The evening times., 1902-06-11
Founded in the Year 1902
With a Class Number
ing Two Students.
PERIOD OF SPARSE STUDIES
Many Graduates Fell IN Battle-War
Should Be Undertaken Only in the
Interest of Peace-Co-operation Be
tween Volunteer and Regular.

WEST POINT, y. Y, June 1.-Gen.
Horace Porter, formerly a member of
General Grants staff, and at present
the American ambassador to France. de-
uvered an address before the students
Of the Military Academy here today that
was listened 10 with the deepest inter
est, and at its close the orator received
every mark Of applause and appreciation
by the distinguished company who list
ened 10 his remarks
Address of General Porter.
General Porter spoke as follows:
Since the foundation of the United
States Military Academy upon the his
toFic spot on which today this vast con-
course Of visitors is assembled, the dial
hands of the celestial clock record a
century's flight Upon the centennial
of the birth Of this devoted child of the
nation she stands with outstretched
hands TO press the cup Of greeting to
the lips of aII who come TO pay homage,
and with natural fondDess bids her sons
10 return to her after the trials and
yiciss1tudes of their Iife's career and
once more repose their heads upon her
bosom
''It is in every sense an ideal site on
which TO have founded an institution to
teach the science and the art of war.
Here the Academy sits entbvoned in
the fastness of the legendary Highlands
the cold. gray, rugged rocks which form
her battlements are symbolic Of the rig
or of the discipline exacted Of her chill
dren; her towering hills seem TO lift
man nearer TO his God; the mist-laden
storm clouds may lower above her. but
they break upon her crags and peaks as
hostile lines of battle have SO ofen
broken upon the sword points Of her
heroic sons Her abode is incomparabIy
beautiful at ali hours and in all sea
sons At one time we find her noun
tains reverberating and her plain trem-
bling with the thunder of her guns as
their voIIeys rend the air IN mimic war
fare, OF as. with their crimson breath
they utter their notes Of greeting TO an
illustri0us soldier President who hon
ors her imposing fete day BY his dis
tinguished presence. At another time
stiffness rules her camp; the snowy
whiteness Of her tents glistens in the
golden light OF midsummer moon. the
prevailing silence IS broken only by the
cadeuced footballs Of her trusty. senti-
nels or the ripping Of the waters of the
noble stream which flows at her base
bearing to the sea those great argosies
Of commerce which measure a nations
material prosperity
Hundred Years Of History.
"As we stand here today d hundred
years OF history pass in review before
US. and We would fain light the torch Of
memory and count the brilliant beads
oT. recollection. When our ancestors
threw down the gauntlet to the mother
country and resolved TO conquer the
right TO fern a government Of their
own. able leaders were found who had
gained valuable experience in battles
with savage tribes, and especially in the
French and Indian wars, but there was a
total lack OF officers who had received
military education, ana driIlmasters Tor
our troops were eagerly sought among
the trained soldiers Of Europe This
want led our statesmen al an early dav
TO consider the question Of establishing
a training school for officers Of future
armies. Washington favored West
Point. which had been so closely identi-
fed with his military career. IS the
most appropriate site fo- such an instf-
tuition
During his second Administration in
I794. military school was Ioea ted here.
but in 1856 the building was DESTROYED
By FIRE and for several years tho in
struCtion was suspended. In Washing
tons Farewell Address. that immortal
document. well described as unegualed
by any composition or uuinspirea WIS
dom he formulated q memora bis. max
I'm II the words. To be prepared for
war IS one OF the most enectuaI means
o. preserving peace. Two days before
his death, in 1893. he wrote to Hamilton
Q letter. probably The last one his IL
iustTiOus hand ever penned. saving.
''The establishment oE q rziIitarv acad-
emy upon respectable and extensive
basis has ever been considered bv me as
an object Ct primGry importance in this
country and while ] vas in the chair Of
government l omitted no proper oppor-
unity OF recommending il 10 the atten-
ton of the Legislature" Thus this in
fanr o. the State received at its bau1fsln
Washington dying benedicron.
West Points Initial Class.
Tho present permanent Academy was
founded in 1852 The class that year
contained two cadets. During the ten
years following the average number was
twenty We might say CT The. cadets Of
these DAYS what Curran said of the books
in his Ubrarv-'.not numerous bnr CO.
IecI- The instruction was then as
meager as the rations, and this new born
child was 50 poorly cared for that il was
scarcely provided with decent swaddIing
clothes IN fact. the necessity Of the
school came % be seriously questioned.
But then occurred the war OF 1912. the
institution receive greater considera-
tion. was more Evidently organized. and
the maximum number Of cadets was axed
al 25o. The golden age Of the Academy.
however. began with The ADVENT as