The sun., 1893-11-29
VEST POINT.
The Suggestion That tho Number of Cadets
should Be Increased.

should He increased.
WASHINGTON. Nov 29--The question whether
the number OF cadets at tho Military Academy
should be Increased Is revived by the annual
report OF the superintendent. now made pub
lie. He recommends somo addition. such. per-
haps. as would result from appointing two
cadets from each State. to be nominated by its
Senators. This would enlarge by no fewer than
lightweight the present m axiinum.
Turning to the figures in the report OF Col.
Ernst, 1t appears that the number of cadets
present and absent Sept. }. 1893. was BIZ in
cluding three foreigners receiving instruction
by special authority OF Congress. The num-
Der on sept !. 1892. had boen 2B0. including
two foreigners. During the year 4 were dis
charged for disability and Ia for deficiency in
studies. while IL resigned and 81 graduated.
There were admitted In all at tho three exami-
nations held in March. June. and August. 10S.
including two foreigners 1t In shown clearly.
says the superintendent. that 1t is not practi-
cable to Keep the number OF cadets up to tho
maximum authorized by law. and that there
will always be vacancies. Tho number now
authorized is 371 emitting the foreigners.
being an excess OF 56 above the number
actually belonging to the Academy.
One source OF current increase. however. is
that which results from the additional mum Ser
Of Representatives to Congress authorized
under the last census. by the existing law
each Congress district. each Territory. and
the District Of Columbia may have one cildet
at the Academy: and there are also ten ap-
the President. There has been an increa 80 OF
twenty.four in the number OF cadets allowed
at M West s Point simply by this increase in the
mistaken impression has been derived. the
effects OF this increase are yet to be full = felt
in the total number Of cadets at the AcaCEemy
II so. there is some addition to be expected
from this source to the corps as existing to-
crease OF - through giving an SppoSntine l
power to the Senators.
posed policy OF increase. One is that OF eS-
pense. and the present Is not favorab 10 time
aS E 2s G% "A An hP
fact that Larger number OF cadets ould be
accommodated in the present recitation N rooms
and with n2 increase in the numher of pro-
fessors. Stih. the chief expense is that OF
maintenance and the added number OF cadets
would bring its extra cost for food. 'tothing.
pay. and 30 ON.
Another and perhaps the chief cons liberation
cadets to I'LL the vacancies annually occurring
in the army. On this point there c kn be no
doubt. Every year there is more or less anx-
iety as to whesher there will be enough vacan-
cies for the graduating class. and for the
Second LieHtenancies after examin Atom ~
During the present year. for exam pile. no ap-
Of cyans to the lin. have been
next June Besides While /. .ns thas esSs fss
ates aud prom oted enlisted men W ere Supplied
with them. yet this result was on! = reached by
appointing large number of ad nitional Sec
ond Iieutenants in the engineers, the cavalry
tlons called for
But while II Is thus clear that no more cadets
are needed for flling vacancies In the army
the tendency to give officers dut y not strictly
connected with their commands, such. for ex-
ample. as the instruction OF ,5oIleges and
schools IN military tactics and the charge OF
Indian agencies. might justify ONE Increase
In the number OF additional Sc sond Lieuten-
motion. They can be OF use when assigned 10
companies for purposes OF drill and discipline
wait at present to observe the working Of the
Increase in the NUM- ber Of cadet from the new
Apportionment of Representatives. 1t might
also be desirable to substitute. in any event
for the proposed eiGhty-eight new appoint
ments by the Senators, "A restoT alton of the ton
cadets formerly appointed Annually by the
which he has now.