The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-25
WEST POINTS ACADEMY.
THE REPORT OF THE BOARD OF
VISITORS.


a Recommendation That the Corps
of Cadets be Kept Nearer the Maxi
mum Allowed by Law-Restoration
of the Right OF Presidential Appoint
ment Also Recommended.
WASHINGTON, July 24-The report OF
the board Of visitors to tho United States
Military Academy at West Point has been
received by the Secretary of War. 1t is
signed by the full board. as follows: Gen.
Felix Agnus, president; Col John W
Lindsey, vice president; Gen. Lucius Fair
child, A. J. Cassatt, Gen. Samuel Dalton,
Hon. A. V. Hovey, Senator ]. Donald
| Cameron, Senator NJ. C. Butler, Hon.
| Joseph A. Outhwaite. Hon. J. A Gsissen-
hsiner, Hon. j. A. I. Hull, and Capt. AL
fred NJ. Ogle. secretary. The report enters
fully into details and the needs of the
academy.
It says the maximum capacity of the in
| stitution is 500 cadets, but TO increase the
corps to this number would require an in-
creased detail Of officers According to the
| law of appointments, the maximum num-
| Der is 347 cadets, but as many Of those ap-
| pointed fail the corps numbers only $50,
exclusive OF two foreigners now at the
| academy.
FOUR HUNDRED CAN BE ACCOMMODATED.
The board believes 400 can be aocommo-
| dated aud instructed with no further ex-
penses for buildings or instructors. The
! board thinks the academy should be kept up
to its full working capacity. 1t recommends
that representatives in appointing young
| men name two substitutes, so that in case the
| first fails there would be practical certainty
| of filing the vacancy. OF the 205 young men
| appointed for the March examinations only
| eighty-hve passed and received certificates
| of admission. 1t is recommended that the
| law be changed so as to restore to the Pres
ident of the United States the right to ap-
point at large ten young men annually In
addition to the representation fixed by law.
In discipline and instruction the board res
| ports satisfactory results.
STUDY OF THE LANGUAGES.
The value of French is indorsed, but some
doubt is expressed as to the wisdom of the
relief time given to Spanish.
The board vigorously attacks the present
use Of horses for both cavalry and ar
| tillery service, as each service unfits the
animals for the other. Itreoonmends that
fifty additional horses be purchased, or that
| a light battery be stationed at the post. II
says the heavy ordnance in use at the
academy is obsolete aud dangerous, and
| that since 1876 three guns have burst and 1t
recommend the addition of new ordnance
and models.
The board asks congress to appropriate
$4,000 for improvement OF the lighting of
the barracks.
A PROFESSOR TO TRAVEL.
| The opinion is expressed that 1t would be
we'll for professor from one of the depart
ments every year TO travel and investigate
the methods of civil aud military schools in
this country and Europe. in order to intro
duce what Is best at West Point academy
This academy, the board says, is undoubt-
edly the greatest military school in the
world, and everything should be done TO
maintain its efficiency.
The board pleads earnestly for libsrality
in the governments appropriations and as
serts that the academy was never more use
full to the country than it is to-day. 1t be-
lieves that the superintendent should not be
changed every four years. and il indorses
the present management. The board calls
attention 20 the fact that the influences OF
| the academy have been OF the utmost value
in the material development of the country
in addition to It's splendid history as the
nations great school Of military science.