The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-30
THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
Brilliant Maritime Evolu-
tons and Exercises.
A Ship that Tumbled to Pieces
Tumbled Back Again.


sort oifete chdmpetre and very brilliant and
pleasing Jete it was.
Tne bright yet soft moonlight, the twinkling
lanterns hanging among the trees the broad con- |
trasts OF light and shade brought out by the many
colored lights burned at intervals among the |
shrubbery combined to form q veritabe picture |
from fairyIand. to which the soft music noatlng in
the air was natural and appropriate accompani- |
ment 1t was an suspicious time for nirtations,
and the fairies OF nesh and blood who failed df
any did FAM to bring their lovers to the point |
amid such surroundings may well mlstrust !
their powers. 1t may be doubted, however. |
If the brilliant lights were any help to this |
sort OF business. Not unlreouently It happened |
that 'spoony" couple, comfortably settled upon
settee in shady NOOK, suddenly found them
selves the centre OF circle OF light as bright as
MONDAY. Aasty movings to opposite ends OF the
seat and unsuccessful attempts to look uncon-
cerned would follow, and then the friendly dark
ness would again shut In and give them chance
to recover their c0mposure
But, to turn from coored lights and music and
'biing and cooling" to more prosaic subjects, let
us trace
THE CoCRSE OF THE EXAMINATION
since my last letter. The examinations in the
various branches OF study have proceeded regu-
larly and satisfactorily, and yesterday all were
completed 80 that now nothing remains but prac-
tica exercises. Tuesday was devoted TO great gun
drill, target practice and signal drill At ten A.
NJ the Board OF Visitors and many spectators went
on board the Santee, the midshipmen were mus.
tered at their guns, and, at the roll Of the drum
proceeded to clear for action. A short drill with
out powder followed, to show the Board how read
lily and easily the youthful crews handled the
heavy nine-inch Dahlgrens and then the order was
passed, load with shell, fve-second fuel" A
had an q fror hau
been previously moored at a distance OF $500
yards in the stream. Soon ''Bangr' went gun No.
l. The ladies screamed the nOn-prOlessonal
members OF the Board jumped as though volcano
had burst out under them, and the veterans coolly
watched the course of the shell as 1t sped target
wards Soon puff of smoke and . report as the
shell burst. and couple Of yards OF the right wing
OF the target disappear. "Brav0 says General Glib
bon. "Bravol' echo the ladies, and then hold their
breaths in anticipation OF the next gun. "Bangln
1t goes, amid another chorus OF snrleks, and the
shell bursts directly over the target but does no
damage. NO. follows, and the lett wing OF the
parts unknown. The guns now follow in quick
succession, and the spectators becoming used to
the shock OF the discharge, grow greatly interested
IN watching the night OF the shells through the air
and their effects upon the target. At the end OF
and secure the battery and the poor old target
looks as one OF the midshipmen expressed 1t,
'aike frame house struck by lightning"
This exercise was followed by drill In signals
ss Six q
tributed az various points and message sent from
No. TO No. 2 repeated by them to No 8, ana SO on
BY new party that dil not know what had 1 BEEN
sent About half an hour was occupied in getting
Of Q word, Notwithstanding its rapid passage
through so many hands.
To-day has oeen occupied with practical exer
sEAAANsuIp
with sails and spars aboard the Dale. When
made up ' my y'' mind that Would Write p' full
report o. II. and astenish my nautical friends
couldn't post me lin the technical names and
says. "you can learn in bali an hour. Come into
the seamanship room" SO we went into the
up &c Of ssrag about eea se lp ssras
long, said, ave WIN begin with this This
boom tricing- block ssrap.seizing" rhe star
board. iore-to.whats" SAID l. "Ycs;" said he,
IS than ehe ng 'aS nee
1t, that's It's name, and this Is the mzzen topsail
cswn aod on" said I'M give i up lust
wresssd with Tor two days and have s got taas
paper: But have given up my idea OF giving
technical report Of the seamanshp drill not only
terms but because q little calculation convinced
me that, II everything aboard ship had name as
ne 81 70 IT'S sze a xona
than III column Of the HERALD in the smallest
type and didn't believe that you could spare the
upon the stock phrase. and say that the mid
shipmsn, 'Tan up the rigging WITH the agility
Keys" (no disrespect intended), and that they set
sail and then unset IT, and rolled 1t up and shook
It ali or the ship and then put it all on again and
did eyerytDing suppose, that Il s possible to 40,
| MOI va norfa fiy
| satisfactory to all concerned.
After tins was over they gave the midshipmen
dril in naval tactics under sail Now suppose
that very few people outside OF the navy know
are tor; and don't know very well myself but /
| viii try TO give some idea Of it. In this case the
| feet, under command OF Commodore McNair, con-
sisted Of three squadrons Of four boats each. and
each boat was supposed to represent ship in an
actual neet. Well, the .manpuvres were not I'M
/ Ike those OF regiment OF infantry, surprising
each boat to represent company Handling the
boats under sail with consum nate skill, they formed
! single aud double columns and lines abreast and
I sections and divisions and squadrOns with the
| greatest ease. and no confusion whatever. 1t was
very pretty sight TO see the boats, each with it's
! down, going through constant changes 10 the Or
der 1ns Il was something al and
than by any OF the other drls that have Jet taken
place.
and then another drill aboard the Dale with spars.
Here, again, am at q loss to give description.
/ Dut can only say that Mnen tney commenced the
Dale was fnll-rgged ship, apparently all ready
for sea, and when they got to work she seemed to
is TO pieces as If by magic, and IN an incredibly
snort space OF time looked like an old hulk that
had been sa u for ~ Then my went ant a.
| was again trim, iuILrigged ship as when they
began. 1t was . wonderful and, to landsman.
an incomprehensible proceeding. This was fol.
lowed by short drill or practice with the Thirty
ton mortar on the sea wall and, that concluded,
the well tired boys were dismissed for the day.
Everybody seems delighted with all these exer-
| cises A wonderful degree Of proficiency is ex-
hbited and the beauty OF 1t Ia that everything Is
done apparently without enort-a sure s,gn OF
thorough discipline and efficient instruction.
But little remains now to complete the ex-
animation exercises. 1t Is supposed that every
thing viii DO ready SO that the first class may
graduate on Saturday The other midshipmen
Will 60 aboard the practice ship, for their sum-
mer's cruise, early next week, and then the
Academy win relapse into quiet for the summer.
Not into absolute quiet, however for on the 9th
proxinlo board will convene for the examination
ado4oa lox a1lxrin frf lacA naasa~