The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-14

notion prevailing in some quarters that It
was n sort OF scientific school for carrying
young graduates OF the Annapolis Academy
further in the studies they had there pur-
sued. Even In the Navy Department Its
independent and individual character was
not always fully recognized at first, as Is
explained in Secretary HERBRRTls annual
report for 1895:
Under the able superintendency Of Capt. N. 9.
TArLoR, q. 8. N, his institution has, during each OF
the two past years, made a distinctively forward
step. II can no longer in any quarter be regarded
a. q postgraduate school TO carry ofhcera forward IN
the theoretical studies pursued IN the Academy ut
Annapolis, but 10 now stands out clearly as an unde-
| niably practical institution for the study Of war ~ .
science evolved from historical research. ana OF war
AZ an art applied TO problems arising out Of hypo-
thoticAi, and possible cases OF attacks upon and
defences Of our own country. its coasts and. cities. )
That ID was 10 be = school OF war. and nothing
but war. was not at nrst recognized. by the pub
mind. either in or out OF the navy" -,
Mr.. HERBERT took the anne ground in
| his report for 1890, while in August of that
year he delivered an address at the War
! College which is especially noteworthy in
comparison with Mr.. ALIENS view:
THE opinion was once widely entertained that this
college was intended for . postgraduate courSe. and
that. this being no. II afould be located!tf allowed to
! exist at all, at the Naval Academy. I was OF this
opinion myself until three years ago, on . personal
visit. 1 inspected its workings and examined fully
into its plans and purposes, Then I discovered what
the public ia beginning to understand. and what the
navy itself is now coming fully to appreciate. thatit
is in no sensea post course that 10 being pur.
| sued in these walls. that not only are tho theory and
~ 80 900 t>,r1 thorNpghly atrdiA1 and deValoned
! here, but knowledge 10 being acquired and practical
information Is being amassed without which the
Navy Department cannot possibly, In the event of
war. utilize the naval res ources Of our country"
It being clear, then, that the post-grad-
uate idea is no longer warranted, it only
remains to note the advantages attributed
by Mr.. ALLEN to Annapolis over Newport
in its location, its. library, its laboratories
| and its corps Of instructors. As to location,
Annapolis is Of course somewhat easily
reached by officers on duty at Washington
and its vicinity and by Congressman; but
the naval officers at the national capital and
those at Annapolis itself have daily duty
which presumably would prevent attend
ance upon courses OF study covering the
same portions OF the day. At Newport it
has been found TINT officers stationed In the
same harbor with tho War College and even
on the same island cannot attend it's ses-
sions, IN account Of their regular duties.
That point, therefore, cannot have serious
weight. Then, as to the climate, it GER
tainly will not be pretended that Annapolis
is superior to Newport for sustained men,
tai e~xertion during the summer, through
which season tho sessions at the War Col
lege are habitually held. "
As to the books, the library Of the War
College, chosen for its specific purposes and
kept up by moderate annual additions, is
found adequate and always available. Lab
oratories are not needed for the War Col
lege at all, nor are II other of the re-
sources or facilities OF the Naval Academy.
The system Of imparting information at the
War College is largely self-instructive, un-
der leaders and lecturers drawn preferably
from naval and military specialists, sup
plemented by a few civilians of high reputa-
ton. To add its work to the present work
of the Naval Academy instructors would
be to overburden them, and the course
Of the War College on top Of their winter
duties, with the facilitating effects Of an
Annapolis summer, would hurt both insti-
AhO Ahh6 III ioNbt pioNO
to be the Gripping or extinction OF a school
OF war by absorption with a school for Ca
diets and as the scope and methods Of In
struction at the Naval Academy are SO ut
terly dissimilar, even the Academy would
not be benefited by the absorption. AS to
the question Of economy, the annual ap-
preparation for the War College is very
small, and, with the buildings and apph!
ances already secured, little or no saving
is to be looked for on that score. "
The truth is that it is not the practice Of
nations to concentrate all their naval and
military educational establishments at ono
point. Foreign countries do not do this,
nor do we. The infantry and cavalry school
Of the army is not at West Point, but at
Fort ~Leavenworth; the engineer depot at
Wiilets Point; the artillery school at
Fort Monroe. In like manner, IL in order
to prevent any duplication Of plant we
ought to carry the War College to Anna
polls. why should not all the gunnery and
torpedo instruction be centred there,
not only for officers but for apprentices,
even the apprentice station being removed
thither, on the ground that Annapolis has
facilities for outside drills I? An army o%ficer,
formerly ut the head OF the artillery school,
once expressed the opinion that Annapolis,
even with its library, would be the least de-
sirable of all sites mentioned for the War
College, because it would "bring the in
struction Of the mature officer into ipxtapo-
sition with that OF the more juvenile ca
diets. two entirely distinct ~clnsses, requir-
ing different methods and different treat
ment." Indeed that single reason, among
the many we have suggested, should he
decisive against the change.
uu