The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-25

Report OF the Board of vistsrs TO the United
raAint~sy aesoehny nj Wess foaot.
uNIrkD STATES MILITARY AoADEMY,l


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Report OF the Board of vistsrs 20 the United
nsaindssy Acsuehny nj Wess foeot.
UNITED STATES MILITARY AoADExr,l
WEST poISr. n Y June Is, lS5s !
sR-rne Board OF appointed TO atseod
uua examination OF the Military Academy a West Point
ON hs nrst asy Of Jure less The underssoed sseu,.
bled the place and on the ol,wing day pro seeded 10
an oesnzoo ior the trans action OF business the Pre-
sdent OF the Board appointed special committees 10
examine the Of discipline, instruction.
Police inssf fiscal affairs, aud other
I've asauuon. aud the result Of suca examasson made
known u, the several uestipgs Of Board embodied
unoer tie different topics OF this report
INSTRUCTION.
The & ard devoted six hours each day during their
eicn seocmg The examination Of The cadets The frat
or graduating class examined 10 eugneering OWL
snd nisry, in ethics ana moral philosophy, In con-
sulutouAl ADD International law In chemistry, min
ersoss and geology IN infantry, cavalry, and artillery
tsclics With the result OF he exsm,uaton OF tns class
tie Board entirely ssteded. The prompsness, in
teCercs ard sk evcced by the members OF this class
fun shto evidence OF the excellent intellectual
training 70 which The students q this Institution are
been completed, the academic corps ana the Board
Of vni,ers Proceeded sih the examination Of tho
reure=s the expression Of profound admiration Of the
examination In philosophy and matbomsucs. Tho pro
6cency OF The cadets IN these os important orsncne. o.
miiitary education furnished gratifying proof OF the
fidelity with which the gushed professors OF these
subjecu discharged their duties ~ we'll ~ OF the
r,esx industry and intelligence OF the cadets In each
department OF wide subject the knowledge evinced
was thorough and exact The ability and greas expert
euce Of Professors Bartlett ard Church the Instructors
nsursi PHILOSOPHY and have rendered their
respective theoretically and practically ~ per
fees possible 10 make any .sar course Of Instruction
In chen istrs drawing Spanish psutiug French, rhe
toric eioc ution logic the examinations afforded EVIL
oepces Of very credabs attainmsnts upon the part Of
we're the rovgh character well calculated 10
pr ncency Of the student In each branch depart
msns Q, stu ~ among the most sssroses
bay rhey have recently been introduced,
promise 70 be Of utility in toe service the
inttasou 70 tbs infantry and dragons the regular
Amy II affords the Board much pleasure to ewsrd TO
the Sosia ss wsrs sSa
Quoted Of several oasses OF Cadets well for their
uoorm courtesy toward the whole OF cadets during
the progress OF the examinations The cavalry artillery,
md lofantry OF the cadets we're Of daily
reuoc during the eesti0ns Of tho Board and Afforded
eeat sasfsct Nothing be perfect striking
and beautiful than the the infantry sys
tem OF TACTICS introduced oy tie preeent com uaudaot at
this poitt There are no soldiers IN the world VINO per-
form their military exercises With more beauty and ss
than The cadets this institution. Daily opportunities
we're sdsroed the Board curing the siternooa drls OF
observing the Effect OF the adorable instruction which
the cadets received during the whole period OF their
vice in military taOtios There should. In our OPT
non be an or ,s n" N.
The here are employ Ga poiAcrminateiy for
artillery cavalry exsrcses and mauy OF them are
old srd ain worthless Some OF the horses have DO
cone dangerous from decreptuds aud old ago. aod az
che cavalry exercises are conducted n the ball OF the
many Of horses might result In the serious and per
manept ir jury OF the CADETS
We regard the present course OF instruction IN ethics
rhetoric logic history, and ftepssure, as erfc'eutiy
exteI sve, And would be difcut Ia our oouiou, to
make any seria addition to the course without uench
ipa upnn and important departments OF study
Besides dscbareDg diligently aud faithfully the oonsi
bic duties chaplain and rcgaas instructor the present
professor o. e ,osS .SS ,psrusO0ss isn
and under the rrovsors OF the five years SYSTEM win
also teach the las and evidence Of courts martial In
usually assg to net ess Than three prof who
usual men OF profound legal at.snments. We, there
fore r. com mend the cresop Of q professorsnip,
viz tat OF constitutional apd International law aud
the CT martial II would not be ipjudcious to
sproint 70 tie rev some sen,e%an AmAr
The ekper ence Of The world eminnnty favorable
The employ OF urists, rather than clegymen, 10
teach the rpcimens Of law and are not ADVISED OF
ary other instance than that Of the chapa'n Of this In
siu.iou where becs of constitutional and nterns
uopsl law well q the law OF courts martial,
inirusted 10 the clergy.
