New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-04
GALA DAYS AT WEST POINT,
EXERCISES AT THE MILITARY ACADEMY.
EXAMINATIONS AND EXHIBITION DRILLS OF THE
FIRST NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. nv MFMpvpau,p

EXAMINATIONS AND EXHIBITION DRILLS OF TIL.
FIRST wEEK-DEFICrENcIEs IN MEMBERsHrp-.
DIFFICULTIES IN REACHING THE POST.
| lPRoS SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRrBUxEI
WEST POINT, June 3.-What goeth on az
West Point at PRESENT. For the cadets the examina
tons are the principal thing For the visitors the day,
interest eliminates at $780, when they witness BIT Of
mimic war in the drilling; and sprinkled In between
these are mild frtaons on the verandah OF the hotel
| and long str0lls through the beautiful Lovers,
Walk" now approaching and recedlng from
| the waters edge In the woods beneath the cliff
| The Post is now at its loveest. The graystone build
ngs take added dignity seen through the green
uxurian foliage that CIRCLES the broad plateau while TO
the north the sunshine gns the white sails OF slOops
descending the OF the river between frOwn
ing Crow's-nest and Breakneck, and the water
yet seeming enough TO toss stone, the massive
verdure-cad hills stretch in q long line to the east.
ward Nature has done everything to embellisn this.
the loyeest spot the beautiful HudsOn but just now
man is doing q great deal to make the inhab-
tants OF this spot particularly miserable. OF course
| reference is made TO the members OF the examining
committees, who well under way in their annual task
OF putting the cadets upon the rack Reyee breakfast
and examinations from until and until 5-that is
| the programme for the cadets aud how a en-.
Joy his breakfast when he IA to be led out the next mo-
to be decapitated by solar parallax, to be
pended from the hypothcnuse OF rightanged triangle
to be set up peacemaker to reconcile the differ
ence OF the sine OF and the cosine Of
| The Academic Board has been divided into com.
mees The first consists OF Professors Peter s. Miohe
| Junius b. Wheeler Guido n. Leber, Samuel
| T.. Tilman and the instructors in ord.
nance and military engineering This committee
sta in line on one side OF the library,
viewed sternly by the counterfeit presentments OF
rous distinguish warriors whose portraits look down
from among the Of books TO the left sits platoon
Of very meek-looking cadets in full dress Of gray
| sh.fr IL L.,
cased in white gloves carefully folded, while in front
| are blackboards which the cadets proceed 10 cover
with hierogyphcs, and with fearful and wonderful
diagrams which pass all understanding. In the back
| ground are brightly dressed and sympathetic ladies,
dapper young leuteDants, and wiselOoking captains
and majors; for there few here without
| claim TO gold lace and official designation General
Howard notable by his strong Unmarked face, empty
aud the cascades OF gtterng bullion on his shout
ders, sits in the middle Of the examiners In Room OF
the Academic Building the cadets are neatly vVisected
by second committee composed OF Professors Parice
de Janon, George L. Andrews. Charles W. Larned and
Edgar w. Bass Lieutenant Colonel Henry NJ Lazele and
the Rev. John Forsyth, Professor Of History and Chap
lain OF the Post
The Board of Visitors with the exception OF the Con-
gressmen arrived here on Thursday, although their
official reception took place yesterday, The members
are as follows: Appointed by the President OF tho
limited states-Genera Horace Porter president New
York. T. G. Chapman (secretary), Wisconsin; Clifton H.
Moore esq, Illinois, General Morris schaf, Massachu
sets the Hon. ]. ID. Timan, Tennessee; ]. b. Treat,
esq., Wisconsin; the Hon. Marcus L. Ward, NewJersey.
Appointed by the President OF the Senate
the Hon BENJAMIN Harrison, Indiana James L. Pugh.
Alabama Appointed by the Speaker OF The House Ot
Rppresentatives-the Hon. Joseph c. :. Blackburn,
Kentucky the Hon. John Ii. Camp, New-iork; the Hon.
