with the work of the public schools as ordinarily accomplished at the minimum age of admission (17) if not at the average age (19). It will not, we trust, be long before admission to the Academy will be based upon the completed work of a high school. The schools of the whole country have now attained a degree of systematization which makes it possible for every section of the country to offer appointees from a grade of advancement at least three years beyond that represented in the old requirements. In the selection of cadets it would be a great aid to the Academy if it could receive from each Congressional district the nomination of two alternates in addition to the prime nomination. The beneficent action of Congress in placing the requirements under direct control of the Secretary of War has made fortunately possible the new requirements adopted by the Academic Board May 28, 1901. By the act of 1812 Congress prescribed that candidates should be well versed in reading, writing, and arithmetic. In 1867 it was provided that in addition hereto a knowledge of the elements of English grammar, of descriptive geography, particularly that of the United States, and of the history of the United States, should be required. The requirements now adopted include reading, writing, orthography, punctuation and the use of capitals, English grammar, English composition, English literature, arithmetic, algebra through quadratic equations, plane geometry, descriptive geography, and the elements of physical geography, both particularly of our own country, United States history, the outlines of general history, and physiology and hygiene.

With this addition of algebra and geometry to the requirements, it is now to be hoped that the preponderance of time given in the course of study to the subject of mathematics will be immediately dislodged. In the natural conservatism of the curriculum the influence of the early days of the Academy, when it was closely connected with the department of engineering, has persisted to an extent which it is hardly to be believed the friends of the Academy have fully appreciated and which certainly is not now, from the outlook of the Academy's larger purpose, in any way defensible. The Academy is a training school for soldiers. In place of mathematics and the applications of mathematics, which now dominate the course, a body of subjects should now come to a hearing that have direct bearing upon the human life and needs of the soldier-general history, military history, English, oral study of modern languages, military ethics, military hygiene, etc. The future is likely to impose upon the officers of our Army an increasing demand for a practical acquaintance with modern languages. Instruction should therefore be frankly directed toward cultivating the power to use language orally, and not used chiefly either as grammatical drill or as a means of testing the assiduity of the pupil. The teachers must be men who speak the language correctly and fluently. In this connection it may be suggested that a provision whereby young officers ambitious of improvement might be assigned once in three or four years a detail of six months for study and travel abroad would not only provide material for the teaching force of the Academy, but would add greatly to the vitality and efficiency of the men in the strictly military lines. It is particularly desirable as guard against the risks incidental to the process of breeding in and in, that the teachers of the Academy should be brought from time to time in touch with the military or academic life of other institutions and other lands.

The plan of assigning definite credits to members of the first class for military efficiency, attention to duty, and general soldierly qualities has been in operation since June, 1899, and has amply proven its value. It represents a movement in the direction of making the graduating rank an exacter indication of soldierly fitness and could, we believe, be safely extended and developed.

The following communication regarding the library has been received from the Superintendent:"

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY,

West Point, N. Y., June 3, 1901.

SIR: In connection with the early completion of the commodious and excellent library building of the Military Academy, I have the honor to recommend to the attention of the Board of Visitors the great desirability of reorganizing the library itself. To properly meet its end, the library of the Military Academy should bear relations to: (1) all the different departments of instruction at the Academy; (2) to the cadets; (3) to the officers on duty at the Academy; (4) to the library of the War Department and other national libraries; (5) to the post libraries of the Army; (6) to other libraries of the United States; (7) to foreign libraries.

It is desirable that the library should present the actual state of knowledge in all the branches at the Military Academy and in the related branches. The whole profession of the soldier should be covered by its books, and it should offer every facility to cadets for general culture by reading, as there is no available time for culture courses in the present curriculum.

In addition to exhibiting the complex profession of the soldier in its various ramifications in the arts and sciences, it should do also what the college library does for the college student. The military art grows and changes as rapidly as any other, and it requires constant effort to keep informed as to these changes and to obtain and keep the best and latest books on military subjects on the shelves of the library. The librarian here, accordingly, should be charged with important responsibilities that do not generally appertain to other libraries.