ARTILLERY
In inspecting the military Organization OF the Academy
the Board tave been impressed with the importance Of
seectir g. instructors in the several military depart
aose o me se.S ~nS 70 zoe ~.
upon teach Thus, for example, and more especially
IN the department OF artlerya corps regarded 10 all
<oshsr armies second only tnst the
eDaiaeers-we would suggest, modification OF the in
strucion the Academy, thst tee subject should be
tsugot by artillery officers alone that the theory and
practice should be more intimately blended by roqulrin
instruction Re given by those who are equally expert
enoed both. We present great Inducements for EN-
cenry in Hpy depaI inent by placing under An oiscr
whrse pride IN his particular arm will always urge hc,
TO make TOE system a. persc. - pusso 400, ~ 'nls
eci tent branch Of military system, should be ads-
que represented at the Academic Board OF Instructors
selected abJyc mentioned who may there exercs the
innueLce and force necessary for that department
cTyr ASD MILITARY ENGINEERING.
TIE result Of the exanr tins subject OF military
ard CIV. engineering Was entirely satisfactory 70 the
oatd tlOr0usb n
beIs Of the graduating class evipced exceedingy creds
BILE pssserorihy snsrity vito this mos. mporA at
and essent'aN department Of Military education. The
board only regret that The present. programme OF
sluoies at West Point allo~ sucent uue 10 the
s;uoy Ct the tneory and practice CT cy and military
tresruR The present very able aud experienced pro.
this department and mrs assistants are required
r,.rs seSoa,s az Eerore ia assigned 70 Tou- olaIact
professionally IN each mlltxry schoo We arc convinced
tha, he x books lectures Illustrations, models aFoh.'
this are aom,raby s5apted 20 the necessities
AID requirements Of military and civil engioeeriog
the country Tho principal text BOOK Of the course
snhouzh toe work OF Distinguished American, PRO
fessor Nshs7), rs one Of the best known 70 the pro
nt.rv eTsnsers Of tse age adopted as text book "a
ths corLfry and abroad into many OF the principal unit
veisee AID military scnools, translated into several o.
the Anrusge. OF Europe, the iesdisg work from which
tie ebzretrs Of our army nave obtained Their
stores Of valuable knowledge is above all Others, zoe
volume bst suited for this inittuuon oar atsation was
also psricrariy directed 10 toe happy aud admirable
suap.aucr q The whole o. INSTRUCTION this De
psrnep, TO The wants cnaraoe rites and physical pscu
haes o. ftavy and civil eosneerng In this country.
Whist the great European authorities upon the subject Of
eng Deerrg very properly De. ignored 10 TINS depart
merit nor the student dspiec the ovantAge whcn must
arise frog study Of the works OF eminent Eogsh
German aad trench engineers the utmost care tAsen 10
fsmiarse Toe stuoept al that restss peculiarly
American engineering. 10 tue PRINCIPAL tex, BOOK ot
the cours- we dDd particular and most miaute
niormssion rtspcslpg American budius na.eri,l'
for iosts soa al other pubic works, such az ADsr
can stons TN Der, metals mortsrs, cement, &c sni
sso TO American bridges, roads masonry foruacaiOns
the rectiop rocms" 'bsis OF instruction., for toe
clssses n tDere-riDg pleased 70 observe plsns
oceis tsd sing all The great architectural trumpns
TAnericso military xr6 civil enains~ring
Tue Board sfuy the mort csrefol and thorough exsm
pxtsn q the whole course o. instruction 10 civil and mi
lsrv eng nesf ng al this Institution entirely satisfied
ano uasa ntusiy Of tie opinion ths, meets every re
ulf eeui cf service, reflects eminent credit up "a
the dtug shod professor who hes trained f,r toe army
90 many yorg and accomplished engineers, Of whom the