The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-02
WEST POINT.
The Rropossi 20 Iscrease the Number OF
Cadets Now Fixed BY the Statutes.

The Rropopai 20 Iscrease tho Number oi
Cadets Now Fixed BY the Statutes.
| WASHINGTON, March 1.-The House. in it,
recent consideration OF the Military Academy
Appropriation bill. confined itself. as usual. te
items Of routine supply But the Senate
which is next to take up the measure. may
perhaps find an opportunity for discussing
| some OF the more general proposals made ~
the last Board OF Visitors.
This Board. Of which Senator Henderson
was President and Major Corson Secretary
| made special study of the possibilities Of in
crcasing the number OF cadets at West Point
without greatly increasing tho cost OF educat-
| Ing them. Within the last twelve months
more than twenty Second Lieutenants of the
| limo have been appointed from civil life.
whereas the Same places would have been
filled by lads equipped with four years
training at West Point had the graduating
class OF last June been sufficiently large.
The strength Of the corps as fixed by law.
giving one cadet to each Congress district. one
to each Territory. one to tho District OF Co.
lumbia, and ten to the United States ut large.
would now be BAT. But at the time spoken Of
In the Boards report. which has recently been
printed in full for the use of Congress. this
strength was actually only 2s6. and deducting
the cadet from Nicaragua and the one from
Switzerland II was but pa. How such a de-
fciency happens can best be explained by the
illustration used by the Board. Upon the
graduation Of last years class there were 100
vacancies TO be filed. Seventeen Congress
districts made no appointment whatever. or
the 13S principals who were appointed nine
did not report for examination. while OF the
129 who did report 50 could not pass the ex-
aminations. SO that 80 only were admitted.
Again. only "a nlternates had been appointed.
and OF these only 20 reported. and not one in
three secured admission after examination. so
that 81 cadets entered the class in place Of the
100 allowed by the law.
This sort Of deficiency IL repeat ed year after
year. and it is very remarkable that there
should be so many instances of failure to use
the patronage enjoyed by members of ton-
Eress in this particular. even apart from TIL"
considerations OF the public good. We're the
full number Of fairly competent alternates
appointed. and should fair proportion pre-
sent themselves for examination. the maxi
mum number Of cadets could be relied upon.
save for the casualties occurring during any
given Year OF the course. The opportunity
afforded % ambitious lads of free education
at West Point with maintenance and poker
in civil lfe should induce them 10 stir up their
congressman to use these opportunities
However the Board decided in view Of past
experience. that it was useless merely TO rec
1mment To- C1nEressmen closer attshtlo mo 10
posal to increase the legal maximum OF the
corps by fully one,third. s.that with the pres
cnt rate OF net deficiency there might still be
from $50 TO $40 cadets at the Academy instead
Of 2s4.as recently. Thenew apportionment in
Congress will give, 1861 instead, Of 81 cadets.
Finally. the res i dent ailowants might be
would be 4U3 and this is what the Board rec
ommends. Col. Wilson. the ,Surrrintendent.
reports that the Academy could easily care for
4O2 cadets. with the detail OF a few more OIL
GERS AS instructors. and the erection OF few
addoTa for Their s
which will accommodate 4lG cadets. Judging
from past experience the actual number with
n maximum Of 400 would not exceed 4lG and
might be fifty less.
Since. this project Of increase affects the, Sen
s TINS G2' nry ynke fhs If fs
effect. Still. the Board of Visitors. whose work
of inspection was most noticeable. and whose
report contains eloquent as We'll as instructive
ton Of its plans: As 70 the exrense; the chief
IN. cadets. SO that the addition proposed IN
their numbers must involve cons derahle in
Grease in the annual an anproprlation hi!l.
t"nnnccs last year was the exceptional result
Of an exceptional series Of retiromcnts. created
by special Legislation. and will not be repeated.
The next graduating class. together with N:
promoted non commissioned officers. may ill!
the vacancies for the coming summer Almost
should always be some vacancies I" encourage
men Of the best stampto enlist in the hope Of
promotion To n commission.
Should pending projects. however for the in
crease Of the number "t army officers be car
ricd out. the full plan OF tn" Boar! might Very
wei! come into play. As the cas-" stands. the
coming increas" Of app. tntmcnts thruughth.
new apportinument Of Representatives. with
an increase Of thu President Appointments to
20. would furnish a considerable addition To
the number of cadets. particularly should the
Boards recommendations rs to scuSouahlo
appointments and examinations i'll various
method Of securing hereafter n greater APP
Proclamation IL the number Of cadets which
the existing law contemplateS * the moderate
one recommended .y the Academic Board.
which j. that OF having the President nom
mate ten cadets each year instead OF ten
during four years. That would b" rcStUra-
ton OF the practice in vogue upto 1873.