The list of books now in the library needs to be carefully examined, and all important missing volumes on scientific subjects should be secured if possible. The list of military periodicals should be made as complete as practicable, and also the histories of all branches of our service so far as they have been published. Important books on all wars, modern and ancient, should be procured if missing, together with the fullest possible histories of our own wars. The library should be overhauled for duplicates of all kinds, and these should be systematically exchanged for desirable works from both American and European libraries.

Special bibliographies should be prepared for all matter relating to each of our wars, to every part of our Army organization, to the service of military information, and to military maps. Everything relating to the history of the Academy and of the Army (albums, prints, drawings, etc.) should be put in the most available form for use and reference. In short, the library should be a museum of printed information readily accessible. Cadets should be taught by occasional lectures how to use libraries and how to search for information by means of bibliographies and indexes, and to extract and prepare in the most servicable form the information when found.

The present library is far from fulfilling to the greatest degree the requirements demanded of it. Many of these requirements have been at different times partially attempted but never systematically carried out.

The library, now containing nearly 45,000 volumes of books and 6,000 to 8,000 pamphlets, needs to be overhauled, rearranged, and readjusted by a competent man of both scientific and general attainments-one with knowledge of and acquaintance with other libraries; he should also possess military information and knowledge of military aims and methods. These very desirable ends can not be brought about so long as the method that has been previously pursued at the Military Academy is continued.

It is also thought that with a properly organized library and a competent librarian— one who could devote his whole time to the work; one capable of making the library an important department of the Academy, as it is at other important institutions it would be possible to inaugurate certain Academy publications, perhaps a quarterly journal of the Academy's work, which would be a great stimulus both to officers in the service, cadets at the Academy, and a valuable periodical to the Academy's sons and army officers wherever found. Such publications would place the Academy into closer relations with other institutions of learning and with the country gener

ally; it would be the basis, also, of a large number of exchanges with military schools throughout the world.

The librarian, to fill his office properly, should be sufficiently informed about, and in touch with, the departments of instruction at the Academy, so that he can at all times keep laid out for reference the most recent books relating to the subjects of study and other works which might be benficially consulted in connection therewith. All periodical literature, especially of a scientific or military nature, should be mapped and indexed and made readily available for the use of cadets and others. Literature relating to important events of the world should also be exposed so as to bring it to the attention of cadets.

The works enumerated above would require able attention and a large amount of time, and to insure their accomplishment it is necessary to adopt a system totally different from that heretofore pursued at the Academy. The library should be given a responsible head, whose sole duty is to do library work and capable of bringing it to a modern state of perfection in the general directions suggested. The library is now under the general supervision of one of the professors of the Academy, who is able, of course, to give little of his time to it, as he has his regular academic work, which is heavy at all times. There is also an assistant librarian, at $1,500 a year, a civilian, who is assisted by two enlisted men detailed for the purpose.

In order to attain the ends desired and above outlined, the librarian should be able to devote his whole time to the work, for which he should be specially fitted. I beg, therefore, to present to the Board of Visitors the matter of the desirability of obtaining from Congress the necessary authority to carry out the plan. I believe no steps can be taken of greater value to instruction at the Military Academy, or that will do more to enhance the usefulness of the institution to our country in the spread of military knowledge.

Very respectfully,

A. L. MILLS, Colonel, United States Army, Superintendent. Present.

The PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS,

The committee, as also the entire board, wishes to express its full approval of the plan herein set forth. Library administration has now come to be a specialized profession requiring special qualities of habit and mind, special training, and special knowledge. The office of librarian at the Academy can no longer be filled satisfactorily by one of the department heads. The library itself, as well as the demands of modern library science, has already well outgrown such possibility. We recommend the appointment therefore of a specially trained librarian at the remuneration of not less than $2,500. The library should be developed into a special collection on military science and the history and art of war, and made available not only for the use of the Academy, but for the entire profession throughout the country. It should receive not less than $10,000 per annum for the purchase and binding of books and for periodicals.

