The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-06-30

.. :. mnvnf AeS6Sny g Annotslis.
Thte instatntt on ~ nevoe re1sived that
share OF popular reSognittoa and 'apprectAr
t,on 70 which IL u justly entitled. One req
con for this nay b lpund In 11e fast that Ne
pubaic hos not inSr<6ted itself IN the uodeof
naval educasaon. and another In the compA-
ralIvcly recent establishment OF the Acad.
emysWhich dates only from fsl5. Before sna'
period. there Was professor Of mAtnemas'cs
atyk0h ~ ne navy-yards, and on soeIa evsIy
large man-of.war, Of whom sne miosaip'"eA
received instruction during tneiF ie'so1e
hn.ra Rut ~ as = very dssultory and linn
,..A eAr..tsou At the bsst, and svsn ~ practi-
al ..e...x aIehough mi1shipmen saw good
a.,t r.crs sea service than Mt present, they
-. never req uired to familiarize themselves
=. csan nal exercise with the duties Of sailors.
INIT the Naval School At Annapolis begun
new era in the education Of naval officers. 1t
II now both scientific and practical In an en-
insnt degree.
An examination at the Naval Academy at
Annapolis, such a. has taken place during the
present month, exhibits certain novelties.
which must make the "ancient mariners -
open their eyes. In addition to the examina-
ton in the various branches of science and OF
their profession, IL battalion drill, by all the
midshipmen of the Academy, under the COM
mand of one Of the graduating class, which is
executed with great precision. The object OF
iustructing them in military science is to
enable them to drill the ships crew, when they
are required to operate on shore. The theme
is the gunnery exercise, which was never be-
fore carried to such perfection. 1t Is univer-
sally agreed that the nation which has the best
guns and most skiilful gunners will achieve
naval supremacy. In the late war with Eng
land, the gunnery Of the American ships
proved far superior to that of the enemy, but
the guns were execrable, often bursting and
killing more Of our own crews than were
killed by the shot Of their adversaries.-
Now we have the best guns in the world,
and the midshipmen are made familiar
with them by constant exercise. At the
late examination. a battery Of thirty-two
Founders was worked by these youngsters
with the greatest ease; the guns were run in
and out shifted, loaded, pointed and fired With
rapidity and precision, every shot being in the
lire OF, and several passing. through, the tar
get, which was placed at the distance of 500
yards. Another new feature Of naval educa-
ton is the school ship, which is the home OF
the fourth class for one year, and in which
they have an annual cruise of three months,
losening. Ieefing, furling and performing all
the duties of seamen with their own hands,
whereas formerly they were distributed among
the various ships of the service, and had no
manuel duty to perform. They are also prac-
ticed in field artillery, boat howitzer, and
sword exercise, and their late examination
showed great proficiency in all these branches
These evidences of progress and an elevated
standard Of professional skill in the most i'm
portant arm of our national defence, reflect
great credit on the Naval Academy, and will
prove Of vast benefit to the honor and inter-
ests of the country.