St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-12
West Point Gets Such an
Overhauling as 1t Hasn't
Had for Years.
Recommendation That Pro-
fessors Of Languages Be
Able to Speak Them.
Shot at the System Of APP
pointing Only Military
Men as Professors.
Suggestion That Cadets Learn
Something About Taking
Care Of Horses.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE secretary
of war has received the report of the
board of visitors to the military acad-
envy at West Point through Maj. Gen.
Carson, of this city, member of the
board and its secretary, by whom the
document was prepared. This report
is a very elaborate and compre
hensive paper, covering upward of
100 pages of print, and treat
ing the subjects discussed in a
novel and striking manner. The
first question considered by the
board was whether or not the strength
of the corps of cadets as now estab-
lished should be increased. The board
agreed to recommend the passage of an
act fixing the strength at maximum of
469. The board recommends that in ad-
dition to the present allotment of one
cadet to each representative and dele
gate in congress, two cadets be allowed
to each state at large, to be nominated
by the senators respectively, and
that the president be author
lied to nominate from the country at
large twenty. The board calls atten-
tion to the inefficiency of the present
preliminary examinations, as shown by
the failure to graduate more than 80 per
cent of the cadets admitted. AS show
ing the merit of the competitive system
of selecting candidates for appointment,
the board presents tables to show that
under
The Competitive System
60 per cent graduated and 40 failed to
graduate, while of those appointed di-
rect only AZ per cent graduated and IS
per cent failed. The board strongly
condemns the practice of filling the
professorships at the academy entirely
with army officers. They might, it is
SAID. properly hold such places as have
intimate relation with the science of
war, but otherwise the deficiency
in English is said to be
envy, and it is urgently recon-
ended that more attention be given to
the subject. In this connection the
board says very pOintedly: None of
the instructors of modern languages
have speaking knowledge of either
French or Spanish, the two modern
languages taught at the academy. The
ability to speak these languages does
not seem to be regarded as essential in
an instructor at West Point" The
board says: "While the corps of ca
diets is thoroughly instructed in all
field movements, certain details are
omitted from the scheme of military in
struction to which we respectfully di-
rect the attention of the proper author
tiles. In the school of the soldier,
mounted. the cadet receives no instruc-
ton in the care of horses. He never
sees horse gro0med, and knows moth
ing about saddling and bridlirg, unless
he obtained such information before
entering the academy. 1t seems to the
board that instruction OH these points
is essential Again the board directs
attention to the utter lack of proper
arms and equipment for field exercises,
and particularly to the need for
Modern Ordnance.
Having in view the failures of former
appeals, the board says: "Until the
government can supply the academy
with modern guns TO take the place of
the antiques now in use III the Seacoast
and siege batteries, we recommend that
these two worse than useless batteries
he dismantled, and that wooden guns
fashioned after the latest approved
models, and furnished with modern car
riages and cranes, be mounted in their
stead. Such course would not
avert the ridicule to which the United
States is subjectedby maintaining obso-
lete armament in these two batteries for
the instruction of future officers, but it
would furnish evidence that our mill
tary men are cogniZant of the fact that
progress has been made in the fabrica-
ton of great guns, and that they
fully appreciate the value of the
improvements. In addition to these,
wooden models of modern fashion
would at least give the cadets an idea
of the kind of guns likely to be used i'll
war and of the methods employed i'll
serving them" The members of the
board are Senators Henderson and
Pugh, Representative Burrows, of Mich
igan; Scranton, of Pennsylvania, and
Lanham, of Texas, in addition to the
following-named gentlemen appointed
by the president: Rev. Frank O'Brien,
Kalamazoo, Mich; Col j. T. Murfe,
Marion, Ala; James Wavmiere. San
Francisco; Gen. John NJ. Carson, Wash
ington, d. c.; David Bayne, Elmira; G..
Foil Spehck, Burlington. VT; and Hon.
Robert o. Fuller, Cambridge, Mass.