New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-02
CADETS ON THE RACK.
ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS AT THE MILITARY
ACADEMY BEGUN.
ASTONISHING PROFICIENCY OF THE YOUNG
WARRIORS IN THE ART OF wAR-yICE-


WARRIORS IN THE ART OF wAR-vIcE-
PRESIDENT MORTON PRESENT DURING
THE DAY-HEAvY GUNS WAKE THE
ECHOES OF WEST POINT.
West Point June fspecaD.--The first day Of the an
nuaI examinations has been OF interest. Secretary
Proctor left the grounds last night. But Senator Pugh
of Alabama in tall white hat, stepped out OF the
omnibus from the noon train, accompanied by senator
Henderson At O'Clock salute OF twenty-one
guns announced the arrival Of VicePresdent Morton
who drove up to tho hotel in true democratic fashion, IN
an open carriage with two Of his daughters Another
seventeen guns fired to celebrate the dignity OF
the Board Of Visitors, and the afternoon wound mp
with review Of the cadets and reception NJ Coiohei
Wilson'S The weather superb. A light breeze
tempered the suns heat. Although the cannonading
induced portentous gathering Of clouds no rain fell
to spoil anybOdy's pleasure. The scene al inc ai'cr-
noon review the green parade, with the waving Vi
coored pumes and the flashing OF bayonets was sur
fclently brilliant, and no setting could have been
more imposing than that Of tho row OF leafy ems anu
the broad forestclad mountain in the rear
Tie sixty-fve asprants for shoulder straps WHO arc
now furnishing final proofs OF their fitness began their
day with the usual revee at quarter to TINS morn
ing Halt an hour later they ate breakfast IN 'He
picture hung messhall and then. with the eAcepuo
those detailed for guard duty, snatched last hurrieu
glimpse OF textbooks preparatory To reporting or .e
first davis examination. The dread ordeal began win
military precision at 0 O'Clock As the bugle sounoeu'
the examiners and cadets entered by different doors Ce
casellacd library building With the red cupola ana the
muioned windows The library in which the hrss
class examinations are held is a long and lofty roo'
with groined ceiling The galleries and the "ellnned
bookcases arc all Of light oak Fun length portraits IN oil
nv Suly of Jefferson and Monroe ana otlers
Of former superintendent and professors hang
nd
marble and bronze busts OF Washington, Napoleon
sheridan and other generals occupy available mches'
The examiners, gorgeous In blue and gold, TOOK uier
seats at semcirce Of desks with that OF the super
lntendent in the middle on carpeted dals Coiohei
Wilson wore his gded shoulderknot and belt ana paccd
his cooked hat and sword the desk before him. Az
his right and left Colonel Peter g. Mchie professor
of Natural and Experimental Philosophy Chaplain Will
lam NJ Postethwaite LieutenantCoonel james Mercur'
professor Of Civil and Military Engineering Judge
Advocate John W. Cous professor OF Law, and Colonel
Hamilton S. Hawkins, commandment OF cadets Ihese
gentlemen constitute the first committee OF the Academic
BOARD. Lieutenant Joseph +. Kuhn, Of the Corps OF
roneers who Is also an Instructor engineering.
present and asked questions. Arranged In semi
circle in front of the examiners were several
immense states on tall easels. The first batch OF
cadets clean-shaven, In gray fulldress tunics very
tight fitting with vertical rows OF brass ball buttons ana
clawhanmer tails white duck trousers and white gloves
were noted the subjects assigned them. Lieutenant
Francis J. Herman OF the 2lst Infantry acted as secc-
tary. and yelow-plumef and braided orderly lowered
without
The candidates are bright intelligent youths, with
broad chests erect figures and good voices Ihe real
work began when Colonel Wilson called the names OF
those at the foot Of the class Their owners stepped
thereupon forward and wrote IN chalk on te sHtes thr
names their problems, and notes OF their answers &c
,,,ftft
IN turn TO stand before the blackboard and deliver
ten-mnute Grafton on the specified topic, accompanied
with explanatory references to maps or drawings Iher
ready speech and copios information were alike aston
ishng once or twice. indeed, funess OF his subject
carried away an Jealous speaker into discussions
Of sidessues that called forth check from the gded
gentlemen at the desks. But for the most part the an
swers were erse and to the point and although one or
two Of the lads looked nervous and hemmed and hawed
little nobody broke down failed to demonstrate that
his hesitation not due to Ignorance when the e4-
arniners piled them with questions AS each told ali
that was required OF him. Colonel Wilson said formally
You may retire. SIR" and the relieved aspirnt passed
out to wonder whether lie had done himself full usuce
and scored a high number OF marks.
Today's subject was engineering the most difficult
branch of military science, and the themes involved
the possession OF mine of accurate technical hlor
nation. one OF the questions read, "Descnoe the
construction Of shafts and galleries by frame ana
sheetng" Others were follows: Describe fascne'
gabion sandbag sod and timber revetments" DE-
scribe the general features OF modern detached fort as
respects garrison and armament" One ready youth,
asked TO recount Napoleons adventures in the Cam
paTgn OF 1906, produced @ map OF Northern Italy ana
reeed of statistics concerning the Army OF Italy ana
its achievements, tracing the erect on Subsequent
movements OF the affair at Lodi, and demonstrating
the importance of minor victories, with gbness that
would have nonplussed Kingake or Napier. Another
narrated with minute detail the story OF the battle
between Hood and schoheld, at Franklin, Tenn An
exponent Of the method of defending villages discussed
the relative merits Of barrtcades and temporary
keeps and vulnerablty OF ordinary frame houses,
and another showed that eahen barbettes are cheap
md especially adapted to elevated coast sites. though
the gllnners need shelter from the machine gun hre
from ships tops which is hard to silence business
like cadet sergeant asked to define plan for the de-
fence Of woods sketched comprehensive plan on the
big slate in white and yellow chas, feed huge trees
for abatts oonst acted redoubts and posted infantry
to harry the enemy with crossfre.
"Wouldnt your earthworls interfere with the acton
Of your big gunsl" asked one Of the catechlzers
"Not as have arranged them," replied the budding
Marlborough, and he modestly explained how utterly
hopeless misguided foe would find an attempted
assault.
The cadets OF the highest standing will be tested IN
engineering tomorrow with still more difficult prob
ems The other classes were examined to-day In other
subjects OF the course
little before Mr.. Morton arrived from Ellerslle
by the Albany daybOat BY that time the Board OF
Visitors had organized with Senator Henderson as
president and Major Carson as secretary Judge Way
mire of California is the only absentee After the
Board had officially advised Colonel Wilson OF its
presence he acknowledged the intimaton by note and
soon after called with his staff above whom aOurshed
the dangling yellow plume Of the tall and gallant
adjutant. Soon after the Academy band, headed by
a tall drum-maor in an enormous bearskn, marched
out with shining instruments into the centre Of the
green plateau behind the flagstaff. The cadets
presently followed In platoons, arrayed in gray and
white, with bayonets fixed. Then the arterymen
began an ear-sptting salute from battery Of field
pieces on tho hight, sending white cloud and smell
OF gunpowder 70 emphasize the warlke aspect of the
parade ground. The cadets drew up in line company
SFFMY SP0NTF2