The Board held session OF two this afternoon,
questioning General Howard in regard TO the general
management Of the Department, and soliciting sugges
tons Two members OF the Board, Nests Pugh, Oh
mat something should be done ill up the ranks OF the
corps OF cadets, which now numbers l9O and when ul
enough to ill the vacancies that occur IN tue Army Out
OF 100 At the start the second class now numbers
only forty, class having been thus reduced by DELL
One member of the Board suggested that applications
for admission and examinations be continued during the
summer months, but, it Is understood. the Academic
Board is opposed to that course. ,-.....,.. .vh,J
There have been thus far three interesting exDlO.
tions in drilling. On Thursday the cadets minpuiated
t te Sot These consisted of two s-inch ried guns
lOlncn Isodnan, 15-iDch smoOthbore and a Is men
mortar. The shot, weighing 400 pounds for the l9nca
smoothbore 80 pounds for the rifles, were handed
by the aid Of taOns which to the Lay mind suggest ce
tong, and Of the cranes attached to each gun MOI ING
least attractive part Of the spectacle was the groups
ladiesperched among the green foliage tha eohceaea
the gray rocks OF the elm IN the rear nesernay u.9
was grand review, and this afternoon the cavalry drl
took place on the parade ground ana the yonns iei,
lows evnced fine command OF tnelr spirited I1rses As
they charged down the field in unbroken lines, or
Jumped the hurdles after another thoroughly en-
loving their exciting game OF follow tne leader luis
evening exhibition OF fencing IN the fene-
ing Academy winch maze very HleIcsni5 0oao ~ NV
next week come infantry drill on Monday, siege bat.
! tcrv drill Tuesday, spar bridge and pontOon
ddriI On Wednesday, wta military eynnastes in
the evening cavalry drill on thursday with exercises
in the Riding Hall in the evening" hglt battery drui
on Friday and battalion drill on Saturday
with night practice with mortars anu ii, a
display of bombs in the evening. On Friday ngLt wiz
be the annual hop Of the graduating class the great iea
ture of year for the cadets, and for which UNUSUAL
occur on ' Prer and Coop EIwe : ot. Ok
fhf I'm I'm
utant"denera Drum aud Colonel Grant viii present
Last the list the Register Of 1851 appears me
OF Johnson Whitaker, with the following notes
c GRlIS4''J January H. 1879. Reeom%ended By
Academic Board to l be discharged ard AG Se
further nr.I orders" Letters have been received
from about lGo applicants for admission to the Academy
100 vacancies III the csoet corps ,,,,.A.
new object OF sightseeing has been added to the at
fractions OF the Post In the great tunheI Oh Tue 49,
| York. Ontario aid Western hallway, when Is pen5
and parade ground On the southeast tne ehTncG b
by the river side, the ferry landing ahu on tuo
house of the post 1he rocky arch Of the tunnel as
yet left in the fantastic irregular shapes III Mcn S S
the exception Of few places where oIlck"olk ns 80
built up TO keep out the wafer when eonstahty ma
down from above. and the frOwLlng portals reninu e
visitors of 10 the HGosao Tunnel IN has%
for distance OF from 300 to feet through
solid rock either end nearly 800 rect remain IA 'uo
centre made up Of sand, progress through WHICH "
When this tunnel il finished 1t Is TO be hoped that west
Point will rendered easy and cheaper OF access
Al present IL il not only matter OF time but mohe! "
reach or return from the Post. Examination week
Is almost the only harvest time for the hanseIsoh o. w
post and they act accordingly Leaving the train AZ
GarisOns YOU possess your soul In what patience w
NAV until the clumsy old ferryOO Ut 10 START ana
Won nav il cents for an ferriage across te
river Then other side you pay 20 cents iOr tne
privilege crOwdng INFO omnibus ana riding ny .so
hill to Post On the return tue ferry boat caves ,no
landing the Post nearly three-quarters VI an hVui
fore train time and voyages down TO CranstOh ans
thence back and across the river TO GarrsOns, gNpe
long opportunity for a sail a. the particular une nn
the passengers anxious 10 Do else"hss,.
IL Is necessary 10 leave the fost yu''
when the evening drill is beginning as The $40 eApio
no longer stOps at CarrisOns and the last Tram 49,.
are the inconvenience atteuulns