Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-11
emaLAxo's mIllrAaY SCHOOLS.
Wselwich and sandhurst Vastly Differ ireH
Uncle Sans West Peinl Academy.

Wss!wich and sandhufst Vastly Differ iron
Uncle Sans West Peinl Academy.
The ESSENTIAL difference that exists be-
tween the respective methods OF Uncle
their officers is one of money. England
demands that her cadets pay. and pay
heavily, too, for their training, whereas
the United States is content to pay her
military pupils as well as educate them.
There is but little similarity in the two
systems, though the result achieved is
the same. Admission to the Royal MILF
tray Academy. WoOlwich. where Eng
'.gunners." and the Royal Military Col
lege. Sandhurst, where the cadets are
trained for the cavalry. is obtained only
through very severe competitive ex-
animation, held under civil service rules.
aud the usual medical inspection. When
the struggling student has at length
overcome all difficulties, his father must
face a yearly bill of f10O, unless he holds
Or held a commission in the army. The
size of this sum. even though 1t he only
for two years, the fun course. is sufficient
to debar all but .scions of well-to-do
families. This qualification of means is
very necessary. as the young ofhcer cam
not expect to live on his pay. which is
only $500 year for some considerable
time.
Once within the gates. the studies and
drills are very similar to those of our in
situations. but the social and recreative
systems differ considerably. At Wool
which and Sandhurst the men of differ
ent terms have no common intercourse.
and of late years is has become intensely
bad form for one term to Interfere
with another at all. But not many years
ago the persecution of the SMOKERS;
or ''plebes, as they are called IN
America, was so great that 1t finally led
to revolution. The unfortunate shook
ers, to show their disapproval OF their
treatment. went to unprecedented lengths.
Marching in a body out of the academy
to Blackheath, where fair was being
held. three miles away. they utterly
ignored the orders of their OfncefS. ana
on being threatened with police Interior
ence. declared that they would immedi-
ately set free an entire menagerie or WHO
animals which was one of the features
of the fair. if policeman dared TO show
his helmet near them. The young dare
devils effectually cowed the local Dog
berrys. When the fair was over the
cadets returned and We're all placed in
arrest on bread and water. of which ordi-
nance the only notice they took was to
seize all the bread they could lay hands
on, load the old 'Waterloo" cannons with
the loaves. and deliberately turn them on
the Governors house. the windows of
which suffered considerable damage.
Thus was the backbone of most PERM,
cious system of persecution broken, and
now all is quiet in the shop. save for
the occasional "toshing or Raging" of
an Objectionable man by his fellow term
ers. 'Toshing is a form of amusement
which consists of forcibly immersing the
victim in cold water bath. and is gem
orally confined to winter, while rag
ging'' a man is to continually irritate.
annoy, and inconvenience him by petty
insults, such as making hay of his
room or concealing his accoutrements.
The distinctive feature of both Wool
wich and Sandhurst is the great atten-
ton devoted to sports and athletics. IN
tercOllegiate contests occur annually at
football cricket and athletics. and in the
respective seasons of the two great ma
tional games matches are made with
large number of other clubs. ana the
teams always get leave from studies and
drills for the day of the match ii neces-
sary If they play away from home, the
institution pays their travelling expenses,
and if they play at home good luncheon
is always Forthcoming for the occasion.
In fact. a cadet who is never seen joining
in the games is always in disfavor with
the authorities while an athlete is pro-
portionately liked.
Liberty of action off parade and the
amount of leave given is another point
wherein the military schools of the two
countries differ greatly. In England the
cadet off parade is free to dress himself
in cricket fiannels and amuse himself as
he sees fit. being in no way bound by any
strict rules of decorum such as prevail at
West Point The young Englishman is
supposed (and with good cause) to have
had all the nonsense knocked out of
him at his public school. and to be fit
therefore to associate with his fellow
cadets. according to the "schoolboy's
code of honor
Leave of absence is given. to all whose
parents consent to the arrangement, ev-
cry Saturday from II noon till Sunday
night at H.. Most of the young fellows
having friends or relatives in London. 1t
is fine relaxation after the weeks work
to assume plain clothes again and for
get that there are such things as parade
and punishment drills. Three months
vacation are given in the year. one at
Christmas and two in midsummer. so
that, considering everything. the cadets
life is fairly happy, he is willing to
acknowledge when he has left the shop
some years behind him.
The American and English systems are
equally good in their way. but neither is
suited to the other country. WoOlwich
and Sandhurst are essentially arstOcratic
institutions. but West Point is truly dem
ocratc