The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-10-18
A NAVAL
ACADEMY
May Be Established In
Near Future on
WrightSville.
GOVERNMENT
Will he Asked to Furnish Necessary
Equipment-Prof. Wakeland Here
Yesterday to Inspect the Proposed
Site-The City Owns Considerable
Tract of Land on the Sound and Is
Willing to Furnish a Site for N
School-There is a School Of a Sim
liar Nature In Indiana.

Prof. c.. r. Wakeland. h is at the
present time principal of the Donald
son-Dayidson school in Fayetteville,
came to Wilmington yesterday for the
purpose of inspecting the Summe
Rest property on Wrightsville sound,
with a view TO establishing a naval
school. He inspected the proposed site
and went to Southport in the after
noon to inspect sites there. He will
return to Fayetteville this morning.
Prof. Wakeland's idea is a practical
one and will no doubt meet with
favor whe brought TO h attention
of congress. 1t is his intention to es-
tablish a naval school and TO get the
government to supply the school with
all necessary equipment, and after 1t
is we'll established to get the govern
ment to provide a boat and an officer
from Annapolis to give the students
instruction. The government already
recognizes all military schools of any
Importance and furnishes them with
their equipment. Prof. Wakeland also
wishes his school to be Of such a STAN
dard that the graduates will be recog-
nized and one or more appointed an
nually as commissioned officers. The
men having had training of this ma
ture would also be received on any
of the battleships and would at once
be given offices that they could not
otherwise secure. He thinks a school
of this kind would appeal to the pub
lie more strongly than a military
school. and that if once recognized ny
the government, and an appropriation
made for furnishing the school with
necessary equipment, it wou prove
a success.
At the present time there is a naval
school at Maxiekuckee, Indiana. on
the above named plan. The school was
equipped by the government several
years ago. and a boat furnished and
an officer detailed to instruct the men.
Prof. Wakefield lived in Indiana for
some years and it was from the Gull
yer Institute at Maxiekuckee that he
conceived the idea of getting a sim
liar school established in the south.
He says he has friends among both
the democrats and republicans who
nave agreed to supper such a meas"
ure, and he feels confident of it's sue
cess. He at one time made an effort
to have a school of his nature eStab-
lished in Mississippi, and the secretary
of the navy had expressed himself as
being favorable to such a movement,
but when he government found it to
be in the yellow fever district it was
at once dropped.
There is no doubt but that the pres
ent facilities of this government for
e%quipping men for the navy is entirely
inadequate. ZACH year our navy is
increasing in size by bound and men
are needed on the vessels who have
a training for the navy. The num-
Der of students at Annapolis is linn
1ted and the school barely furnishes
enough men to hold the more impor-
tant places. Year by year this grow
ing demand for competent men on the
large bat,leshipS will increase and a
school such as Prof. Wakeland pro-
poses to establish would enable the
young mel thus educated TO secur
good positions.
Prof. Wakeland, Mayor VIM. E.
Springer, Colonel Walker Taylor. Ma
jor w. F. Robertson and a represen-
tative of The Messenger went to
Wrightsville yesterday on a special
car provided by the Consolidated
Company. The property was inspect
ed by Prof. Wakeland. and he was
very favorably impressed with the
site.
The encampment site on Wrights-
vile sound was purchased some years
e by certain citizens Of Whining
ton n decided to the state under the
condition hat it was to be used for
h permanent encampment ground,
otherwise to revert to back to the city.
Since the state secured the property
it has been used for an encampment
several times. but for the past two
years it has not been held at Whining
ton, and the state has therefore for
feited her right to the property. At
the next meeting of the General AS
smbly the city of Wilmington will
ask to be allowed to dispose of the
property, in case it is thought best.
Prof. Wakeland was told yesterday
that he could rest satisfied as to the
city furnishing the site for the school,
provided he could get the same es-
tablished.
Summer Rest would be a beautiful
place for a school. 1t is tho highest
point along the sound, n the view
looking out across the sound. with the
breakers in the distance. is a beauti-
full sight, and one that would never
tire the eye. When the state first
signified it's intention of using the site
for the encampments the government
placed two cannon and four mortars
just in front Of the encampment
ground and facing the sound. If h
encampment had continued to be held
at this point the government was 60
ing to detail an officer each a to
instruct III men in h handling of
the guns.
Everything possible should be done