Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
photographs Copyrighted by Frances b. Jonnston.l

finally adopted and approved by the de-
partment but the Spanish war came on and
1t was only after its victories that an APP
preparation became available The corner
stone of the new armory. the first OF the
buildings new nearing completion. was laid
In 1898 by Rear Admiral F. V. McNaIr.
The armory, some 42S feet long. Hanks
the new cadet quarters at right angles and
is balanced by the boathouse. a structure
similar in appearance. The cadet quarters
themselves extend 729 feet along the
front
Some distance back, parallel and facing
this first group, Is the academic building
with the thanking structures for chemistry
and marine engineering. and between the
two groups, facing the Severn river and
forming the westerly side of the rectangle,
Is the auditorium and chapel with the
superintendents house and administration
building. Looking from the steps OF the
basin which forms the fourth side OF the
rectangle. the best view Is obtained OF the
whole group. with the dominating dome Of
the auditorium in the center. 100000 for
that central attraction has not been con-
sidered too much to make the city by the
sea q monument Of architectural grace and
unity.
In these days, when a hundred or more
cadets are turned out annually. the object
of the academy is to make them efficient
officers of the modern battleship. That
multiplex mechanism. more delicate than
an eight-day French clock and more pom
derous than a steel sky scraper. will not
permit any inadeQuacy of treatment.
AT any moment In the present condition
of the navy. a superintendent of the
academy has put 1t, the graduated cadet
must be not merely a seaman an engineer,
true marine engineer acquainted with
steam, electricity and ordnance. a navigator
and surveyor, an athlete, student OF
French and Spanish. gentleman but must
be qualified to take the command of a fleet
or step into the chair of academic pro-
fessor.
Algebra. geometry, mechanical drawing,
skill in reading drawings. whether from the
naval architect, the marine engineer or the
ordnance engineer, integral calculus.
physics, chemistry. electricity. magnetism,
seamanship. regulations for infantry and
artillery, these things begin to prepare the
middle for the professional work OF the
practice cruises and to be irst-class men.
Naval tactics. ordnance and gunnery, navi-
cation. compass deviations and surveying
boilers. engineering materials, designing
and naval construction. electrical engineer
ing-these are the pursuits which gradua-
ton day does not put an end to for the
honored first-class man. but which prepare
him for the two years trying out which
now begins for him.
1t was Wainwright of the Gloucester fame
at Santiago who said while he was superin-
tendent Of the Naval Academy that the
course Of study and the formation of char
acter, like the buildings. have been Of slow
growth, but unlike the buildings the growth
has been healthy and there Is no sign OF
decay
For that reason because the navy and the
department is satisfied that it has now per-
fected the mold in which the sailing de-
| tenders of the nation shall be cast there is
| little concern at Annapolis when their
methods or product Is criticised. They know
| they can man the boats and bring down
| victory with mechanical tactical certainty
| and they believe they can whip the army
at foot ball every fall, SO what do they care.
They are charged with being theoretical.
| as not being able on graduation day to
handle any ship under full steam In any
sea and with not being personally con-
versant with all kinds of dynamos. motors.
turrets and torpedoes. They do not answer.
With heady unanimity, strong bodies, reso-
lutte wills and their theories in their heads
they give the whole body OF critics the
silence" 1t Is enough for them that when
occasion arises Santiago and Manila speaks
for them.