The New York herald., 1872-05-29
TIE NAVAL ACADEMY.
The Naval Commanders in Embryo Preparing
for Sea-The Examination Season-The Ex-
pected Summer Cruise-High Hopes Of
the "Hopefuls''-The Coming Fss-
tivities and General Gossip

the 'Hopefuls"-The Coming Fes-
tivities and General Gossip.
ANNAPOLIS, May 25, 1872.
The annual examinations are now going on at the
Naval School, and In consequence there is much
CONSERVATION among the midshpmen. OF course
there also general and widespread anxiety among
their friends and relatives Careful papas and
mammas are nocking hither from all parts Of the
country to watch the destinies Of their young
hopefuls"-many of them soon to be ''young dis
consolates.n These examinations are very rigor-
GUS, conducted before Board Of Visitors by the
heads OF the several departments in the school.
They extend from the Goth Of May TO the 1st of June.
The examination of candidates for admission COM
mences on the 5th of June, and will this year be
particularly severe, as the number Of midshipmen
Is now larger than desired. 1t is curious to observe
with what inflated hopes many Of these candidates
come here, and how soon these hopes collapse. No
boy however, need fear being 'plucked II he has a
good groundwork Of English and arithmetic. Most
OF those who come here can talk French or Spanish
by the yard, but, strange to say, are abominably
ignorant Of their own vernacular The best plan Is
to send boy here month before examination and
let him be coached" by some one acquainted with
the Academy course.
cruise. This year tho Constellation, Captain Bridge
man, is deputed to carry them. The Dale will cruise
about the Chesapeake with the fourth class The
graduating class will be broken up into small par
ties, and distributed for duty among the different
squadrons now In service. The Constellation will
carry out about eighty-hve or ninety midshpmen;
the Dale much smaller number. The former ship
has just arrived from the West Indies. and in con-
sequence, her men are full Of the Spanish outlook
conversed with some Of them yesterday, old, vet
eran sailors who have been in the navy from their
infancy. They seemed in very. low spirits and
branch of the service In the last few years. one
weather-beaten tar said to me:-"Why, sir. I've
been in the navy moren twenty year. and when
entered it was bettern it is now. 10 be sure we
hadn't so many ships, but what we had was ships
none OF your blarsted things that won't swim in q
flood tide. In them days our sailors knowed what
they was about, ease they had somethin' to be
about Now they're pitched and tossed nd around
an no sperrlts in the men to work. How's we
gwine to squint good when Mr. Robson keeps
knocking caps over our eyes Talk about
lickin' Spanish Why, durn eff the Spanish couldn't
clean clar out for the first six months. Course
merce while we was a pickin' up. And them Eng
lish-hang 'em! We sees 'em in every port we goes
Wts snip fe xe
claims amt nowhar No use for us to talk about
nghtin' British less we get somcthin' to fight 'em
The sailors and mddies seem to fraternize very
well together. Said tar to me Eyer see, sir,
some day or other they'll be officers. And they has
to be kind to us, cause we swabs and Is scrubs the
Pon honor I hey aon do thing just tt Re
hundred Of our men away from their regular work
to do theirn.thats alll'' Which, think is
The midshipmen are now in clover. Though busy
at examinations they have good many more priv
ieges than usual, with the prospect ahead for
some of them of going home a few weeks; others
are going on the summer cruise, which will, pre-.
sumo, be to the Mediterranean this year; and still
and completed-mdslpmen While in the
Academy they are only 'cadets;' two years hence
they become ensigns, then masters, leutenants,
&c. cadetship in the school is to young man OF
tender years very alluring thing on first sight,
particularly if said sight is enjoyed in the spring of
the year. For then the grounds are lovely so
much beautiful green grass, closely shaven and
evenly rolled stretching down to the river shore
and dotted all over with fountains, picturesque
summer houses, statues to departed naval heroes,
cannon snatched from British grip; and winding
over T's and shaded by boughs and creeping
vines And to see the PLUMP straight, ra
y lis S 60 sna 80
likewise. Seraphic strains from a fine band win
also every afternoon twist and tug at his heart
se nsss " aMs aysn our y Savs
society here is excellent. None OF That pomp and
display so offensive in the city. do not mean
Annapolis, but the city, in general. Everybody Is
perfectly free and easy-not AFRAID OF letting you
know his salary Is only fifteen hundred OF two
however, made to go a long way by their getting
governmental house, governmental gas, govern,
mental heat, governmental water governmental
everything, free or cost.
OF course You have heard OF the heroic conduct
of Midshipmen Mclean and Gait, who jumped into
some forty feet Of water and saved their comrade,
Carter, from dismally aqueous death. Few pe0-
pie appreciate the danger attendant upon such an
act. 1t was very daring thing, and Commodore
Yesterday afternoon the midshipmen drnlcd
for nag. Company A, Captain IAN LANES, James,
at the hands OF Mrs. Ames, wife of Lieutenant Com
mander Ames, who is very bright and PLEASANT
looking lady, ana seemed G,e ye eGua ther 70 ire rsga g
annual ball on the 3lst inst Very many ladies' VIII
attend from New York, Boston, Philadelphia, wash
ngton and Baltimore. 1t Is needless to remark that
numberless Will be the different renditionso OF the
Boston perpetrated thereat
The graduating class will receive their diplomas
on the sd of June. or course the middies will then
have gala day. President Grant will probably be
down and award the grades to the various gradu-
ates; there will be dress parade cannon practice,
howitzer drill and the like; much sweet music,
haunting of banners, glitterng of muskets and
rowing matches Of any account among the mddies
this year. They have very strong crew, ana are
Harvard or Yale would find them, though not trained
at all, pretty rough customers to handle. captain
Skerrets expedition starts about the 1st OF July on
three years cruise, under sealed orders, when Is
very worrying, inasmuch as they may go lo . .ne
Arctic regions or the tropic zone, ana conscluen.y
there is some doubt in the minds OF the crew as 10
clothing at ali. The latter is highly thought Of on
account OF cheapness and general duraD,y oi weai.
10 change the subject Mr.. Reverdy Johnson mas
been here during the past week, cbucking ana ana
complacent. The Fish ''retreaty seems " ~ ~ % VII"
COOL The japanese midshipmen are saiu 10 DC ge,-
ting on remarkably well, speak the languages uuite
nuentiy and quick and intelngenu, MIN NV,
them seem TO fraternizc quite readily with theii
Caucasian brethren. There are some Others ABOUT
to enter after which there viii only ne ono vacancy
LETT