The New York herald., 1874-05-27
TEE UHITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY
The Annual Examination
Continued.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTITUTION.

UhSUhI l1UN VI LID 1N0111 1lON.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, May %, 1874
From the hustle OF busy broadway to the quiet
OF antiquated Annapolis Is a transition not calcu-
lated to give one very favorable impression OF
this long-hnshed city, Here a perpetual Sabbath
seems to reign; grass grows in the streets, and
the very houses have sleepy look as II bricks and
mortar were TO some degree susceptible to the
somnolent influences OF the atmosphere. Nor is
this supernatural stiffness the only disagreeaoe
feature or the city. The flthiness oil many OF its
streets will remind the New Yorker OF the short
comings OF the "Street Cleaning Bureau" OF his
own metropolis, while the vile stenches at almost
every corner must be smelt to be appreciated.
Bu., fortunately there is haven OF refuge not
far distant. Enter the broad iron gateway at the
foot oil Maryland avenue. passing the sodierly
marine, who with bright musket guards
the entrance, and You are in new
world. scene, indeed, of beauty
is before you. broad expanse of
emerald lawn stretches away to the shsres OF the
4 Severn; winding walks tempt you to stroll under
shady trees; fountains cool the air and glisten in
the sun, and everything is deliciously fresh and
green and beautiful. And this is our Naval Acad-
emy, lust now completing the first quarter OF
century Of ts existence, during which time it has
been doing Its important work quietly that half
the people in the country hardly know to-day
where it is or what the objects 1t is intended to
accomplish SO little, indeed, is known of this in
stitution by the public in general that brief
description Of some OF It's
MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES
may not prove unlnteresting to the readers Of the
HERALD.
Let us imagine ourselves within an enclosure of
some fifty acres, bounded on two sides by a sub
stantal wall and on the other two by the Severn
River and the harbor Of Annapolis. That large,
handsome building surmounted by the clock
tower, is the new building for mdshpmen's quar-
ters built in 1870 1t 100 dormlto
ries, recitation rooms hall, offices for ''Com-
andant OF Midshipmen" and "Officer in Charge"
and kitchen and laundry the basement. 1t is
4 heated by steam and lighted by gas throughout.
Just TO the left Of this building stands the hos
\ pltal This has accommodations for twelve or
fourteen patients only, and when any Of the cadets
are seriously sick or likely to be long Ill they are
sent to the large hospital across the creek on
| Strawberry Hill. Beyond the hospital stretches
| long row OF handsome houses, occupied by the
officers and professors attached TO the academy.
This Is of1cially known as 'Oflcers' row." but the
cadets have irreverently named it "Rascalty
row." and as such 1t Is generally known. Passing
down this row we come to the new chapel. very
neat and commOdlOus building. Within on the
walls are tablets to various graduates OF the acad-
emy who have lost their lives in the service Of the
others. Among them is one to Lieutenant Ia bot,
who, 1t will be remembered, took the perilous
search OF aid Tor his shIpwrecked comrades on
ocean Island, after the loss Of the Sag.
while attempting to land on one OF the
Sandwich Islands. Beyond the. chapel stands
Of but now wn
! the academic limits and used as library. Here
the students and odcers me have Iree access to ane
to which considerable additions are yearly made.
Turning now TO the left we pass along ia 'front.' of
and known as the "AdmiraIs row,n from the TACT
that the Superintendent's house is at its FARTHER
end. These buildings were the quarters OF the
officers OF the port when 1t belonged to the army
and was known as Fort severn. Being useless to
the army it was turned over to the navy in lS45.
aud then was established the germ from which the
present magnificent institution has sprung. Pass
ing the Admirars house and crossing the scrupu-
row Of buildings built Tor midshipmens quar-
IN un 1885, the nd SsesS O5 a ans
one. They are now Occupied by the cadet en-
na g 1 S Fo1 ana
used as a gymnasium and ballroom. The grim
cannon tnat once peered from It's ports have been
removed, the strains OF the waltz and galop are
heard instead VI their roar and the evoutiOns Of
the soldiers have given place to
That million of wondrous mazss,
| The German cotilon
Near the gymnasium is large green space de-
voted to the display Of
in the shape OF captured guns, shot, torpedoes and
the ike. From this point also wharf projects
into the Severn moored to the extremity Of which
lie the Dale. used for practical exercises in sea-
manship, and the gunnery practice ship, the
1u &c onn si We sp1s os sn the @
row OF "Old Duildlngs,n where stands the old mess
hall, now used as the ''seamanship ROOM" Within
TINS are to be seen mO0elS OF Almost every ship
that has ever been In the navy, as well as Others,
going away back to the infancy OF naval architec-
ture. Here also is perfect working model
1Orty or fifty feet long, Of modern man Of war,
with sails and rigging complete. while on the walls
are specimens OF the various sorts OF rope used In
the service tied into the thousand and one intricate
knots and spices that are at once the delight OF
the sailor and the confusion OF the andsman. The
entrance to this room Is guarded by CerDerus in
the shape Of a ferocious locking wooden lion, with
1872, having been taken from the Parliament
House at Toronto, when that place was captured
eral Dearborn and Commodore Chauncey The
greater part OF the trophies OF that war, however
are to be seen I'll IN the o!d chapel, now the "gun
the ships captured in that conflict
Tatiered and torn and hanging in rags
They are still eloquent evidences OF the prowess of
our little navy, showing now 1t wrested victory
from an arrogant Toe by the force OF pure pluck
kened old England from her dream OF supremacy
on the sea and revolutionlzed European ideas OF
naval warfare in manner hardly less sudden and
den in the little Monitor Stl other relics OF this
war may be seen in the shape OF two large guns
guns were on board the Confiance, the English
flag ship, In the battle OF Lake Champain. Con-
cerninK tnS Lerrlnc ngnt, IL Is recorded tnat on
board the Confiance at the close OF the engage
ment. there was mot single gun, stanchlOn or
other stationary object on her deck that was not
marked by shot" These two guns cOrrObOrate
this statement, Tor both bear scars, and one OF
them possesses an unusually tragic history. 1t Is
marked squarely on the muZzle by a shot which
during the heat OF the action struck 1t and
Knocked 1t or Its carriage. AS 1t fell 1t caught the
English commander, Captain Downie, beneath IL,
killing him Instantly
And now would like to take my readers back to
| THE GUNNERY ROOM
and show them the beautiful models OF all the guns
used in the service, from the little howitzer to
| the gigantic sshftean inch and all the hraa IN.