New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-07
Public Affairs Of Moment
in Times Of Peace and War

must know a great dca' about great
many things. lie must be first OF all
"a seaman. He must be able TO handle
a small boat as well as a batteshlp.
lie must master marine geography.
navigation. guunery. steam and elec-
trical engineering. as well as naval
tactics and strategy He must speak
one foreign language. be familiar with
international law and also acquire
social polish At the Naval Academy
nowadays there is even a course M
public speaking Besides all this. he
must keep in good physical condition
as requisite for advancement
In order to turn out an efficient naval
officer highly specialized education
is necessary. Commander Earle NOW
Rear Admiral, because detailed as CHIEF
Of the Bureau of Ordnance describes
IN his book the educational system IN
use at the Naval Academy 1t Is stink
inglv unlike the system followed in our
other colleges and professional schools
the United States Military Academy
excepted. 1t is based on theory Of
character building as well as on
theory Of mental and physical instruc-
ton. Ii is intensive in the highest de-
grec. II develops discipline as well as
,.rofciencv. Experience has shown thai
r - the means have been most sue
ressfullv adapted TO the end. ! he Na\"i
Academy has always done most thoI-
o,cbly and admirably the work II was
intended TO do.
Few Americans. however, have any
familiarity with the Annapohs SES.T a,,
l. &c the purpose Of Admiral Earles
book ~ GIVE a clear account Of the ma.
cbinerv which converts the raw pleDe
Who enters the academy into the mn
shed officer. imbued with the niSh
sDirit and lofty traditions or the ser
VICE. The Admiral was for severa years
tbs head Of the Department OF ora
nance and Gunnery at Annapolis ana
his point of view is that OF one VINO mas
taught i'm the academy. AS wei as
studied there. The picture he presents
Of the midshipman's evolution Is accE-
rate i'm every detail. II IS also absorb
ingly interesting.
The navy is the first line Of our ma
,ioDal defence 1t is an institution o.
which the country is rightly proud. II
&c expanding with great rapidly. us
Growth will soon far outrun the ablllty
Of a single academy TO supply II WIN
cTicers The navy is going TO bear lEe
brUDt of the war with Germany. Inter
80 in il and in the methods by which
.t is differed is just now at the hlghes'
mitch. We DO not know Of book there
fore. which could be more welcome thAn
his clear and sympathetic account OF
the work Of the Naval Academy. on the
soundness Of which the navy's ehlclehcy
Sc largely depends. 49,
Apart from its general value the
volume will also be Of great assist
tuce as reference book TO those VINO
hone 10 get appointments to AnnaPo-
is The advice and information when
il contains will make preparation Tor
entrance much easier and also MAKE
more understandable the rigid dlscl-
Mime. which to most OF the boys VINO
matriculate as well as 10 their TRENDS
and parents must seem somewhat eX-
aggerated and finicky. IL Is not az
thev will eventually learn. The two
Great precepts which the academy has
always honored and which il will con-
tinue to honor are these: obedience
Is the soul Of the navy" lCradock)
and "Men mean more than guns IN
the rating of ships John Paul
JoneeJ