
ment and then, at one tap Of the drum, all chanted
grace" in a most beautiful manner, and those who
were of the Greek or Roman Catholic faith turned
frequently to a small picture Of the Virgin Mary,
which hung on one Of the walls, and bowed and
crossed themselves. The singing was grand. The
dinner was good but nothing extraordinary. The
cooking was mixture Of French and Russian. Each
cadet had small bottle Of quass, sort Of acidula-
tedbevrsge which resembles cider in its appearance,
but is a epecies Of beer. Thanks were returned by
chanting at the close. The young men marched
away by classes to their respective quarters.
Dr. BAIRD also visited the Military School for very
young cadets at Trarakoe Selo and the Naval School
at Peterho in addition to the three military schools
at st. Petersburg-the former twenty-fOur miles
North and the latter ten miles West Of that city
The cadets of the naval schools learn English well
as French.
When Dr. B. had completed his visit to the schools
in St. Petersburg, the Colonel who accompanied him
allowed him for the night the use of a manuscript
report on the Army and Naval Schools, which the
Grsnd5Duks Michael had made that year to his
brother, the Emperor Nicholas Among other facts
which he gathered from that document was the
statement that there were seventeen military schools
in the Russian Empire, containing nearly ten thou
sand cadets, who are all exceedingly well trained
Marshal Munich was the founder Of the military
schools of Russia 1t is almost century since they
we're commenced.