New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-24
THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
A RECOMMENDATIONS That THE TERM BE SHORT

ENID TO POUR YEARs-THR MARINE CORP.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 23Nearly all OF the annual report
OF Commander w. T. Sampson. Superintendent OF the
United States Naval Academy. is devoted to argument
in support of proposed change In the academic
He calls attention 10 the fact that the first four years OF
the devoted chiefly to good general edu
cation the technical beginning in the fourth year
and continuing in professional line through the fifth and
sixth years. during which naval cadets serve on board
cruising vessels Under the act of Augusta 1882. says
the the selection Of cadets for the several
naval corps cannot be made until the completion Of the
sixth year the Under this system those cadets
who appointed assistant engineers upon their final
graduation diverted during the last three of the
from the exclusive study OF those subjects which
pertain to the Office and duty OF the naval engineer
and they are instead. compelled to devote
great part OF their time lies connected with another
branch OF the naval service which hoy do not eventually
Join After expressing the opinion that the beginning or
the fourth year the pero which the cadets should
he assigned TO different branches Of the service the
superintendent says the that led Congress to in
crease the from four TO six longer exists
since the number OF appointments has since been re-
stcted by law TO the aggregate number OF vacancies
occurring each year the corps to which appointments
are made.
II shown that the OF each class to the academy
for final examination the country $l2 900 annually
without any advantage thererom in the of cadets
hOnOably discharged after the cruise lie holds that the
final examination IL unnecessary as III IL similar III CHAR
acter to that which ensgns must pass before promotion
The superntend says From these considerations 1t
seems advisable that the course at sea OF naval
cadets should be abolished. The country obtains at
the end OF the four years course all the advantages
which now from that OF six years The
average age cadets at the endofthe four course Is
about wenty-One II is my opinion tha those VINO
selected for appointment to the Navy are htted 70
begin Mt their work In the
md should commissioned at that time in the
lowest grade OF the corps TO which they shall be APP
pointed IL also shown that under the existing system
where Congressional districts restricted to one
candidate six third Of the boys are never
eligible for admission to the Naval Academy While re-
duction from six to four would give each
Congressional district the appointment OF cadet once IN
instead OF in six and all the boys or
the country would be eligible at time.
TouchIS the last annual examinations OF candidates
for admission the academy, the superintendent says
that when they completed eghtysx candidates had
passed the required examination and were entered as
cadets; the total number who had reported for examlna
ton In both May and September being 1913.
The annual report OF Colonel c. c. McCawley com
mandant Of United States Marine Corps states that
on October there 1885 enlisted men in the corps
9s9 whom board ships In commission, and 500
doing duty at the several shore stations