The BOARD OF VISITORS.

BENJ. IDE WHEELER, Chairman.
W. H. UPHAM.

JOHN ALLISON.

J. WILLIAM WHITE.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FISCAL AFFAIRS, SUPPLIES, AND EXPENDITURES.

WEST POINT, N. Y., June 7, 1901. GENTLEMEN: The committee on fiscal affairs, supplies, and expendi tures respectfully submit the following report:

The committee made a thorough examination of the finances and accounts of the cadets kept by Maj. Charles B. Hall, Second United States Infantry. He keeps an exact account with each cadet, and the accounts are so arranged that the financial standing may be determined

at a glance. He also exhibited to us his bimonthly statements approved and examined by the quartermaster of the post.

We inspected the stock of goods on hand for the supply of the cadets at the quartermaster's department and found the same in good order, well arranged, and indicating in every way close and careful attention. We found the prices charged the cadets for their supplies to be reasonable.

We also inspected the mess hall, kitchen, and food supplies; neatness and cleanliness was everywhere apparent. The recent addition of a cold-storage room has made it possible to procure meats in large quantities, thereby reducing the cost and enabling the cadets to have a greater variety of food.

We renew the recommendation made in former years that the pay of the cadet be increased. It is now $540 per year, and this sum, with the increased cost of living, is barely sufficient, even with great economy, to allow a cadet to keep out of debt. We believe that the Military Academy should be put upon the same footing in regard to pay as the Naval Academy. The naval cadet receives $540 per annum, plus one daily ration, which is commuted at 30 cents a day, making a total of $609.50 per year, which gives him an advantage of $69.50 over the military cadet, and in the course of four years amounts to $278. When it is considered that a cadet upon graduation and being commissioned is obliged to expend for his uniform $322.50,1 it does not seem right to turn the officers into the world in debt; they should at least enter on life with a clean score and not be financially embarrassed from the very start.

The committee desires to express its appreciation of the courtesies extended and the facilities offered for the examination of the books and the stock on hand, and for the kindness shown in furnishing information relative to expenditures to the officers.

Very respectfully,

The BOARD OF VISITORS.

JOHN KEAN.

C. B. LANDIS.

1Following is a memorandum of equipment necessary for a cadet to become an officer, and approximate cost:

The above does not include an outfit of civilian clothing, or riding boots, spurs, gloves, and many other minor but necessary articles for garrison and field service. The retained pay of a graduated cadet amounts to $192.

WEST POINT, N. Y., June 7, 1901.

A. L. MILLS, Colonel, United States Army.

APPENDIXES.

APPENDIX A.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CORPS OF CADETS,
West Point, N. Y., June 7, 1901.

Prof. BENJ. IDE WHEELER, LL. D.,

Chairman of Committee on Examination, Instruction, and Discipline.

Dear Professor WHEELER: In compliance with your request in note dated June 6, I beg to submit herewith a brief statement of what has already been done, and what I think should be done further, in the direction of making soldierly character receive its proper recognition among the tests for proficiency at the Military Academy. With a view to provide the means for securing recognition of the soldierly character of cadets, a plan was proposed by me, and subsequently adopted, by which a weight was given the members of the first class for efficiency and attention to duty in the performance of duty as an officer-officer of the day, 15; officer of the guard, 10; inspector of subdivision, 10; commandant of table, 5; drill or exercise (officer or instructor), 30; minor tactical exercise (officer or instructor), 30; efficiency in horsemanship, 20; and at target practice, 10; or a total weight of 130 for military efficiency. For soldierly deportment and discipline based upon the estimate of the commandant of cadets and his assistants (tactical officers), a weight of 20 is given.

This scheme, as adopted, though in the right direction, gives too small a weight for these two most important items, in my opinion. I think that for military efficiency a weight of at least 150 should be given, and for soldierly deportment and discipline the weight should be 75 at least.

Attention is also invited to the weight given in former times, and at present, to subjects bearing directly or indirectly upon the formation of soldierly character; also to drill regulations.