The evening times., 1895-12-12

| While the board of visitors to the Naval
Academy this year favored lowering the
standard OF admission. SO that soine studies
| now required for entrance should be pur-
| sued instead, during the first year of the
course, the board OF visitors at the Military
Academy recommends that the STANDARD OF
admission there shall be raised.
The Annapolis visiters advise also the
extension OF The course of studies there from
four years to five, which would allow line
first yer 20 take the place. in some de-
gree, of the preparatory year, the age lin
its of admission also being reduced. Still,
the contrast in the views OF the two boards
Is striking.
Another noticeable feature of the West
Point board's report is that the number OF
the Presidents appointments to caderships
shall be increased TO twenty, and that every
Senator shall also be entitled to appoint u
cadet TDaL would increase the present
authorized strength or the corps. which is
81, to 469
incr- 10 somethiDg(to he said for, but
perhaps more against, so great an increase
al atthepresenttinc. 1.-THE proposed Increase
Of sixty in the humber of army Officers,
under Mr.. Lamont's plan, is carried out,
TINS inci"ase OF ninety 7cjgnt in thc author
iz.'i number or cadets might do better, al
though even then IL would exceed prospcc- .
tive needs.
DELAYS EVERY YEAR
IT is well known that Iie present puni- =,
Der OF graduates comes so close TO filling
all the vacancies in 'the lowest srade Of 1
the line that every year there is much delay
and some anxiety about finding places for
the enlisted men who have secccs sfulIy
passed their examination for the shoulder |
straps. AT the present tine, fer example \
there have not yet been found vacancies
sufficient for all those who have been found I
qualified To become second lieutenants.
ii seems clear, therefore that If the pres
ent nuHfber Of cadets should be increased, |
here would be a pressur to keep out the !
enlisted men; for under the existing law |
he graduates take precedence Of them, |
and besides, all graduates III ex6ess or The |
vacancies may be assigned as addition |
second iieutenants, until absorbed into the 7
companies as vacancies may occur. II is
rue that a provision might be made for
akiDg only certain number OF the gradu-
ltes and dlsmissing the rest to civil life,
lut that also might develop drawbacks
one argument for increasing lhe corps of
;adets l. that more OF them could be edl,I-
'at"d at West Point with. the present Ia J.
'iiifies, and that few, if any, additional
Instructors would be dra wn from the army
j
Expense. 1t is tie cost of maintenance that
orms the principal annual item. Including !
money allowances to the cadets. and this
would be increased with each person added \
o the corps.
The policy ar educating a larger num-
er OF cadets than is Necessary for the
rmy, with view to having in civil life a
lumber of them who could be called upon
4 time OF need, is often urged. Such n |
ystem, however, presupp,ses Ia .definite. \
Ian for limiting the number of each class
hat can enter the army, and not merely
ie addition of ninety-eight new cadet
hips, without any restriction leaving 4
he hardships of rejection for the army TO
g endured without warning of them at
ntrance into the academy. uj .s.f.. -s - ,
THE NATURAL INCREASE, ~ 80 7
Ii must further be remembered that there.
natural growth in the authorized
lmber of cadets equal to that of The
rowth in membership of the. House of
representatives.. Once in ten years the !
rw apporti"nmcnt increases the, possible
lumber OF cadets. Besides, il is plain that
more care We're taken by members tu
rovide not only competent candidates, hut